Character and Values

Session Description

The LMC Unsung Heroes consistently demonstrated altruistic character traits such as compassion, courage, perseverance, responsibility, and vision, among others. This session will examine how students can effectively connect with these character traits and the stories of these individuals through developing historical empathy as a foundational step in the creation of their artworks.  Historical empathy is the ability to understand and appreciate what life was like for people who lived in a different time and place. Historical empathy can lead to increased creativity and understanding in visual art activities. Research shows that increased empathy improves health and well-being (Garvis & Klopper, 2014; Reilly, 2008). Dr. Veronica Alvarez will also model strategies demonstrating how arts integration can enhance history and ELA curriculum, focusing on the character traits in the LMC Unsung Heroes stories. Practices like critical thinking, collaboration, inquiry, and social-emotional learning will be explored through hands-on activities.

Learning Outcomes

In this session, you will:

1. Understand historical empathy as a tool for students to examine issues and problems from the past, placing people and events in a matrix of time and place.
2. Create approaches forteaching students the importance of individual moral standards, character traits, and heroic actions with an emphasis on the LMC Unsung Heroes.
3. Support students in visually interpreting the stories of LMC Unsung Heroes as role models who have made a difference in the lives of others by comparing the present with the past, evaluating the consequences of events and decisions, and determining the lessons that were learned.
4. Strengthen connections between visual art, English language arts, and social studies.

About the Instructor

Dr. Veronica Alvarez

Executive Director, Create CA, Pasadena, CA 91105

Born in Michoacán, Mexico, Dr. Alvarez is an educator, historian, and arts advocate. She has worked with students of all ages, teaching subjects such as Spanish, ancient Greek and Roman history, and inclusive pedagogy. She was a museum practitioner for over 20 years, working at the J. Paul Getty Museum and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art where she wrote curricula and led professional development for teachers. Dr. Alvarez has served as an education consultant for various entities including UCLA’s Fowler’s Museum, LMU’s Family of Schools, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the U.S. State Department, and the State Department of Cultural Affairs in Chiapas, Mexico. Dr. Alvarez has also developed online learning models on arts integration with the Teaching Channel and the Los Angeles County Office of Education. Dr. Alvarez holds a BA in Liberal Studies, an MA in History, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership for Social Justice. Dr. Alavarez is currently Executive Director of Create CA, an art education advocacy organization, and was previously Executive Director, Community Arts Partnerships at CalArts.