Blog Topic #4 Reflections

Blog Topic #4 (week 5)

Thus far, I’ve enjoyed the VTS process with my students because they are always eager to jump in and explore the imagery. The quieter ones are also willing to share when prompted and offer their own insights.  I attribute this enthusiastic response partly to our long relationship,  I have known these kids for up to eight years and we all have a very solid and trusting relationship.  This more or less by-passes the initial hesitation many students might other wise have. 

*A note of interest, students were much more aware of artistic choices regarding color, expressive use of line etc, the artist may have made, when I VTS’d a less realistic piece over the realistic pieces...  That influenced the attention they put on technique or expressive qualities of the piece.

My students noticed all sorts of things about the art work. Often they would initially list things they saw then then offer an interpretation after wards. My students used mostly conditional language, “It might be” was stated often, or ”  it looks like maybe”...  That said, several made huge leaps to possibilities not based on anything they saw. For instance, because the central character appeared upset, (From “The Scream”) one student decided it was because he had lost his shoes.  When asked what she saw to make her say this, she said “thats how’d Id look if I lost my shoes.”  As the discussion evolved, there were revisions in thinking by some of the students as they listened to the interpretations and observations of other students. Sometimes these revisions included the idea, sometimes it seemed the idea sparked a new idea.

      Students shared openly through out the class.  More often than not, there was little interaction between each other, comments were more directed towards me.  On occasion, one student would address another’s comment. I do believe they were listening to each other though as some comments contained, “I the area Tanner thinks might be water looks more like land to me” .  There were not any attempts on the students part for one student to be right and another wrong.  

      I believe students are learning several things throughout these exercises.  First of all, they are learning to really look deeper at something before coming to a conclusion. As they made statements and listened to others, they would offer a revision.  This indicated to me they are learning to hear others views and differing opinions and consider them and how they might influence their own ideas.  They are of course learning more about art pieces and choices artists make.  Thus far, most of the pieces we have used have been fun because my students are usually shown far more expressive examples from me that realistic ones.  So they are seeing art from another perspective as well. I know the process is exciting them because I’ve had a couple now ask where the “real” painting is, want to know more about the artist of the painting in general. 

The VTS lesson feels very natural, except that I usually use art examples when I am wanting to highlight a specific technique or an idea that leads into a specific project.  VTS, being a little more open ended feels somewhat undone.  Therefore, I am working on ways to tie this into process’s or projects.

         The prescribed questions worked fine, although there would be times I would have to catch myself from wanting to follow a thread on a tangent. I feel each time I VTS another piece I refine the questioning and stay closely to the prescribed questions.  I believe I have missed a few opportunities for linking.  Videotaping a lesson and then watching it was very useful in identifying that.  That process helped me see the bigger picture of what was occurring.  While I was engaged in the process it was hard for me to see the similarities in comments and make the connection for the students.  Hopefully I will hear that more clearly next time.

I think there are always surprises.  The rich back ground and inner worlds of these kids never ceases to amaze me.  Another example of this was when I VTS’d my video lesson, one boy, who is a history buff, correctly identified all sorts of very accurate information, the kissing of the sward, knowledge of civil war.  It was difficult for me to not say “You're correct!  That is exactly it!”  Im wondering if I could have? 

As I move forward, I will work on linking, and tying in with students own work. I want for students to be able to think about their own work and work of peers with the same intense consideration as that of a master artist.