Prior to using VTS for small group critique I first selected a drawing created by student in a different class, (with that students permission of course), and conducted a whole group critique model VTS session. Additionally, although I had stressed that students be extra respectful in their comments, I thought it wise to use the work of a student not in that particular classroom. I then selected a small group of students who were finished with their rough drafts for the peer critique. I told the student who created the draft that they could not speak, that I wanted them to listen to see if other’s could ‘read’ their story. Using this method gave students the opportunity to see if their draft communicated their intended message. One weakness I encountered was that several of the students in the group sat near one another and already were familiar with one another’s stories. (I mentioned last week that I hoped to avoid this!) Also, I found that it didn’t take long for students to feel as though there was no more to discover about each drawing. Maybe it’s because they were pencil drawn rough drafts, or perhaps it was due to lack of details, or feasibly it was student critique is not something I do on a regular basis. My students seemed to enjoy the VTS critique. They did an excellent job on the whole group activity, completely uncovering the meaning of the piece. The small groups did a good job, but I felt some students might have been a bit uncomfortable commenting on the work of their peers. I will definitely repeat this activity - as we concluded the small group critique many of the group participants stated that they needed to make some changes to their drawings. Next time I think the experience might be more effective if I pay more attention to the way I group students.
Sheryl! Great idea having another students work but from another class for your first critique!. That reduces that sort of awkwardness that comes when there is the proverbial "elephant (student) in the room".
ReplyDeleteI agree with your thoughts that it will grow over time. The kids really will get the hang of it and things will flow more easily as the safe factor increases. ANother fun way to acclimate them is to put your own work up.... that willow course freak them all out, but I have done this and really pushed them to look and give me feed back. I actually think this works better with K-5 than my poor 6-8 kids.
Keep on forging. Rock on!
I have read your comment on my blog topic #12 and it was certainly beneficial to me. Reading your experience with VTS as a peer critique, I kept smiling because I found same things happened in my peer critique experience. As you did, I also told the student who create a work not to speak during peer’s VTS discussion. One thing different is that after finishing discussion, I make the students speak about his or her work or make responses to peer’s opinions. As you know, I wasn’t so sure it was a good idea for VTS discussion even though my students love to listen since it seems to break the most important principle, open-ended. But I was relieved after knowing your opinion that sometime it’s okay to go VTSesque, to ‘slightly break’ one of the principles if the end result justifies the means.
ReplyDeleteI also expected that students easily share ideas or stories one another before VTS critique so let them know they never share their stories in the works. Some of them follow the direction but others didn’t. So I think your idea is great to choose works from the different classes. That makes students feel comfortable to talk and discuss about the works too since the creator doesn’t belong to their class.
I agree with Amy that the experience will only get better with practice. When I did the side by side VTS using student work I was shocked at how well it went, but students at this level are also accustomed to discussing each others art works as critiques are part of our regular repertoire. That is exciting that the students went to revisit their work and make changes!
ReplyDeleteI can agree with Amy's statement in that using a student's artwork from another class had to be promising. I wish, honestly, that I had thought of that! I know that there is a difference in ages, but I feel that it may be similar in the aspect that students do NOT wish to be judged by their peers in a setting such as VTS without knowing what the other's would say or how they would say it.
ReplyDeleteI feel that this may scope beyond art and go toward anything. I think that had I done this, with some of the work that my advanced students have created, that I would have gotten a meaningful result. I feel like the students would be more apt to discuss the work, and also wouldve felt more comfortable expressing what they truly felt without the worry of pissing someone off.
Great IDEA. You are an innovator in your classroom, I can tell. Especially now that I have met you, Hot Pockets! See Ya Monday!