Blog Topic #9

I videotaped a VTS session discussing Millet's First Steps for my second video submission. I deviated from the VTS list because I needed to discuss two common core artworks with kindergarten. There is a three week gap between that lesson and this post.

Student Engagement
The students are just as willing to participate in the discussion. The change I noticed in this session was that the students let be give a brief opening blurb about the rules. Also - I sped through the rules - I didn't ask them to tell me what listening looks like (open ears, closed mouth). The students first noticed the figures in the foreground. The students really focused on the stopped action of the figures, and most of their comments were were of their perceptions of the figures' gestures. Also, very early on in the discussion, some of the students were trying to define the setting of the painting. One said a backyard because of the fence, another noticed the leaves and the ground, and still another said a leave was a frog and the fence was a river. About mid discussion, a student identified the seasons by comparing the trees - 'that tree over there, some of it has leaves and that one doesn't have leaves. It's fall and it's about to be winter there." After being asked the third question, he said he knew it wasn't winter because of the people weren't wearing winter clothes.  The language isn't conditional yet. The students are expressing their observations concretely. Some students say , "I think that....." Right now, I think that is how they are referencing others statements. For example, one student might say , "I see green leaves on that tree." In about 3-5 minutes another student will say, "I think that green thing there is a frog." The students are respectful, but they are kindergartners. Quite a few are kinetic and wiggle, which causes disruptions for others.
I find that I modify the first question from what can we find to what can you find, or even Emily, what can you find in this picture (to get someone's attention). It hasn't caused a problem in the way the students respond. The students added more narrative to their meaning making - perhaps they will continue to look for relationships in art.

Reflective Practice
I felt that this session was successful. The students were supposed to discuss the artwork in art class so they could go back to the classroom and write a story about it in a few weeks time. I will get some of the examples of student writing soon and see how their discussion was reflected in their writing.

The discoveries I am making now are related to just how bright some of the students are. (None of them are dull.) I have the same lunch time as the kindergarten teachers. The teacher of this class identifies two students as being advanced as far as reading and writing. That is her definition of bright. I have identified four students that make original, insightful observations that they can back up with evidence.  One if them is one of her "bright students." The boy that makes comments that seems most developmentally above his peers shocked the teacher. He had identified the three bears as being the same size, but being on different size rocks in the last discussion, and this discussion made the comment about the trees and the transition of the seasons.  He may not read or write well, but he is one of my shining stars. It is at times like these that I start making links between this class and the gifted and talented classes I am taking at UALR. Advanced language skills, including reading and writing, are often an attribute of gifted children. But there are also times when cognitive skills outpace motor development. Especially in boys, who tend to develop fine motor writing skills later than girls. Anywho, all it does is confound my ability to define intelligence in any domain!

 Planning
Since I no longer need to hold the VTS card during discussions, I am going to hold a checklist to make sure I call on the students equally.