Visual Thinking Strategies

Facilitating a discussion about works of art with young students helps those students find meaning in works of art, which enhances their thinking skills. Visual Thinking Strategies encourages participation, self-confidence and a personal connection to art from diverse cultures, times and places. Through visual images, students are able to develop opinions and express them. Students are also able to think independently, but also are able to reflect on the viewpoints of others and work in a group setting where students speculate, argue, debate and build off each others ideas to come to a conclusion. VTS also develops thinking and communication skills. When students develop a connection to art they also develop cognitive skills that are helpful in other aspects of learning.

Picture: Rembrandt:
I asked my three roommates, Kate, Elise and Cate, to look at a piece of art by an artist named Rembrandt. Kate assumed that the man in front was praying because of his figure is kneeling below another man with his head down. Kate also concluded that the men in the red robes were rich and of high class because of their colorful and luxurious clothing and the man kneeling down was poor because of his ragged clothing and lack of shoe on one foot. Then she changed her mind to think that the man kneeling was being punished or asking for forgiveness because the faces of the figures in the background looked sad and full of sorrow. Elise thought that the man kneeling in front is being blessed because his hands are placed on his back and Elise said that she has learned through her Catholic religion that when people are being touched, they are being blessed. Elise also noticed that the man kneeling seemed “dirty” that he is subservient to the other people in the room and needs to be blessed. The man kneeling is also being watched which also happens when someone is being blessed. Cate thought that the man kneeling was being punished because of the scared looks on the other faces in the background of the picture. I thought it was interesting how Elise thought the man kneeling was being blessed while Kate and Cate thought that the man was being punished, which are two different extremes.