Session 1, Week 5
One of my father’s favorite poems is “A Builder or a Wrecker” by Charles Franklin Benvegar. The poem asks the question, “Am I builder who works with care, measuring life by the rule and square? Or am I wrecker who walks the town, content with the labor of tearing down?” It is a question I have often asked myself. As I look around, I observe the CHOICE heroes are builders every day…
In the Spark Studio to say the Spark heroes love building is an understatement. As the heroes build
and build,
and build,
and build,
they are exploring symmetry, balance, patterns, geometric figures, cause and effect, diameter, height, width, and respect for the materials.
Heroes are also building confidence every day. The fear of failure can certainly be an obstacle in our hero’s journey. Knowing how to rebound from mistakes can be a tool to conquer that fear. This week we were inspired by The Book Of Mistakes to overcome mistakes with good ideas; heroes used their creativity to change some mistakes into wonders.
Some heroes continued to alter each other’s “mistake” drawings into wonders. It was fun to put these elements into silly stories.
When building outside the heroes sometimes ask an adult for help lifting heavier items. We feel that doing the hard lifting for the heroes does not empower them to think outside the box. As guides, we are happy to join in the fun when invited, as long as we know the heroes are capable of lifting and moving the pieces without our help. While outside this week, a hero wanted to move a wooden pallet and knew he couldn’t do it alone. He immediately formed a team of Spark heroes. They communicated with one another, checking to make sure the workload wasn’t too strenuous for any one hero. When their own strength was exhausted they formulated a plan involving simple machines. Not once did the heroes ask for help from a guide or give up on their task.
In the Fire Studio the heroes finished a crucial part of building their studio. After several accumulated hours of hard work at the discussion rug, the Fire Studio heroes have completed their contract system! The contracts and systems of accountability are one of the many beautifully unique aspects of CHOICE culture. The Parent Handbook describes the main purpose of contracts:
“Creating clear, consistent expectations for CHOICE families is an important part of our school. As such, the parents, students and staff will reaffirm this commitment by signing a contract each year that describes the roles and responsibilities to which we are agreeing.
The purpose of this living document is not to promote rule-following or bureaucracy but rather the opposite: to draw clear boundaries to encourage innovation between children, parents and guides who through commitment and action show support for the creation of a world-class school.”
This week, the heroes signed their Contract of Promises. This is the list of what each hero promises they will or will not do in their studio. When asked to define what signing the contract means, the heroes responded that signing means they are actually part of the studio. If a hero won’t sign the contract, they are not part of the studio. It also means that they are willing to follow the rules created even if they disagree with one of them. Town Hall was created to allow heroes to try to change and alter rules that they disagree with.
During quest, heroes had one more chance to interact with Hera and earn a few more “gifts from the gods.” They also began creating beautiful scrolls.
In the Middle School the heroes also signed their contracts. Through many discussions, they created their own unique systems of government and accountability. Now the real work begins… actually holding themselves and one another accountable!
Through creating these systems and processes and then holding one another to them, the Fire Studio and Middle School heroes are learning what it means to build a government and a community.
During quest, heroes built up their biology knowledge by completing challenges related to human anatomy and physiology this week. It’s naturally engaging to learn about something so close to home! They were completing simulations, assembling models, and creating diagrams of various body processes, and working hard to stay or get ahead of the other BioBlitz team at the same time. Ask them about a self-appendectomy, why sitting is bad for your health, or how DaVinci learned so much about the human body. It’s a delight to walk into a room of heroes choosing to learn!
Maria Montessori said, “What if this child knows nothing of the end he will achieve? If he is allowed to use his spontaneous activity in a tranquil environment without interference or unasked-for help, he is indeed engaged in a most important work: he is building the [person] he will one day be.” While your heroes are building towers, structures, knowledge, governments and communities, I would argue that the most important thing they are building is “the [person] s/he will one day be.” CHOICE heroes are builders.