Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Blog Topic #3
I gave the 2nd grade class their pretest and it was a challenge to gain their attention. They didn't want to stay quiet for anything and they required a lot of coaxing to answer these questions. It was especially challenging for some of my sped students. The majority of the class had simple observations only. Only a few had detailed observations, Interpretations with and without evidence. One student said he is painting because I see a paintbrush and a picture. I recognize the simple surface level observations that are appropriate for young viewers. After being asked to provide evidence and continue our sessions it should be easier for them and they should be able to notice more things. I recognized many stage I viewer comments in my students answers. I see a man painting, a cat sleeping, a mom holding a baby. I'm not sure how many were stage 2 comments. I did have a student say that is a mom and dad, which might have been stage 2. I was surprised how hard of a time some kids had writing. I am unfamiliar with what is typical 2nd grade writing. I was also surprised that they had a pretty easy time sharing evidence when prompted in our conversations about art but have such a hard time writing it down.
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Writing is a really complex task when you consider that an individual must take a thought, transfer it into words, and then use a written symbol system to record their ideas on paper. For many students and particularly the young ones, by the time they do that, they've either forgotten much of what they wanted to write or decided it was just too much trouble, so they keep it simple. That's the beauty of VTS. It invites them to use speech which, for many, is quick and fluid. Combining the ideas of others to that, which prompts more thinking, and you end up with a high quality and quantity of ideas and observations. Be sure to code that student comment about seeing a mom and dad as an interpretation. It's unsupported by evidence, but still an interpretation.
ReplyDeleteVery excited to see how this group progresses, particularly your SPED kiddos. Typically, they soar as VTSers! (And if you see this, be sure to invited their regular teachers to see it!!)