Summative Project

Looking forward

There's no performance quite like it

Environment free of fear

"permission to wonder"

There were a lot of moments that stood out during my experience with VTS this semester. For this project I focus on some of the biggest moments through 4 paintings. The paintings are constructed to look reminiscent of medieval books because I wanted to tell my story using visuals and text. Here is an in-depth description of each painting:

1.       Looking forward

This painting is about how VTS impacted me as an educator. During the semester, VTS was a constant thought in my mind. As I was writing lesson plans, I was thinking about how to best utilized VTS. I was so inspired this semester, that I actually ended up developing a lesson dedicated to introducing VTS for ART I students, assuming that most ART I students probably don’t have a lot of experience with VTS. The lesson is titled Interpretation of Story, and it teaches students how we have our own unique interpretations when reading stories, therefore it is okay to interpret artworks differently. The text in the image reads:

“VTS inspired me to develop a lesson plan for ART I students. In this lesson, students learn that they interpret stories differently, therefore it is okay to interpret images differently.”

2.       There’s no performance quite like it

This piece is really about the facilitating aspect of VTS and how it is really a unique performance, which is why I painted myself on a stage. It isn’t something that you can totally prepare for because you don’t know all that you’re going to say, and at the same time it is similar to improvisation because you have to respond to what other people are saying and without any time to really think about what your response is going to be. I thought facilitating a VTS discussion would be a terrifying situation for me because I hate public speaking; I would rather do just about anything else. Yet facilitating a VTS discussion isn’t at all like public speaking because it isn’t about the facilitator, it’s about the participants. So thankfully, I am actually comfortable when facilitating because it is the audience that is the focus of the discussion, not me. The painting reads:

“There is no other performance quite like it, and you don’t have to be the world’s best public speaker.”

3.       Environment free of fear

This painting is about the transformation I saw with my group over the semester. They transformed from a group that initially was uncomfortable to speak up and really share what they were thinking, to doing just that and without hesitation. That is because VTS naturally creates an environment that is free of fear. Students don’t have to worry about whether or not their interpretations are right because they are constantly reminded that there are no right or wrong answers and therefore it is also okay to disagree respectfully with what someone else says. Because of this comfortable environment VTS creates, there is nothing that holds students back from participating and saying what they really think. The painting reads:

“Students feel comfortable participating because they are in an environment free of fear. There are no right or wrong answers.”

4.       “Permission to wonder”

With time, students become critical thinkers because they are given the “permission to wonder.” Since students are in a carefree environment where they know there is no right or wrong answers, they naturally allow themselves to really contemplate and examine the images that they look at in discussions. This was something that naturally happened with my group over the semester. The painting reads:

“Through VTS, students become critical thinkers because they are given the ‘permission to wonder.’”