VTS II Week 8, Read and Reflect

Improving Student Dialogue About Art Through a VTS Lens

Barrett says "...learning to talk thoughtfully about art is especially valuable, perhaps more valuable than learning to make art." As I said last week, I am to the point where I, too, hold this to be true. Already having established this connection with Barrett, I approached this article with gusto. Let's see, establish a theme, yep, check in the box, VTS establishes a theme. No side conversations, yes, Houssen and Yeanwine would agree, attention should be focused on the speaker. Wait, ' I do not say things like,"There are no wrong answers in here - this is an art class." OUCH! While conducting VTS we don't add the 'this is an art class', but interpretation -  meaning making, is OPEN. Barrett claims to "..want to teach people to read works of art" and stresses that educators avoid dogmatic approach in the interpretation of art, yet, goes on to prescribe some very specific prompts for description, interpretation, judgement, and discussion.  While VTS is certainly no free-for-all experience, viewers are encouraged to freely interpret. They are, then, expected to back up their beliefs. Barrett says "works have rights". Houssen and Yenawine say that even the most outlandish responses will generally be grounded in meaning for the viewer should he or she be given the opportunity to explain their response.

VTS is in agreement with many of Barrett's suggestions: the environment for viewing should be suitable, the works appropriate, and multiplicity of voices essential. In fact, Barrett has some excellent suggestions for improving student dialogue. In my opinion, however, when viewed though the *rosy VTS lens, Dr. Barrett's suggestions lean toward the dogmatic approach that he, himself advises against. Do we have faith in our students ability to construct meaning, or do we authoritatively guide them into the meaning we feel appropriate? Do we, as Barrett suggests, end a viewing session with the notion that students have made conclusions in regard to a piece - possibly signifying that they have discovered all there is to discover, or, do we take the VTS approach and leave our viewers longing to approach the piece again?

* I mean that - rosy- in an awesomely GOOD way!