Do you find an exhibition interesting? Does the theme match topics discussed in class? Visit Pennings Foundation with the whole class and deepen the educational program by seeking out dialogue through art. We offer VTS guided tours of all exhibitions. 

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VTS is a method of art appreciation that is essentially based on LOOKING with an obvious three-step method: “Looking – thinking – discussing”. The Pennings Foundation teacher invites the students to look at a work of art and then to have a dialogue with each other based on a number of questions. The questions are open in nature and developed specifically for the method: 

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Question 1: What is happening in this image? 

(hypothesis, associative thinking, language development and enrichment) 

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Question 2: How do you see that… 

(language development, creative and associative, critical thinking, respect for other people's observation, listening to each other) 

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Question 3: What else can we discover? 

(self-critical thinking, contemplative thinking, reflection and listening to each other) 

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The facilitator asks the students to carefully observe, formulate and argue what they perceive. This approach encourages active participation in the conversation and tests thoughts and interpretations. Any input is valued as neutral. There is no right or wrong, what you see is what you see. In this way the students talk together about the work of art and what it could mean. 

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VTS motivates people to establish a personal connection with a work of art, it appeals to their own frame of reference and empathy. Because the method stimulates curiosity and the different points of view are shared, it provides fun, in a safe atmosphere and with respect for each other's opinions.