Ashley Sutter

Art 133
3/7/2017
Unit Paper 3
Making students feel like they are important in the classroom has become reoccurring in

21st Century Art Education Approaches. Two of these approaches that embody this are Visual

Thinking Strategies (VTS), and a Holistic Approach. Authors Abigail Housen and Phillip

Yenawin discuss in their article what happens during a VTS lesson. Students are able to express

their opinions, know that their thoughts are heard and valued, and need to respect and listen to

other students answers (Housen & Yenawine, n.d.). Author Virginia Freyermuths Holistic

Approach is similar to VTS in making students feel included. Freyermuth believes that teachers

should value community, be welcoming to students, has genuine care for those they teach, and

cultivates a safe learning environment (Freyermuth, 2012). The big idea to go along with this is

Vulnerability. When you are being vulnerable you are able to open up and show a side of

yourself that people may not even know about. Which is why vulnerability is a big idea because

it can help students open up and give them a chance to connect and relate with other classmates.

When students feel included and connected with others it makes them feel important.

In my own classroom I would use the activity of the empathy braid. This activity can

help students become vulnerable and be able to open up more with their classmates and their

own teacher. This activity would be more personal if done with an older group of students. But

one thing I would change about this activity is I would make it into a project for the students and

once they have finished they shall present their piece in front of the class and explain the

meaning behind this. Students would only share if they felt comfortable to do so. By doing this

it can help the students become even more vulnerable and can help classmates relate or connect

with each other.

Freyermuth, V.K. (2012) One art teachers search for a holistic approach. In L.H. Campbell & S.
Simmons III (Eds.), The heart of education: Holistic approaches (pp. 266-269). Reston,
VA: National Art Education Association.
Housen, A., & Yenawine, P. (n.d.). Visual thinking strategies: Understanding the basics.
Retrieved from http://www.vtshome.org/research/articles-other-readings