Blog Topic #4: Assessing, Reflecting, Planning

The 2^nd/3^rd grade students were very engaged in the VTS Lesson 1 discussion of “Sky and Water I by M.C. Escher, 1938.  This was evident to me because most all of the students raised their hands, and eagerly shared their observations during our discussion.  The young visual thinkers noticed:  the details of the fish at the bottom of the image were more detailed than the ones above it, how the birds and fish seemed to interlock in the center of the picture plain, and that the fish and birds where held together in a diamond or square shape depending on how you tilted your head to look at the image.

I believe the students where hitting on Stage II thinking because their observations where more Constructive than Accountive in nature.  Abigail Housen describes this in Art Viewing and Aesthetic Development, by stating that “viewers set about building a framework for looking at art, using the most accessible tools at hand:  their perceptions, their knowledge of the natural world, and the values of their social and moral world.  Observations have a concrete, know reference point.”  (Chapter 21, Housen)

Student seemed to be focused and I was surprised by how many of them wanted to share their observations.  I think that they where beginning to understand the big idea of art means, because they did not question the placement of the birds and fish in Escher’s print.  Also, one of the students responded that it was really about “one fish” in the water and “one bird” in the sky, hinting at the artist’s intention, (also a Stage II attribute.)

The VTS discussion felt successful to me, even though my execution was not perfect.  I tried to coach myself on staying calm and in the moment, trying not to worry about making mistakes.  There was a few times when I couldn’t hear a student’s comment, or understand their responses.  The children new to come forward and point out what they where trying to communicate.  I learned from the experience that by staying calm, the students stayed engaged and were still eager to offer their interpretations.  I noticed after the discussion that I had omitted what makes you say that (?) and also forgot to add, Can you find more (?) not on purpose, but due to my lack of experience. 

As I move forward with VTS, I feel that it’s important for me to build off of what I’m doing well, and not be overly critical of myself.   I truly want to understand what the students are offering in their comments.  I feel that continuing to stay in the present moment with them will allow me to grow and become more adept at using the questions.  The more practice I have at doing VTS, the more I will learn from the process itself. 

Blog Topic #3: Pre-VTS Assessments

Based on Abigail Housen’s Stages of Aesthetic Development, I see my 2^nd & 3^rd grade students as being primarily Stage I viewers.  I feel that this is probable, because most of the students’ response were about their observations in the painting as a list of items that where in relationship to each other.  Also, Housen refers to Stage I as Accountive, which is characterized by listmakers and storytellers.

I noticed the different kinds of thinking that Yenawine describes in detail throughout chapter four’s text:  Supported Observations, Inferences, Speculation, and Elaboration.  I was expecting their answers to be simpler, but that was not the case.  I was pleasantly surprised at how many of the students gave detailed observations of what they found in the painting, or backed up their interpretations with visual evidence. 

I really enjoyed reading through the students’ answers and had fun categorizing them for the scoring rubric.  I understand how using this information will benefit me in seeing their growth.  I am also excited to see how their social dynamics are affected by implementing VTS.  Yenawine states how it allows for the “thinking of classmates to assist the thinking of others…providing a rung on which another can climb”(p.82.)  I look forward to seeing the children again, and facilitating VTS with them! 

Blog Topic #2: Reflections On My First VTS Experience

My first VTS experience was mixed.  I gathered a group of six peers from my Graduate Fibers class.  I felt anxious and worried about trying to get everything right, instead of trusting myself and letting the experience unfold.  This is going to take some practice for me.  

In-spite of my nerves, I received positive feedback that I did an excellent job of paraphrasing and pointing to the images in the painting. That made me happy.  The readings where very helpful in preparing me to implement the VTS method, but my anxiety kept me from being more confident.  This was very frustrating to me.  

I look forward to utilizing my experience of working with children to gain more confidence in implementing and understanding the subtleties of this method.  Also, I was surprised by how difficult it was for adult artists to follow the raise your hand rule.  Oh, artists!  It made me internally chuckle.  

My frustration with implementing VTS for the first time was that I felt pressure as the facilitator to not make a mistake. For example, I really don't understand the subtle difference between "What more can you find?" vs. "What else can you find?" yet Yenawine states in the text as it having a great impact on the students staying open and engaged (27).