Ariane Schmidt VTS ForumPost4 Assignment 6

Assignment:
Referring back to the videos, articles, etc. that you read/watched about VTS, discuss the implications and use in your classroom of implementing and using VTS. Add at least one website link, with a brief description about it, that demonstrates a way to use VTS in a classroom. Respond to 2 other participants.

Response:
One thing that resonated with me right away was the the documentation of "cascading positive effect on both teachers and students" that the Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) - that is teacher facilitated discussions of art images. I have already begun to feel a sense of empowerment by using some of the art as teaching tools with some of my class' work. Before this class, I was almost afraid to stray over an invisible line dividing academics and art. Now I see that they actually work well together and enhance each other. I am personally feeling the cascading positive effects, and I have seen it in my students too. A couple students this week were more eager than usual to dig into our history project, and commented on how the art technique we were using with was relaxing. I notice that their increased investment is also increasing their ownership and connection.

A couple more quotes from the readings that I'm keeping close are these:
 “'If you pick a subject area like science, social studies, math or literacy and you integrate it with an art form, what you do is connect the two and find ways to really integrate the two so they lean on each other,” said Judy Klima, an integrated arts coach at IAA.'" My position as a K-5th extended learning teacher is to differentiate from the regular curriculum, and yet connect to it at the same time.

One of the websites I have found http://carlasonheim.com/ contains projects with different entry point options, and that can be adapted to fit with a variety of subjects and grade levels. An example is her youtube video on Modigliani portraits. They are doable for a beginner like me and my students, with a manageable time/material needs, and are open to elaboration to fit upper grade levels. Carla Sonheim also offers online art classes which look fresh and relevant. I may partake one day.

Cross curriculum is a great way to get more out of your lesson plans without taking more time away from other subjects. So many times I have worked with teachers who just refused to change because they don't want to rewrite their lesson plans. They teach the same boring thing year after year without changing a thing. Education needs to change and evolve. The students we have are evolving and teachers need to keep up with them. VTS is a great way to change and meet the needs of the students .  

I love the online art class link you shared.  I think my students would love this.  I also like the quote above.  Change is not easy for most people.  It takes time.  I am seeing how even little changes can enhance my students.

Ariane- One of the "cascading postive effects" I see in my class is how calm and on-task they are when they are connecting to art in any way. When you mention increased investment, I can completely relate to that. Some students who do not put in effort, or who rush through their work will be more patient and thoughtful as they create art.

I followed the link you shared to the artist's YouTube and found so many neat ideas that are a great fit for my kinders. I am definitely going to use her lesson to teach how to draw a house, since we have been talking about adding details to our writing and illustrations. It looks like it will be a good study of colors, too. Thank you for sharing!

I completely relate to how you felt before this class about there being a divide between the academics and arts.  It is a shame that more educators are not exposed to art integration and the benefits it provides both the teacher and the students.  Additionally, with behaviors becoming more a problem in education, it is amazing how positive these types of lessons are towards the student's involvement and investment in their learning.