The Words We Use
Language is not something we acquire; rather it is something we participate in. As such, we do not ever really learn a language, we practice one. In moments when we achieve creativity, or poetry, we play in one. Language is also a discipline. There is politics in how...
About Language
How do we as teachers both support language development and deconstruct the structures of language that erase histories?
Creating a Shared Language: English Learners and Bilingual VTS
VTS is about making meaning through group discussion, but what happens when the participants do not share a common language?
The Practice of Adapting VTS
We know the skills that VTS fosters—critical thinking, careful observation, generating inferences, and revising ideas—are also useful in fields outside of art, but do we need to modify VTS if we choose to use it with content other than art objects? Over the past four...
When the “Picture” Is Not a Picture: Opening a Discussion
There is an art to crafting new VTS experiences. For instance, how can VTS work with a live animal?
VTS at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
A T. rex skeleton may not have narrative, but the parallels between scientific observation and VTS are strong
What More Can We Do?
How do our choices as “neutral” facilitators uphold dominant narratives and perpetuate oppression?
VTS, Learning Environments for People of Color, and Antiracist Pedagogy
When separated educational settings are used intentionally, they can be essential for strong racial identity development.
Letter from the Editor
VTS has been engaging in reflective practice around issues of race, class, gender, and ability in order to increase awareness of and respond to the inequities that exist in the arts and education.
Letter from the Editor
Among the many joys of being a VTS Trainer—as well as the Editor of Site Specific—is the opportunities I have to work with and learn from truly incredible teachers. Aija Simmons is just such an inspiring figure. Her work in and out of the classroom is a model for how...
Using VTS to Teach Claims, Evidence, Reasoning, and Writing
VTS allows students to engage in productive discussion, learn to form an argument, and transfer skills to other content areas.
Learning to Listen
Listening is necessary for any conversation, but listening well expresses something meaningful in and of itself.