Blog Topic 10 Side by Side

Blog Topic #10

Images 5A and 5B

I used two images created by the visual journal artist Teesha Moore.

First off, I LOVED doing the side by side.  My students were very excited to see two images up there on the screen.  Hands shot up right away.

I found that they were happy to look at each one as its own piece but then also considered them as a pair and how the images might relate.  This looking went back and forth through out the discussion, in fact, sometimes when something new was noticed in one, they often found a new way of relating it to the other.  It was a very interesting conversation which I enjoyed more than usual.

They got a little silly with this one, Im not sure if they was because of the images, or because they are getting comfortable or both.   Over all it was fine and they seemed to know they were being silly, but in spite of that, I didn't mind them really going to the extreme with their interpretations.  It was fun and really the way I want them to think about their own assignment later.

I am not sure there was a negative other than it was a little more to keep track of when paraphrasing.  I dont think it was any problem for my students.  Im curious if I had selected two radically different images by two different artists if that would have changed the interpretations or tendency to relate the images.  Ill have to see....

I believe the comparison enhanced the discussion.  I say this because with two images, they noticed similarities in the images and thus created stories and interpretations they may not have other wise.  The two images I chose were also different in mood and as the discussion progressed, some gravitated more to one than another, stating why.  I found this an interesting thing.....  Ill be curious if when looking at the pieces, they deliberately make aesthetic choices which lean towards one or the other of the pieces.

I would definitely use the side by side again.  I can see it used for a million reasons. Having a piece from the beginning of a unit and a piece form the end for summative type evaluation, Comparing answers to a question by different people, etc...  

I will have to take care to slow down and perhaps make a rule that as comments occur, we stop as needed to clarify before the elaboration of an interpretation gets away from me!

            I Do believe that selecting images which are related for the first time is a good idea.  It is less to manage in terms of huge variation.

Week 13 Read and Reflect

Read and Reflect #13

I found this article a little contradictory at times.   I do not agree with the topics the authors perceive as problems.  I do not agree its a problem to address the class as a whole while also addressing the individual needs and points of learning each student is at.  It simply requires a shift in perspective.  I also do not see how the long term pursuit of developing a unique point of view with in the realm of creativity is an issue.  Both these seem rather poignant to the whole process.

That said, the article makes the point that students need to learn to appreciate others unique points of view, which I agree with and is a natural outcome to the above said “problems”

So, when looking at the tool box approach (which also seems like it would address the perceived problems), VTS would seamlessly fit right into any level.  In fact, many of the creative models stated in the article occur with in the framework of VTS. Open ended tasks (open ended discussion) Linking ideas and perspectives, questioning assumptions (what do you see that makes you say that) and more!

For the teacher and their tool box,  it is indeed a life long process....  engaging students in creative endeavors enriches the teachers perspective on the student.  VTS offers a window and insight into this to which the teacher can respond intelligently to the individual needs of each student.

The classes tool box, VTS becomes a norm for discussion, setting the standard and expectation that all responses are valid points of view and worth listening to and considering.  It builds a strong community of learners

For the individual, VTS offers a vehicle for exploring other peoples perspectives while also expressing ones own ideas in a safe and acceptable format. 

I really like the question the authors state (a teacher may ask himself when why to promote creativity)  Do I want to “expand students’ senses about the possible by shaking up conventional ways they have come to see the world and teaching them to use imagination, make broad associations, consider metaphors/analogies, break frames and take chances.”

Love that.... and VTS supports this as I have seen evidence of it in my discussions with my own students.

Read and Reflect week 12

Read and Reflect Week 12

Immediately while reading “why do we teach arts in the schools?”  I am troubled by the need to connect test scores to the arts.  While I agree that the arts likely do facilitate the kind of learning which improves test scores, is that really the point?  Are we going to let this huge bureaucratic entity “standardized testing” determine the value of creative intelligence? The scores in and of themselves are a “bonus” but should not be why we keep art.

I applaud what Housen has done with her research. By infiltrating other disciplines with VTS, she has made what we do in the classroom more tangible for academic teachers. When they “see” the value, then the arts have more advocates.

Art is an expression of intelligence.  Profound, layered, meaningful, personal intelligence. (All of which embody the “Habits” of the mind”) This intelligence is whole.  Not segmented.  It traverse’s all disciplines. VTS makes that accessible for educators who otherwise imagine themselves (falsely) non artists.

When I read Art for Our Sake I felt it broke down in simple language, a lot of what matters, but is so difficult to measure. There were plenty of things that somewhat paralleled the Habits of Mind, which they called studio habits of the mind.  These are the things of course, which can not be assessed by coloring in bubbles on a sheet of paper.

The Winner/Hetland article focuses on two special schools which emphasize the arts.  I would have liked to have seen a broader study where they also observed schools in the inner city, and rural areas where the population of staff and student is quite different.  While I agree with a lot of what they observed as being paramount, they observed it in ideal settings.

It would be interesting to do a similar observation also at an expeditionary learning school.

So in conclusion, there are things I agree with in both , and together they sort of make a full article  :)

Blog #8 VTS to date

         To date, I have completed 4 VTS sessions.  This is fast and furious and I am pleased to say that when my students arrive, if they see the screen down, they gather their chairs and assemble around the screen eagerly waiting to see what I put up there.

         This 4th image I digressed from the routine and actually put an image of mine up.  It was the cover to my altered book and my solution to the problem which I assigned them as well (I work along with them on all assignments. This assignment was to illustrate your own personal mythical power through the use of collage) We used the traditional VTS questions and talked for some time about the image.  I was surprised at how formal they kept the process and I am wondering if my introduction put them off.  As I was talking about what we would do for this lesson, I told them we would look at an image which might be familiar to them, but they were not to blurt that out, simply observe and say what they saw happening in the picture like always.  I was curious to see what they would do.  They knew the theme of my cover was empathy.  Most of them knew it was mine right off the bat.

           The observations made were interesting and in spite of knowing what my theme was, they talked about it as if they didn't know.  Some observed things I intended and others saw things completely different.  We’re mid production of the show Alice in Wonderland, and funnily enough, many parallels were drawn between that show and my cover.  It likely gave them a reference for the surreal nature of my imagery.

       I chose to use my image this time because with in a few weeks we will be using theirs for some of the critiquing lessons and I wanted to show them its safe to use your own art work. It was a little scary even for me, but it all went well and I was over all pleased.

        VTS in general has proven to be a wonderful technique to look at art work, even when the pieces I select stray from the recommendations.  I think again it backs up my working theory that in introducing less literal images it forces the students to weave more story.

        I do find it somewhat frustrating sometimes when they get on a roll in  discussion, to sit back and not contribute....  :)

Blog #7 Image #3 Assesment/reflection

Image #3 Was VTS’d shortly after #2.  I introduced this image because it was in the same genre and the same artist as #2 and tied directly into their assignment.  The assignment intentionally limits use of materials to collage.  I did this to force my students to really consider how combining images affects meaning (and as they are learning through VTS, interpretation).  I want them to realize the power of image.  As they are discovering this, I will introduce more materials and options for expressing their ideas in the next set of images which will accompany the next assignment,. It was considering this that the style and medium informed my choices.

      In terms of complexity and details, there is less in the way of detail, but I believe that that forces my students to look more deeply to find the story, I feel the less detailed nature of the image is partly why they did notice the use of light and specific placement of color etc.  It took a little longer the first time for them to shift their thinking/attention to this, it happened a little sooner this time. These are the details which informed their interpretations.... It is ambiguous as well because the use of light and dark can suggest all sorts of possible things. In terms of cultural and historic diversity, I did not really put any emphasis on this aspect of things with the introductory images.

The discussion followed the same line as #2 did, some of the responses were qualitative in nature, noticing the color in the sphere and the B&W around it, worlds with in worlds theme emerged again, likely as a result from looking that way in the previous image. 

The art products are still emerging, but I have noticed them spending more time playing with the placement of images as they create their compositions.

As for whether or not VTS discussions have impacted attitudes or motivation in anyway, Im not sure as most the kids are fairly motivated.    What I notices is they are always happy to sit and talk about the work.  I was worried they would be mad about giving up studio time.

Blog #6 Assesment Thoughts

BLOG Topic 6 Beattie Chapters:

I have a lot of mixed feelings when the word assessment comes up.  It depends who is mentioning it and what the intention behind assessment is.  

I view educational process much like the process of “growing up”  We all have our own developmental pace.  Do we expect infants to all eat solids at the same age?  Do we expect them to walk, start talking, potty train all at the same age?  Ironically, our society does seem to put more and more pressure on this process, mothers wondering if there child is not as smart or falling behind if they dont meet specific mile stones inline with their peers. It goes against nature for me.

Traditional assessment is a set up . We all learn in different ways, at different rates, and sometimes, for different reasons.  So how can a single form of assessment measure this? There is an thread on Linkedin right now on this very topic and it just raises such frustration for me. Especially because the need seems to be generated by people who dont work with kids.

In my own classroom, assessment happens with in the context of relationship.  A process oriented project is in and of itself a measuring tool.  The discussion that takes place about the development of the idea, and how the use of materials evolves over time.  It happens with in the community, as a less experienced student observes a more experienced student and observing the point when the role changes and that student has the confidence and knowledges to guide another. Its a complex relationship that self sustains.

In my classroom there are no grades.  There is only effort.  If a student tries, that is good.  If a student gets frustrated, that is good, they are out of their comfort zone and they grow because they are supported in that frustration.  Frustration is good.  

Assessment is life based, experience based.  Not standards based. How can someone possibly know what my students need or are ready for? Often, what is being addressed in my classroom exceeds many standards, but some are left unaddressed.  These choices are made through decisions I make based on my relationship with my students.

Where I agree in the reading are the statements “Assessment is criterion referenced and compares students performances to past performances”, as well as it is “responsive to collaborative and collective learning”.  This is where relationship and dialogical learning can play a huge role. 

The articles offer many different strategies, many of which are good when students require a framework to operate with in. Many of these I use to a degree in my literature classes when students are managing multiple expectations simultaneously.  However, when the framework is encompassed in a cultural norm for learning and expectations, such things as check lists, tallies and numbers are secondary to the primary experience of dialogue. Especially in art where the subject is so much more fluid in nature and the only anticipated outcome is an expresseds exploration of idea and material.

Critique is definitely a wonderful integrative way to “assess’ progress with in the context of the community's process of creating.  Again, it comes back to dialogue and relating.  Interviews are also wonderful.  VTS again finds it way into the process as a assesment critique tool.  I can  see it being used as a spring board for summative assessment in that a student can use the feedback and conversation to evaluate the clairity of the message they were trying to express. A honing tool.  
     Assessment  should just be an integrated part of the process in my personal opinion, not something that happens separately, and certainly not something that feels like a judgement on success.  If a student is working, success is inherent. Growth will occur naturally and gracefully.

VTS II Image 2 Image assessment (Blog 5)

In considering the first assignment for my Altered Books/Personal Mythology class, I needed an image that played with combining existing images to create meaning. The students are about to begin a cover image for their book.  This cover image is to reflect some internal mythical ability they possess (based on who they are) that serves them and the community around them... This is to be created entirely with found magazine images. As I scoured the web for ideas, I came across the digital artist H. Kopp-Delaney.

Did this image meet the accessibility Criteria?
This image has all sorts of recognizable imagery arranged in a somewhat surreal composition.  It was the arrangement of the images that evolved into an interesting conversation which got students thinking more abstractly than literally.

Did this image satisfy the captivation criteria?
Yes.  I feel it did because the conversation went on for 26 minutes and would have continued if I had not elected to stop it.  There was enough ambiguity that as the conversation progressed, more possibilities emerged, often with quiet gasps (of WOW!) from the other students at the new idea.


Did this image satisfy the expressive content criteria?
This is more subtle.  Students had to really look carefully because the expressive content is more in the lighting, the use of color, the direction the central figure is looking etc.  Comments making references to these qualities did emerge about mid way into the discussion as I employed that pesky third question.

Does the image suggest one or more possible narratives?
The artists big idea is mysticism (there is a series of images, and I will likely use another one) . So yes, I believe it was intended to elicit a narrative. The theme of mysticism also easily ties into mythology. Yes, the found narrative, although they had to work at it.  They seem to do very well linking each others ideas and providing their own version of a common idea.  However, a few of my more quiet ones sat for some time peering at the image and when they finally raised their hand to offer their ideas, the ideas were quite different, for instance, after exhausting the first interpretation which involved the figure either ascending or descending to/from heaven, with the corresponding images on the film maybe being memories, another student offered the that left image in the film might be actually a shot of the larger image itself being seen by the "angel" figure.  The student noted the clouds and light and how it was similar to the larger whole image and perhaps this angel figure was watching the figure from the other side of the clouds.  This "new" perspective then took off and students started to really look at the setting and use of color and see details they hadn't seen before.

Does the image address diversity?
The surreally quality of the image most denfineatly references a less familiar time or place, but the concrete images themselves make the image readable. It was interesting to me that the roll of film, although identified, didn't elicit a lot of commentary other than the idea of memories.  Then it occurred to me that it is likely few of them have ever even used film as cameras these days are all digital.

I believe the image was sequenced appropriately in the unit.  It essentially does what I am asking them to do, it illustrates a mystical/mythical narrative.  Although, its surreal nature is likely pushing the VTS envelope a little bit, I believe that my students are capable of reading the imagery, and feel with this group, that although many are new to VTS, they can handle it.  I believe the image is very appropriate.

I believe it was successful also because the students knew what their next assignment was (the cover of the book), therefore, when this image went up, they didn't seem surprised that is was not a literal representation of a story, rather an artist deliberately creating a narrative which would reflect a more "mythical" story. (I did not say this out loud to them though) I believe that as they grow more accustomed to reading imagery that depends on the relationship of one image placed next to another to create meaning, they will really be able to transfer this knowledge to the choices they make when working in their journals (or at least I hope so!, we will see).  I say they because as the conversation went along, I noticed students looking at one image and considering its relationship with what it was next too to create a story. My implementing the third question more often was also helpful in achieving this.

I am certain it was an excellent image for a catalyst for their covers which they will start next Tuesday!