Session 5, Week 6

Every type of school has its own term or quarter or session. Every term, quarter or session has its own traditions at the end, typically tests and finals. CHOICE (and Acton’s at large) are no different. However, instead of tests and finals, we have exhibitions and reflections.

(skip to Fire Studio)

(skip to Middle School)

In the Spark Studio, the last week of the session was full of reflection. We spent time reflecting on the session question, “Is it better to think positively about yourself or be honest with yourself?” We looked at many different angles. Is it better to think positively about your friends or be honest with your friends? Is it possible to do both? What does that look like? It was amazing to see the amount of conflict resolution take place without any support from a guide. 

During CHOICE work cycle we spent time reflecting on some of the challenges we had been offered throughout the session. Some heroes decided to tackle challenges they had missed earlier.

Early on in the session, in connection with exploring our community, the heroes listened to “I’m a Policeman Dressed in Blue.” Afterwards each squad picked a different job to write their own verse about. Squads chose to sing about doctors, vets, soccer coaches, truck drivers, and farmers.

For most of the session we had been singing it with the original song and lyrics in the background. However, with help from a talented mentor we were able to have accompaniment music recorded without other lyrics. As we prepared for exhibition this week we practiced with the accompaniment for the first time, spent a lot of time solidifying the rhythm, learning when to come in, polishing it and making costumes.

Outside of our reflection and exhibition preparation we still had time to:

Read together.

Do works together.

Create Disneyland.

Run/attend restaurants.

And whatever else these heroes’ minds could come up with.

We have been so lucky to explore so much about our community this session. We have had fun field trips and engaging visitors. Our session ended with one last awesome field trip…a visit to Splay Shoes! The heroes learned from these entrepreneurs how they started their business, why it was important to them and were each lucky enough to bring home a new pair of shoes.

We have never seen so many shoes on Spark heroes’ feet during an exhibition! 

In the Fire Studio exhibition week ramps up the energy. Higher energy sometimes leads to bursts of productivity as heroes prepare to exhibit their portfolios and quest work, apply for badges, clean up their studio, compete in tribe-building games, and reflect on accomplishments of the session.

Higher energy can also lead to moments of distraction. This week some heroes fondly or not-so-fondly referred to those moments as “sugar rush!” Peaceful times such as D.E.A.R. contrast the “sugar rush” moments.

This week, challenge donut reflections allowed us a chance to reflect on how we strive to be in our challenge zone.

While intense yoga challenges to strengthen our posture, finished up our Jolliness session. 

It was awesome to see all the businesses pull together and present during the Shark Tank portion of exhibition. Their practice pitches two days prior were so very different. Young people are so capable when they choose to be and are allowed to be!

Perhaps my favorite part of exhibition is watching the proud celebration that follows months of effort as heroes earn badges. It appears to mean much more to them than a grade in a class given by a teacher.

In the Middle School, the final week of a session is a time of honest reckoning. Heroes come face to face with the goals they set at the beginning of the session and are honest with themselves and their community about where they are and where they would like to be if they had given full effort. Perhaps naively positive and optimistic thoughts needed a dose of honesty. And perhaps honest but harsh self-criticism and defeatist thinking needed a dose of hope and self-forgiveness. Guides take time to lead discussions around studio culture, the results of the exhibition, and inter-hero relationships. Scheduled deep-cleaning brings heroes into detailed proximity with their learning environment, with realizations about their contributions to its maintenance or its disintegration. The exhibition gave heroes the chance to own up to the work they’ve done individually during core skills time and as a team during quest. Reflection afterwards helps them realize that the public display at an exhibition doesn’t always accurately reflect the realities of hours spent and research done. But in a school where persistence through failure, reinvention, and belief in the process are the markers of success, a failed rocket launch is simply an opportunity to rethink, reorganize, and try again.

The Fire Studio and Middle Schoolers ended their session with a walk to Splay and then a walk to the park. It was uplifting to watch the Middle Schoolers guide each Fire Studio in measuring their feet, lacing shoes and getting a new pair of Splay Shoes (so kindly donated by Splay Shoes!).

It was fun to watch them walk together and help each other when a hero was hurt.

It was gratifying to watch them eat together and take turns in line all of their own accord.

But perhaps best of all was watching them play together.

Along with all the reflections and exhibitions and hard work and celebrations, perhaps the most important work of any term or quarter or session – or childhood – is simply to play!