Session 2, Week 3
Halloween week is fun! Bits and pieces of costumes creep in all week until the day finally arrives and heroes are dressed in full disguise.
As I watched the Halloween happenings it occurred to me that the heroes in costume were not the only things in disguise. Events and activities that look simple on the surface are often hiding or disguising something much more meaningful.
The Spark Studio planned and executed their own Halloween party. When I asked a hero how it went, he could hardly get the words out in his excitement. “It was OUR party! Not Miss Hannah’s or any teachers, it was our party!” The Spark heroes decorated the way they wanted to. They created their own games and were fully invested in the execution of those games. We had scavenger hunts, a doughnut toss with prizes, and even a drawing contest.
“Potions” were set up in the kitchen. One hero exclaimed, “Is this science?!?!”
On the surface it looks like a Halloween party. Underneath it is a group of individuals learning how to cooperate, communicate, organize their time, create an enjoyable environment, and think outside the box.
Heroes paraded through each of the studios showing them the costume they chose to wear. On the surface this may look like a parade. Underneath it looks like supporting each other and being supported in return from each learner at the school.
During CHOICE work cycle, an exploration of electricity is disguised as play. This week heroes explored static electricity, learned about electrons, and experimented with circuits. On the surface this simply seems like some fun activities, but heroes are learning about how the world around them works.
As the heroes participated in a frozen animal rescue, it was a perfect disguise for group cooperation. Heroes discovered it was more difficult than they expected. Each hero threw out different ideas, but it took them working together to get all the animals out of the ice.
Outside “play” time disguises the best learning laboratory that exists for imagination and communication.
In the Fire Studio, heroes are getting into the swing of working towards their three weekly goals. During a typical Core Skills cycle, an observer of the studio might notice some focused heroes, some zoned-out heroes, and even some disruptive heroes. But though this might look like mediocre use of time on the surface, what you’re really observing is young people learning the valuable skill of executive functioning. It’s a long-game approach at CHOICE. Our third year guide in the Fire Studio has seen amazing results in so many heroes!
In the Quest studio, a shelf of art projects is really a disguise for learning about the variety of methods that can transfer stored energy into applied energy. This week heroes tackled the project of making wind turbines which like the water wheels will also be converted into pulley systems.
A computer app containing games and simulations allowed heroes to explore the effects of positive and negative currents, conductors and insulators, and different circuitry. While video games are usually not part of CHOICE, this “game” was a great disguise for deeper learning and understanding of complex concepts.
During Creator time the heroes are starting to create original skits in small groups. They will be writing and producing them over the next few weeks building up to a filmed or performed final piece. What a great disguise for building confidence in public speaking and increasing creativity!
During Civ, Jeanette managed to disguise the potentially dry learning about the “Euphrates River” in a rap song that has been sung non stop around school and homes!! Have you heard this… “In the Euphrates River, in the Euphrates River…”
As I walked through the Blue Studio’s Halloween party several times I was so impressed. With no guides present they led themselves through games, treats and even clean up. Yes it was a Halloween party, but more importantly it was an opportunity for event planning, execution and responsibility in something they cared about!
Look closely, what are each of this week’s pictures of the DELTA Studio disguising?
- Teenagers interacting with and having fun with heroes who are up to 10 years younger than themselves!
- Teenagers who are still having a great time playing games together! (So many young people stop playing games with each other at their age.) AND the meaningful discussions that come from games. For example, this week we discussed competition: the goods, the bads, the limitations, the nuances
- Young people developing their gifts and talents: DELTA heroes have enjoyed the new music space. They go over during lunch to both learn and practice
- A young person who is not sitting in a desk all day, but instead is DOING things he is deeply engaged with
- All in all, these pictures are showing young people following Quests that they are interested and engaged in; learning to problem solve and keeping going when they hit one road block after another!
I even recognized a little disguising in myself this week. I read a book called “Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed” to each studio this week. It is a story about Ordinary Mary changing the world through one small simple act of kindness. As I granted each hero’s wish on Thursday (the wish could only be for a chocolate or non chocolate candy… (I am a very new genie very limited powers : ) I asked them to grant a wish for me: to do one thing today to change the world like Ordinary Mary!
Halloween and costumes are oh so fun! But even more fun is to look a little closer and see all the beauty that is happening underneath the disguise!