Shelby Blum - Discussion for Assignment #6

The  implications of implementing VTS in my classroom would be time. In my classroom, there is very limited "extra" time so implementing a lesson that includes VTS would sometimes have to come second to the required lessons that we need to get done.

On the other hand, I think it would be really fun to be able to integrate VTS into all of my lessons, but I know that is not always going to be possible. However, I do think that integrating VTS into some of my lessons will provide my students with a better understanding of what we are learning about. For example, I have integrated some art into my math curriculum. I have had my students paint apple trees using red and green paint. They showed me different combinations of 10 (for example 3 red apples and 7 green apples). This was something they never forgot and they still remember to this day. They were able to make sense of combinations of ten through art.

Website: https://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/teaching_visual_thinking_strategies.shtml

This website gives a brief introduction into VTS. It lists 3 questions essential for VTS teaching practices. Those questions are:
1. "What is going on in the picture?"
2. "What do you see? What makes you say that?"
3. "What more can we find?"

The website also gives a link the to VTS official site : https://vtshome.org/ . This link allows you to sign up for workshops that will help guide you on how to integrate VTS into your classroom using different subject areas.

I am in total agreement with you on a time factor.  I too teach first grade and I am new to it.  I have gotten many new ideas and enjoyed your post.

I think as you do math with them, you can give them a piece of art where they have to count some objects that they see in it. You can use them to do the operation :+,:,-. Children will enjoy it.

I like your point about time. It can be such an obstacle to achieve everything you want to cover and have them learn in a specific amount of time. I also feel that for math in upper primary grades, VTS is probably harder to integrate into some standards.