The Visual Teacher

[Timothy Gangwer]

The Visual Teacher

The Visual Teacher is an educator who embraces and models full spectrum visual literacy.

• The Visual Teacher understands the effects of visual stimulation on brain development and utilizes imagery where appropriate to enhance learning.

• The Visual Teacher understands the underlying concepts of visual literacy:
1. Imagery communicates in an emotional and pre-rational style that can bypass logical thought.
2. Imagery invokes the part of our brain that assembles symbols and visual elements into stories.

• The Visual Teacher actively encourages students to decode still images, such as documentary or advertising photography, and moving images, such as commercials, newscasts, dramatic or comic television programs and films.

• The Visual Teacher explores with students the signs and symbols in art and visual media.

• The Visual Teacher encourages students to encode or make more effective still images through an understanding of passive, neutral, and active imagery.

The Visual Teacher avoids passive learning experiences by bridging “ seeing” and “doing” using appropriate projects, activities, and technologies.

• The Visual Teacher creates lesson plans and activities that reflect the Methods of Visual Learning, acknowledging that when we create and utilize images we will most likely be working in one (or some
combination) of the following modes:
1. Investigate
2. Chronicle
3. Express
4. Communicate
5. Inspire
6. Envision

• The Visual Teacher responds to student image-making, evaluating effectiveness based on criteria that corresponds to the Methods of Visual Learning:
1. Did you discover something new (external)?
2. Did you record your observation faithfully and accurately?
3. Did you manifest an idea, thought, or feeling in visual form?
4. Would a viewer “get” the idea, thought, or feeling you have expressed in visual form?
5. Has your image changed a viewer’s mind or influenced his or her behavior?
6. Did you discover something new (internal)?

• The Visual Teacher creates assignments and activities that allow students to develop and apply their Visual Information Handling Skills:
1. The ability to organize images for effective display.
2. The ability to establish visual criteria and arrange images in a visual database.
3. The ability to substitute images for words and establish a visual language.
4. The ability to combine images with text to share ideas more effectively.
5. The ability to integrate images with live presentations to communicate more powerfully.
6. The ability to alter, manipulate, or transform existing images to envision something new.