Skip to main content

Critical Analysis and Rhetoric Skills Honed in NBS Lectures on Art

Dali, Altorfer, van Eyck, Vasari, and Raphael...During Friday morning's NBS Lectures on Art Finals, our eighth grade finalists provided in-depth critical analyses of notable works of art by these master artists before an audience of the boys' peers from the Nightingale-Bamford School and a panel of judges comprised of faculty members, administrators, trustees, and art experts.

One of four summary projects that the boys complete in their humanities course, the NBS Lectures challenges all of our eighth graders with researching an artwork of their choice and presenting a lecture that includes analysis of several components, such as iconography, gesture, color, impact of the artist, and historical setting.

The boys were judged on the quality and depth of their research and analysis as well as their presentation skills and the visual design of their slides.

It is no easy task for a boy to undertake such a complex multifaceted project. Each presentation was superb, and all of the finalists should be proud of their accomplishment.

The humanities course at Saint David's, taught by art historian Nancy Iannicelli, is a signature learning experience that challenges our boys to dig deeply and focus intently. It hones their analysis and rhetoric abilities, while demonstrating respect for scholarship and the rigorous pursuit of knowledge.



Popular posts from this blog

"The Wisdom Within" - Building Student Motivation Through Choice

In the third entry of our Teaching Boys Initiative quarterly blog series, Master Teacher Jim Barbieri explores how providing boys with agency to choose builds motivation and enhances learning. BUILDING STUDENT MOTIVATION THROUGH CHOICE By the time I was eight years old, I had become completely absorbed in all things baseball. Living in New York was perfect for a baseball fan; although I was a Mets fan thanks to my idol, Tom Seaver, I was also interested in learning about all the amazing Yankees stars of yore. How could I call myself a baseball fan if I didn’t know the history and records of stars like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Yogi Berra? I loved collecting baseball cards and reading the career statistics of each player on the back. Looking through my collection one day, I discovered that I shared a birthday with the legendary Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Roberto Clemente. At eight years old, I was crushed to hear the news that he had died tragically in a plane crash while trying to ...
Read more

"The Wisdom Within" - The Superpower of Performance

In the following entry of our Teaching Boys Initiative blog series, Saint David's Director of Music and Master Teacher Jeffrey Moore explores how participating in performances and productions build transformative competencies, transmit values, and inspire boys to excel. Jose Antonio Abreu, one of the leading educators in classical music and the founder of El Sistema said this: “Music has to be recognized as an agent of social development in the highest sense, because it transmits the highest values  — solidarity, harmony, mutual compassion. And it can unite an entire community and express sublime feelings.”¹ At Saint David’s School, performance begins in the very first years. Each class, from Pre-K through Eighth Grade, presents their work to an audience of peers and parents, whether it is a story, a skit, a play, a lecture, or a musical presentation. But the increasing complexity and demands on our boys to push themselves to another level is the key to their development and succes...
Read more

A Life-Changing Diagnosis

When he was in seventh grade, Emmet O. '21 loved life at Saint David's School and with his friends. He was active in sports, on the school paper, and served on student council. Then, after experiencing symptoms, he learned he had Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), which he describes as a life-changing diagnosis. Last Thursday, Emmet, a senior at Regis High School, who will be attending The University of Pennsylvania in the fall, inspired our seventh and eighth graders with a Chapel talk about his response to the diagnosis. Rather than allowing it to discourage him, he was determined to control his condition independently, to raise awareness about the disease, and to help provide a support system for other young people diagnosed with T1D.  Emmet became an active volunteer for a variety of diabetes organizations. He also wrote an adventure story, Drew Discovers Diabetes , about a dinosaur who is diagnosed with T1D and learns to manage it. Published last year, the book was written to inspire ...
Read more