VTS: Wk 8 - Blog Post #8

“A Discussion of 5^th Grade Students” viewing assignment and critique

• What is he doing well and what impact is it having on the discussion? This teacher seems to be remaining neutral fairly well. So neutral in fact that he is moving from student to student without recognition that the comment is finished (thank you, good, etc.) He is motioning to the artwork while paraphrasing well, and seems to be getting better at calling students by name as he goes along. He also seems to be getting better at paraphrasing as the conversation goes on. At first he was modifying the paraphrasing with his own understanding. This seemed to close off the student who had spoken and end the comment. His neutrality invites students to keep the discussion going, even though he is not asking the VTS questions.
• What is he doing less successfully and what impact is it having on the discussion? He is not asking the three VTS questions. Students are not necessarily being asked to support their interpretations with what they see. Sometimes the students are offering it voluntarily, but not always. 
• What recommendations would you have for this VTS teacher as he continues to use VTS in his classroom? I would suggest staying with the prescribed 3 questions to encourage students to analyze why they are making certain observations. I would also recommend that the teacher call on students by name.

BLOG TOPIC #8:  VTS-to-Date

Lesson #3: 

Image #1

Image #2

• Student Engagement and Learning:

• Describe student willingness to participate in the 3^rd  VTS discussion.  Do they approach the discussions differently as they have gained experience with VTS?

I did this discussion slightly differently then in the past. Instead of introducing the unit, I slipped it in during the middle. And I didn't have them write first. (I was winging the VTS part that day). They participated more I think because I snuck it in more informally this time (since I hadn't originally planned on doing it this day). So it is hard to tell if they approached it differently because we are further along or because I snuck in the image in the middle of a power point on Warhol. I have a feeling they didn't think of it as VTS.

• Are individual student responses different from when they first began?

Students are thinking more about what they see. Making connections to the artwork and concepts they have made this semester already. 

• Is the quality of discussion changing as students are gaining experience with VTS? 

Again, I'm not sure if the quality of the discussion is different because of the set up or because of the experience. My assumptions are it is b/c of the set up. After VTSing the 4th lesson I will be able to see.

• Describe student interactions during the 3^rd VTS discussion.  How did this impact group meaning-making?

Students definitely built upon each others ideas, respectfully disagreeing if they didn't coalesce.  It was like seeing people caught in a daze as they stared at the art, like waking from a dream. This conversation was calm and sort of just adrift with comments influencing another to drift here, there, or any where.

• What do you think students are learning/gaining from VTS participation? What are you seeing that makes you say that?

Well, it seems to me that they are learning to look at art work. And that sounds flip, but I mean it. After less than ideal exposure to the arts in middle school, and maybe putting off taking an art class in high school, it could possibly be years since students have been in an art class. And even then, no one has taught them about how to look at images. Their visual literacy skills are being improved remarkably. They are slowing down to account for what they see and are able to articulate opinions about their interpretations of works of art. 

• Reflective Practice:

• What have you learned from teaching with VTS thus far?

Building in time to VTS around all that is required in the curriculum is difficult, but worth it. I am seeing students improve their processing and then transfer it to their own creation of artwork. Looking at artworks is a great way for students to share ideas and see things from a new point of view. 

• Are you able to use the questions and prescribed teacher behaviors comfortably? 

Yes. Most of them. I tend to not speak in tentative language ("could possibly be, might be, etc.) often enough. The questions come very naturally and paraphrasing has been easy due to my training in two other processes that involve practicing and using paraphrasing. Remaining neutral is sometimes hard in terms of not showing amusement at their creative answers. Otherwise, the neutral reactions to their involvement is fairly easy at this point. Now, I say that these come easily, but I need to position myself outside of my facilitation to observe if I am actually doing what I think I am doing at the time. The nice part about VTS though is how aware you are of your own words as you facilitate.

• What challenges are you encountering as you implement VTS and incorporate it in your teaching?

Mostly, I am dissatisfied with my students response to talking about art. But I don't see that as a challenge with the VTS process. I think with more practice on my part and more implementation, my students will see the benefits and come to except the practice.

• Are you surprised by anything that is occurring? How will these surprises impact your practice moving forward?

Having VTS-qued in the past and seen the benefits from this undisciplined practice, I am not terribly surprised by the small growth I'm already seeing as I implement VTS as prescribed. As I move forward I want to make sure that I allow time to VTS and look at images.