Midterm VTS Reflections:

Student Engagement and Learning

My students continue to approach the VTS lessons with enthusiasm.  The majority have their hands up right away and I notice they get frustrated if they have to wait too long to be called on.  

As they process the imagery, they are also weaving more and more personal experience into their interpretations.  They will point out a section, describe what they see and then explain a circumstance where they have seen or experienced something that was similar. For instance, we VTS’D “Isabellas two chairs”. 

Morgan pointed out the light reflection on the floor to the left of the composition.  He made the assertion that perhaps the wall had fallen away (also pointing out the peeling paint, green on walls that might be algae)  He mentioned his grandmother once had a house in the woods and that she stopped going to it and it eventually feel into a terrible state, such as a wall fell away and let a lot of light into an other wise unlighted room.  

     Students are relaxed and continue to interact much the same, sharing examples, agreeing with or adding to specific comments. My students are all very comfortable with each other.

      What my students are learning from this process is a deeper appreciation for the thought that goes into an artists piece.  I believe this is so because I often hear speculative comments about what the artists might be trying to do.  I am also happy to see excitement in their eyes when I pull the screen down.  They mentioned today how interesting the piece was even with out people in them.  The suggestion of people was enough.

     

Reflective Practice:

     This far, I have learned a few things.  First off, patience.  The patience to allow the free flowing ideas to really build and inspire the group.  It has been actually a joy to step out of the picture and allow for the million possibilities.

      I am very comfortable with the questions and prescribed teacher behaviors.

      I think sometimes students list of or say so much I may be missing something I want them to go back and explain....  I also find that with more and personal experiences being shared, sometimes its just the tiniest visual aspect of the composition they are referring too....  the personal experiences overwhelm the literal of what is present in the composition...  Will have to ponder that a little more.  

     I believe at this point I am competently practicing VTS, and am also confident that the longer I do this the more subtly dynamic it will be.

Planning for the Future:

     I am already trying some new ways of playing with this process...  Today after our most recent VTS, I had the kids” reverse” VTS with a personal piece they have planned out.  I found this very interesting because it was very difficult for them to apply the process to their own work, at least in greater detail.  However, I believe there is value in them slowing down and imagining ahead and then imagining more......  so we shall see.......