Visual Thinking Strategies

Portland Museum of Art hosted VTS meeting

Stacy Rodenberger

Last week a group of educators and docents met at the Portland Museum of Art (PMA) to discuss Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS). In the past three years several people have been trained to use VTS in Maine classrooms and museums. Interest continues in different parts of the state for using the technique. Starting this the Tides Institute and Museum in Eastport is sponsoring a training for Washington county art and classroom teachers.

We viewed a short clip of the Gardner Museum’s Thinking Through Art program. Afterwards we worked in groups to brainstorm ideas and possible next steps for future VTS trainings. A long list of ideas was generated by the participants.

The planning committee made up of Dana Baldwin, Director of Education-PMA, Stacy Rodenberger, Coordinator of School Programs, PMA, Cathy Melio, Program & Outreach Program, Penobscot Marine Museum and myself will take the ideas and make a plan for the next steps in Maine using VTS.

Participants at PMA