Preliminary VTS Findings
How have individual students grown?
I feel like VTS was successful in meeting my students where they were at. I felt like students were free to make their simple observations or inferences. Many of them did not supply evidence at first. I saw many individual students apply evidence, even if it was simple. EX: We went from "Two men fishing in a boat" to "Two men fishing in a boat because I see fish, a boat, and water." So, they are able to justify even their simplest of observations.
For students whose word count went down, I felt like they were actually becoming more coherent and concise. Students again went from listing to giving one coherent statement with evidence. Sadly, my class did not really continue to repeat the tree bullet points, just answered them and stopped.
How has your focus class grown?
Socially, this has helped my class agree and disagree with each other respectfully (at least when we are VTS-ing.) I also feel as though it has leveled the playing field for students to offer an opinion and join in group discussion, as I did see more and more students slowly start to participate. I believe I saw little bits of growth from each student from where they were starting. That means if they were just making simple inferences, they're more detailed. If they were making inferences, most are starting to provide evidence for at least one of those. As mentioned if they were listing, they now appear to make one solid coherent thought with evidence.
How have you as a teacher/practice grown?
This has helped me to really challenge students in breaking down their assumptions by asking for evidence. Even what would appear to be a very simple observation like "They are fishing" or "They are in the ocean" when asked, "What do you see that makes you say that?" Forces students to realize they have made an assumption and provide evidence for their opinion.
I feel very comfortable with this process now. I am more comfortable knowing when to paraphrase and move on, or finding a moment to introduce the second question. I have also become more comfortable introducing this process to my class, and dealing with curveball scenarios like a student being silly or listing many things at once. The classroom behaviors/management is still a challenge, but I try to remain calm through the chaos.
I also feel like it has helped me to understand my students better and have more evidence to advocate for their brilliance. In fact, I'll advocate for the fact that written assessments are really tough for my kiddos, and that I don't think this written assessment gives them the full credit they deserve. I also think group situations are difficult for them. I feel like if I could sit down with them individually or in small groups and facilitate this process, brilliance would pour out. But even if I am not literally doing that right now, it is reassuring to know that I have that faith in my students abilities because of this process.
Whether or not you feel this way (and I think you do!), this has been a great semester for you and this class! I think your final paragraph above cinches that. You have seen glimpses of their potential/brilliance, and it has caused you to see them in a light that I'll bet few of their other teachers see. The aren't naughty kids; just kids with social needs and I think VTS began to address some of them through your neutrality, patience, and refusal to give up on them this semester.
ReplyDeleteYou are not the first to say that writing samples do not capture what your students know and can do. Ideally, we'd take ADIs (Aesthetic Development Interviews) of students instead, pre- and post-VTS. These give them an opportunity to respond individually and orally without social pressures. It's too much to ask for my VTS students to administer ADIs to each student at the beginning and at the end of the semester; so time consuming. These are the assessment instruments that evidence real growth, though, and I'll be continuing to consider how to weave them into the course in a "doable" fashion.