Brittany King

Art 133

October 4, 2017

Visual Thinking Strategies and Vulnerability

Vulnerability is something every single person encounters at least once in their life-time. In art,

we can depict vulnerability in various ways in the art making itself and the art piece. Housen and

Yenawines Visual Thinking Strategies coaches teachers how to facilitate VTS in a classroom. VTS

allows students to think critically and in ways they normally do not. As students, they are taught right

and wrong answers in which their brains are molded to think in specific ways in a classroom setting.

With VTS, students are to become vulnerable in a new thought process by analyzing art pieces they have

never seen before. The students vulnerability creates an atmosphere of respect and provides an open-

minded setting as each student speaks out and listens to each others thoughts on a specific art piece. The

teacher also becomes vulnerable as he or she does not know what will be depicted and said in the

classroom. This gives the teacher a tendency of directing but not inputting their own thoughts and

knowledge. The teacher becomes a listening student rather than the instructor during VTS. According to

Housen and Yenawines (n.d.) the most critical part of VTS is acknowledging every comment which will

create a more positive classroom and encourage participation which results in engagement.

Housen and Yenawine Visual Thinking Strategies article outlines important aspects of VTS. It

gives specific ideas and responses in how to facilitate VTS as a teacher. With this knowledge, it is hard to

think of what I would change. Based on the age group I would like to teach, the art piece would have to

be less complex so little minds can understand the ideas. I think I would first try to break students up into

smaller groups (5 or 6 students) and allow them to examine the art and write down details that stand out

to them in the painting. Then bring the class back together and have them start discussing what they saw

in the art. I would then be able to feed off that work and see what made them think that. I also think it
would be fun to let them to come up one at at a time and physically point out what they saw so it is more

hands on and engaging.

References

Housen, A., & Yenawine, P. (n.d.). Visual thinking strategies: Understanding the basics.

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