Blog #7: Why not tell?

Blog #7:  Why not tell?

The following quote from part 2 of the VTS July 19^th newsletter really resonates with me:  “We’re not seeking mistakes of course; we simply know that it’s natural to make them, and we wait to correct until such information won’t undermine self-confidence and joy in discovery.”  I feel that it is important to give our students the opportunity to learn in a way that is akin to serious play (a language they are already familiar.)  VTS builds on this idea by nurturing the students’ explorations in both direct and subtle ways.  I think that both the students and facilitator are playing a huge role in fostering this growth.

Another quote from the same article states, “We live with ‘mistakes’ because we know that any learning involves hurdles and miss-steps, most effectively overcome when one teaches one's self to handle them.”  VTS provides a safe container that allows for students to take healthy risks, by providing them the opportunity to share their own ideas within the group.  I feel that with practice the students naturally “pick-up” information from each other and the facilitator, and gain confidence and insight from this exchange.     

Both articles are rich with examples of how to defend VTS’ allowance of subjectivity in its early viewing stages. “…We feel that capacities to observe, think about what one sees, reflect on meanings, and consider various interpretations are basic to art viewing and the prerequisites for later learning. When these behaviors become habitual, then other operations quite naturally become interesting and accessible.”  I feel that being able to dialogue about an image helps the students discover that art inherently holds meaning.  By internalizing the VTS process, the students begin to build a relationship with art on their own terms. I realize that this may not be a sufficient answer for an administrator who does not see the value in art to begin with, but I feel that it could be the beginning of a conversation on VTS’ intrinsic nature in developing the whole student, whether the right answer is given or not. 

Blog #6: Assessing, Reflecting, Planning

Frank W. Wilkin

Nikkanochee

Oil on Canvas

1860

In watching the video of the students and myself VTSing, I noticed their engagement was very high.  The students were eager to share their observations, as I tried to “spread-out” calling on them within the group of many raised hands.  The students noticed that the figure was Native American, and they did an excellent job of finding many details i.e. the shield, the long braded hair, the arrows and quiver, the clenched fist, the sash around the waist, and the many feathers throughout the painting. 

The comments the students gave where quite impressive, and all of the thinking skills that VTS fosters where present in the discussion:  observation, drawing conclusions, evidential reasoning, revising, and elaborating.  There was some disagreement on whether the young warrior depicted was a boy or a girl, on the meaning behind his clenched fist, and whether the object he was carrying was a shield or target.  I feel that the students where challenged by each other’s answers, and they learned how to disagree with each other while managing respect.  All of this made for a rich discussion, which VTS allows and encourages. 

The discussion itself felt charged with the students seeking understanding, and I was more comfortable as they got “deeper” into examining the painting.  Their enthusiasm allowed me to facilitate in a calmer way, which benefited me in paraphrasing the students’ comments.  Also, the VTS website has been a helpful resource for me in managing this process.  For example, I felt more prepared in correcting a student for commenting out of turn.  My ease at dealing with this student, and its subsequent effect on him and the group surprised me.  In asking him to raise his hand and wait to be called on before answering, it helped to confirm a boundary that I had established at the beginning of the discussion.

I do need to work on memorizing the VTS guidelines that I share with the students.  I’ve been relying on a note card and I would like to get away from that.  I want to internalize the guidelines, so that I can state them with ease. I will spend time practicing them this week, so that the boundaries will be more clear and direct.  I am interested in seeing how this effects our next VTS discussion.

Blog Topic #5: Portrait of Possibility

I am choosing a student for whom I think VTS will be both a help and a challenge.  I am going to call this boy “Charlie”.  I noticed during a VTS session that Charlie has a difficult time with sitting still, speaking out of turn, and accepting differing comments from other students.  His teacher described him to me as possibly having a form of Asperger’s Syndrome.  I am familiar with Asperger’s, but I did some general investigating on the web to refresh my memory.

I found on several medical sites that there is no prescribed treatment, and there is not much data on the effectiveness of any one intervention in particular.  Also, the main symptom is having a very difficult time in navigating social situations.  After reading this information about Asperger’s, I feel that VTS may be very challenging for Charlie.  My hope is that repeated exposure to VTS  - especially the order of the questions – will help him to find familiarity within its overall structure.  Since children with Asperger’s have a difficult time with change, this may eventually have a calming effect on Charlie.

In moving forward, I think it will be important for me to continue to establish the “rules” of VTS with him.  For example, reminding Charlie that he needs to raise his hand before he shares his comments.  Learning this boundary may help him to feel calmer, and aid in his being able to listen to others respond without being overly defensive.  Charlie is definitely a challenging student, but I feel that if I stick with the VTS format (and staying firm and calm), this process just might have a therapeutic effect on him.

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).