October 19, 2011

Visual Thinking - Creative Comprehension


Street Art
I felt a thrilling chill as my psychology professor at Fitchburg State University explained that the ability to see from multiple perspectives is a key aspect of adolescent cognitive development.  What does Tamika imagine that Judy is thinking about Jose?

Public Works

This idea deeply resonated with me as in my photography classes for aspiring professionals I returned again and again to the concept of photographing a single subject from multiple perspectives. 

Guide Lines
I was so excited because now when I teach adolescents, I can use this photographic approach for the dual purpose of teaching how to see and how to think.

Prius and Possibility
So then, a few days later, I was reading a chapter on text factors for promoting comprehension in Gail Tompkins's Literacy for the Middle Grades.  Discussing the importance of point of view, along with other story structure elements such as plot, setting, characters and theme, the author mentioned several stories told from the viewpoints of multiple characters.  Bingo.  Now I can add a reading component to this concept of learning to think and see from multiple perspectives.

Can't wait for my next class!

P.S. Enjoying conceptual artist Sol LeWitt's wall drawings fundamentally altered and enhanced the way I see and appreciate line - and life.

2 comments :

Les Howard said...

Hi John

I enjoyed your post on Visual Thinking and Comprehension. I read it in light of
Critical Literacy; how every text privileges certain viewpoints and thus minimizing others.

Your photographs powerfully showed how different perspectives made different statements. It was interesting seeing how each photo really did privilege a viewpoint(s) and consequently minimizes others.

Thanks for sharing this great idea.

Cheers
Les

John Nordell said...

Les - You are welcome. And thank you for your Critical Literacy insights. Sounds like a method of thinking deeply about the origins of viewpoints! -John