Session 6, Week 4
We’ve all heard the idiom ‘practice makes perfect’. But what if practice doesn’t need to, or even isn’t supposed to make perfect? What if perfection is not our goal, but the goal is actually the process of practicing? This was impressed upon me as I watched the Middle School and Fire Studio play this week.
I was in awe watching their “final” performance on Wednesday. As per library restrictions, they were only allowed one dress rehearsal at the library. As per budget restrictions, they had never practiced with the sound before. Thus their “final” performance was much more akin to a second dress rehearsal. Their ability to keep going when mistakes and glitches occurred was encouraging. Their boldness to put on a fully hero written and directed play was inspiring. What these heroes accomplished through this process was one of the more amazing feats I have seen from an Acton Academy. Heroes had different investment levels and even various enjoyment levels. They all experienced frustration and disappointment at times. But they were all willing to persevere and do something hard. They learned to sing, dance, memorize and take risks on a stage. They learned to manage group dynamics. They learned to organize and communicate. They learned what they would do differently next time. From the sets, to the costumes, to the playwright, to the choreography, to the directing, to the lights and curtains, to the singing, dancing and acting – everyone was needed, everyone contributed – and they did it all on their own!
In the Spark Studio when the heroes saw new materials outside this week, ideas flowed and were executed immediately; a foot spa was constructed with harmonious cooperation. At first, the water was too cold, so heroes gathered all the shiny objects to harness the sun’s energy. When a guide asked a question about the purpose of the stacked crates, the heroes responded, “We know what we are doing” and continued building what became “shoe cubbies.” When construction was finished, it wasn’t clear whether the enjoyment came from the foot spa itself or the fulfillment the heroes found from working together.
This week the heroes volunteered to become the directors of the different scenes of the play. For some scenes, it ran as smoothly as the construction of the foot spa. The director knew exactly how they wanted things to happen. They were very clear about how that should happen, and there weren’t any objections to how to do things. Other times the director had a hard time getting everyone’s attention. Sometimes actors wandered off and other times they pushed back on the ideas the director was suggesting. Each scene only had a set amount of time to practice. Many times the heroes ran out of time to even practice their scene.
After rehearsing, the heroes watch their practice to gather ideas on how to improve for next time. From being able to step back and see themselves “perform” they have decided on changes such as talking louder, standing to face the audience, and how to be a better audience when it’s not their scene.
We have no idea how polished the play will be for Exhibition, but the reason we are putting on a play is because there is so much to learn in the process. Whatever ends up being presented is an enormous amount of realizations, growth, and cooperation – and that is what it is all about!
Watching these heroes carefully build together is a joy! The relationships they are building in the process are much more valuable and long lasting than the final block structure.
It’s cool to see the final product of a butterfly. It’s amazing to watch the process of a caterpillar growing and then, forming a chrysalis. It’s fascinating to watch the process happen to different caterpillars at different times and observe the unknown in the process. The Spark heroes’ caterpillars formed their chrysalis this week while the Fire Studio heroes’ caterpillars hatched out of their chrysalides!
One day this week, the snack was dried seaweed. It took the whole tribe to do the math and figure out how many sheets of seaweed each hero could get. After doing the math, some heroes wanted to eat less in order to save some of the snack for tomorrow as well. They really like seaweed! A vote took place whether to enjoy it all now, or save some for later. The whole process was exciting to watch as everyone felt a part of the process. For a faster, more efficient (perhaps “perfect” end result), the guide could have said, “Everyone gets 2 sheets of seaweed”, but the math practice and decision-making practice was what really mattered.
In the Fire Studio is also the countless moments of practice, not any final moment of perfection, that build the skills, the confidence, and the love of learning in a learner-driven education. This week, mistakes made while morse coding, failed and retried math tests, misunderstood instructions, and other little failures were not unwanted detours on the hero’s journey; they were the journey. Because out of those disappointments and mistakes grew the mindset to try again and appreciate the growth as it happens.
During Quest this week, we finished and presented our second round of insect passion projects. Last week we had launches and squad discussions about setting excellence goals for our second project based upon the cool feedback from their first project. Heroes are practicing this step towards excellence! Having the final passion projects to present is so much fun to see, but the changes that are happening inside with grit, perseverance, and letting go of perfection to get to excellence are the real reason these heroes are amazing!!
There was nothing perfect about the weather for the Fire Studio and Middle School’s final Grit challenge this week. But after hiding from the weather for a bit, the heroes decided they didn’t care about the cold and rain and continued to enjoy the bubble balls, football and playing in the water!
In the Middle School, along with the play, the final Grit challenge, their regular Core Skills, and continuing their hunt for their apprenticeship, the heroes practiced talking with adults and serving others this week. While at times it felt awkward, and they didn’t know what to say, the practice was helpful for the heroes and was so beautiful for those they served. The residents at the nursing home loved our heroes and are requesting they come back as soon as possible!
The Middle Schoolers also enjoyed a day and a half of “staycation” activities at the end of last week. Typically at a school or in a family, coordinating, logistics, and project management are tasks left to the adults. And while the adults sometimes instinctively want to step in, at CHOICE the heroes know the responsibility falls on them to practice these skills, fail at them, learn, practice again, and notice improvement. From choosing a movie, to organizing a cooking contest, to planning a bike ride, to executing a dinner event with dozens of guests, the heroes practiced thinking ahead, delegation, and communication. None of the activities went off perfectly, but rather than an adult “rescuing” unanticipated situations, the heroes were able to problem-solve on the spot and use their own resourcefulness to make the best of every situation. They are so capable! And so fun!
Before the Middle School/Fire Studio play began I was wishing that they had one more chance to practice with the set, sound and stage – one more chance to perfect it. But as I watched I grew so grateful that this was their final performance. That we were able to see part of the practicing. That we were able to see the reality of what it takes to make a show happen. That we were able to see and enjoy the process and recognize once again that the goal of practice is not perfection, but rather the experience gained from the practice. I have always told my own children that nothing is perfect. Perhaps I am wrong. Perhaps the only thing that is perfect, is imperfection itself!