Using art to improve critical thinking and writing skills aim of high school student workshop

RAFFMA, the Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art at Cal State San Bernardino, will host a writing workshop for high school students.

The workshop, which will meet every Thursday for six weeks beginning Jan. 30, will use visual arts, featuring artwork on display at the museum and digital images of artworks, to practice and strengthen critical thinking and improve writing skills.

The writing exercises and assignments will be taught by Jerry Tivey and will take place in and out of the classroom with instructor and peer critiques in class.

The workshop will take place on Thursday evenings, Jan. 30-March 6, from 5:30-6:30 p.m., at RAFFMA. Workshop cost is $25 and space is limited. Registration forms will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis and can be downloaded from the museum website or picked up at the museum front desk. Students under 18 must have written consent from their parent or legal guardian.

Tivey has been teaching English and journalism at Cajon High School for more than 20 years. He teaches International Baccalaureate English and has National Board Certification in English.

Tivey also coaches girls softball and coached boys basketball. He was named San Bernardino County Coach of the Year three times and California State Softball Coach of the Year in 2009. Tivey earned a B.A. in English and a B.S. in sociology from the University of California, Riverside. He holds a master’s degree in education from the University of La Verne.

For more information, contact Paige Taylor, RAFFMA’s education and outreach coordinator, at 909-537-7783 or ptaylor@csusb.edu.

About RAFFMA

The Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art is a nationally recognized museum accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The only accredited art museum in San Bernardino, RAFFMA has accumulated a permanent collection of nearly 1,200 objects focusing on Egyptian antiquities, ceramics and contemporary art. Located at Cal State San Bernardino, RAFFMA houses the largest permanent and public display of Egyptian art in Southern California.

General admission to the museum is free. Suggested donation is $3. Parking at Cal State San Bernardino is $5 per vehicle. The museum is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and is closed Friday and Sunday. For more information, call (909) 537-7373 or visit the RAFFMA website.