BLOG TOPIC #4: Analysis of Lesson 1 Implementation

 Assessing Student Engagement & Learning:

Describe student willingness to participate in the discussion.

Out of my group of fourteen third graders six hands shot into the air as soon as I revealed the image. I assured them that we would have time for all of them to comment, but that first we needed to sit quietly and look closely. (Funny, I had said those exact same words thirty seconds earlier when setting the stage for VTS!) Almost everyone participated in the discussion. Several students waved their arms anxiously hoping to get my attention. If they had already spoken I asked them to be patient, explaining that I wanted to make sure everyone had an opportunity to speak if they wanted to.

What did students notice about the featured artwork?

          My students observed that the lady in the bed was ill, that the older woman was tending to her while a younger boy played at the foot of the bed. They observed the cross and the pictures on the wall, the items on the tall dresser, the sewing machine, the window and foliage outside, time of day, the plants on the woman’s chest, the nightstand, the medicine, the slippers, the purse, the vaporizer, facial expressions, and body language.

Did students list or interpret their observations? (Why do you think that occurred?)

          Some students listed items while others gave very insightful interpretations; others seemed to repeat the exact words a peer had just spoken. Yenawine described Stage 1 viewers as “…digging into their existing store of knowledge and expressing themselves thoughtfully.” (p15) I believe that my eager interpreters were drawing from memories and previous observations. Inventory takers might not have had the experiences which would lead to interpretation, but were still anxious to point out details that had yet to be noticed. My parroters just wanted to participate in a fun activity!

My two favorite interpretations:

Lauryn - “I think it’s a nursing home. It has a bed, pictures, and flowers. People go there to die.”

Xavier (No, not that Xavier!) “I think they are very religious, I think the lady is praying.” He then listed the cross, the religious image on the dresser, and the lit candle as being symbols of one’s religious beliefs.

Describe student interactions during the discussion.  How did this impact group meaning-making?

It was funny, from the very beginning the group seemed to have two main themes for this image, one that this woman was dead or dying, and another that she was just ill from food poisoning. Each successive child said, “I agree with Student A, or I agree with Student B,” and then went on to link their own reason why they thought as they did. Towards the end I called on Emily who shared that she did not agree with anyone else, that the lady in the bed was just asleep and that the other woman, her mother was just trying to wake her up to get ready for school. My group was very respectful, we had no side conversations, but faces lit up and hands were thrust into the air continually. This group was enjoying the VTS experience.

How did the discussion conclude? 

          Hands were still in the air as I noticed that our session had extended about ten minutes past the 20 minute suggested time limit. I thanked the group, told them that I had really enjoyed hearing what they had to say about the image. There was a collective “Ohhhhh” as I shut off the SmartBoard, and two students lingered to share comments that they did not get to say to the group. One was from a student who had not participated in the group discussion. I listened willingly and suggested that she please share with the whole group next time.

What do you think students learned from this discussion?

My students learned that a work of art can tell a story and that the meaning of that story is up to their personal interpretation. I believe they learned that the VTS environment is a safe place to share, and that they can be the expert.

What did you observe that makes you say that?

          More than one student prefaced his comment with, I’ve seen this on TV, or I know this from a movie, substantiating their claim.  Even those who re-contributed the same information felt entirely comfortable doing so.

Reflecting on Practice:

How did the VTS discussion feel and what did you learn by facilitating this lesson with your students?

 I LOVED the VTS experience; it felt very comfortable to me. I felt closer to my students than ever before as I caught subtle little glimpses into who they are.

Were you able to use the questions and prescribed teacher behaviors comfortably? If you omitted or changed the questions or behaviors, what impact did it have on the discussion?  Why do you think that occurred?

I used the questions and behaviors as prescribed. As I mentioned earlier, my session did extend about ten minutes past the recommended time limit. This resulted in some super wiggly bodies, but students were so engrossed in the discussion that I failed to look at the clock.

Were there any surprises?  I was surprised that students noticed details that I had missed. I was also surprised that they completely missed the garments hanging on the wall.

How might this initial experience impact your practice moving forward?

The more I VTS, the more I want to VTS. I have now conducted a session of VTS with eleven different classes, grades 3-6. Each time I am amazed by the differences in the discussions! My third graders have all been treated to Lesson 1.2 as well. What can I say? I am HOOKED!!!

Planning:

What do you want to work on as you plan for future VTS lessons? How do you think you can accomplish that?

I plan to keep better track of the time, perhaps even by setting a timer. I also plan to study my images more closely and become more familiar with them prior to use. I also want to work on drawing in those few students who failed to participate.