Making Art Together

Praise

Making Art Together is a book that is both practical and revolutionary. Using the latest knowledge on holistic learning, Cooper shows how an art project can educate on a multitude of levels and unify classrooms and whole communities. Among other things, the book is a kind of bible of differentiated instruction, guiding the reader through the process of making art that challenges and appeals to many different learning styles. We also see how collaborative art-making can teach the democratic importance of mutual understanding and respect and serve as a source of great pride for individuals and communities. Making Art Together should be required reading for all elementary and secondary school teachers.—John Laughton, composer, professor, and former dean, College of Visual and Performing Arts, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth

“Every teacher, artist, or parent should have this book for their work with kids.”—Henry Horenstein, professor of photography, Rhode Island School of Design, author of Beyond Basic Photography

“Brings an exciting new perspective to the dialogue on the role of art in education.” —Education Review

“Students don’t have to paint like da Vinci to make worthwhile art, and teachers who have never picked up a paintbrush can still use collaborative art projects to enrich their teaching and the world at large . . . that’s the upbeat message of this humane book . . . illustrated with more than 90 photos of wonderful sculptures, murals, and billboards Cooper helped students and teachers across the country create . . . ‘The thrill and aha! of thinking creatively, so central to any artistic endeavor, is also essential to education,’ the authors proclaim. People need to hear this more than ever now.” —Howard Good, Teacher Magazine

“What sets Cooper’s ideas apart are his emphasis on democratic decision making throughout the collaborative art process and his ability to make that process accessible to teachers and students alike . . . From the looks of the results, it’s worth the journey.” —Gwenn Mayers, National Art Education Association News