Reflection 2

Do people automatically turn pictures in words? Or words into pictures? Temple Grandin and Donna Williams argued against one another in this argument and about different learning styles.
Temple Grandin sees life in pictures. She is able to manipulate things into pictures in her mind and see the outcome. She believes that people with Autism, are detail oriented but use different groups to do this. The three groups they fall into include: Visual thinking, the way she does, Music and Math thinking, and Verbal logic thinking. Grandin also believes that non autistic people think verbally with words.
Donna Williams does not agree. She states that only 30% of the population is verbal thinkers. Williams believes that many people can not think in pictures at all; like her self. The two differ greatly and as do their views.
I’m not sure which one I side with. It is hard to say because we aren’t in everyone else’s mind, understanding how their mind works. But I do agree with Williams when she says that everyone is diverse and has their own way of interpretation. Knowing that there are other ways of interpretation out there is important when I will be working with people as a Speech Language Pathologist. Being open to the way that works best for them and their strengths will help me do my job and help my client strive and do their very best.

In the “Why Art” article, I learned about a boy whose life was transformed by art. He was headed down a bad path until art pulled him back in. I have often heard of art being an escape for some people. When words can’t be used to express feelings, art is a great way to express those feelings. The “Functions of Art” article makes sense that knowing the artist helps in identifying the piece of art. Also, one piece of art may have different functions for different people depending on how that particular person views and interrupts it.

As I began thinking about what role art has played in my life, negative thoughts began. I have never been artistic. I was a high honor roll student, and still received good grades in art, but I was not very good. I can barely draw a straight line with a ruler! When my friends and I would make sweatshirts or shirts in high school, they would always do mine for me because they knew how awful mine would come out. However in college, I made a scrapbook and huge collage of pictures that no one believed I made! My negative thoughts of art changed when I read an article and it mentioned dance as a form of art; which made me think of cheerleading as a form of art which has had a large role in my life. One question I have is how can teachers make the role of art in students lives not seem as negative as I once viewed it?