VLVC wk 10 - Teaching Visual Literacy

After reading the McBrien, Eisner, and Woywod articles, as well as viewing the handout on visual teaching strategies, list specific ways you could incorporate visual literacy lessons in your classroom.  Be sure to define what “classroom” means for you at this current stage in your career, so your colleagues can help provide constructive suggestions.  In general, use this post as a brainstorming session for the unit plan you need to create for this class.

My "classroom" is an art class in a large typical suburban high school with around 2,500 students. I currently teach Intro to Art that is made up of mostly freshmen and sophomores with a smattering of juniors and seniors. My classes at this point range from 19 on the low end to 28 at the high end (but that is unusually small). I have  a few kids with IEPs and 504's but I have to be honest and I am not seeing much evidence for the need for modifications in my class. I do see a need to differentiate my instruction, but who doesn't? Art is a nice vehicle for that, in my opinion. It sort of comes naturally with the right assignment. It rises to meet them where they are. 

I see many ways to integrate visual literacy in my class and now after getting a better idea about what it is, can say I do use it already with my students (how can an art teacher not, I ask you?) 

I try to use VTS strategies to warm my kids up to new projects, even though it is technically an elementary program. VTS is extremely beneficial to getting high school students to think deeper about what they are seeing and then translate that into whatever work they are working on. They really start to use the ideas behind visual literacy more when they work it out through VTS. 

I like the idea of tying together visual literacy with some sort of design project. Maybe having them break down some advertisements and then develop a product, designing the packaging to appeal to a certain type of customer. Or we examine the big idea of identity through out the semester...maybe they could design a product that gives them a new identity and then create a print ad, or web ad, or television ad even.

It would also be interesting to look at ads from the 60's from around when Warhol and Lichtenstein were first developing their Pop Art style. Reading the ad's from another time and place and relating it to the products we see today. 

I was also thinking it would be fun to do a collaborative comic book, but I'm not sure how to do that logistically. But since we are just brainstorming here...I also like the idea of using this ZOOM book to build community within my classroom.Having people put the story in order without speaking to each other. I was thinking I would use it this year, but couldn't bear to take apart the book. Maybe some time I will make color copies.

I'm sure I could think of lots of other ideas. These are just the ones that have bubbled to the surface first. As I read our new book I will have to jot them down in my sketchbook.