Visual Literacy

The next course is one on visual literacy.  I've always felt like I had a lot of experience in this area since I, myself, am a visual learner.  I am no artist, but I have spent many years doing digital scrapbooking for my family.  This meant that I learned to use photoshop, I learned about design, and most importantly, I learned how to use design and visual cues to communicate a message.

Awww... my kids were so young back then!!  It's fun to go back and look at those old photos!  

Applying the principles of design to my teaching is not at all a stretch.  I find that I use my skills quite often when designing presentations, making worksheets, organizing meetings, and even planning after school activities.  But it wasn't until recently that I made the connection that 

That was a profound learning for me.  And my own own visual literacy skills turned more into modeling rather than using them for practical purposes.  The intentionality of teaching students to use resources like Canva, the Noun Project, Google Slides, iMovie, Piktochart, PicMonkey and so many more, is now woven into my lessons throughout the year.  Whether the students are taking notes, making a movie, creating a presentation or working on any project, there is always an opportunity for them to connect their verbal understanding to something visual.