How Do You Negotiate Conflict? - Year 3, Week 28
This week, Democracy prevails in Middle School! Our Highschoolers finish up apprenticeships and all studios prepare for Exhibition!
spark studio
What’s the point of cursive handwriting? Cursive helps improve the hand eye coordination, with the fluid motion of the hand across the page. It also increases fine motor coordination which leads to being able to do tasks which require fine finger motion and the ability to be still, to do the work. It is a skill which means that you have to practice it to be able to use it effectively. When writing in cursive, the act of connecting the letters that form a word help the child’s mind to see those letters as a word. Think about when you write your shopping list or notes by hand, do you simply remember the content better afterward?
Can you believe we are in our final week of Session 6? We have been busy creating and are very excited to share with you during Exhibition. We will spend this upcoming week planning and preparing for Session 6 Exhibition - Art in Motion!
elementary studio
Answer all the questions. Question all the answers. -Laurie Gray
As this session draws to a close, we are reminded of how quickly the end of the school year is approaching. Elementary heroes have been feverishly working to complete badges and wrap up their badge plans. We took a deep look at our morning launch process and what makes a great socratic discussion. Heroes were all given the opportunity to create inspiring launches designed around topics like: collaboration, excellence, honesty, friendship, failure, and fear.
Since coming to one's own conclusions is mostly how we learn, the role of a Guide is to encourage heroes to come to sensible conclusions by confronting what they already believe, with stuff that is antithetical to those beliefs. Asking questions with no right or wrong answer and not asking yes or no questions, encourages deep thinking and forces heroes to analyze their views and why they think the way they do.
While working through the process of finding an inspiring story, or thinking of one that happened in their own life, heroes started to think more deeply about what that sacred morning launch ritual looks like, how it feels, and what they want to take away from those times. We will be tracking our progress to see how much we are able to improve over time. Heroes understanding how to lead and engage groups is a skill they will often use throughout their lives, and I look forward to the intentionality of our future launches.
middle school studio
One of the perks of being in a self-directed learning environment is choosing where to work. Instead of being assigned desks, Middle School learners can choose to work on couches, at the picnic tables outside, or in the occasional fort. That freedom, though, has its own cost. Sometimes learners choose to sit around distractions rather than spaces that encourage them to get into flow. There can also be conflict in negotiating seating in the Studio.
This week, tensions ran high as learners clashed over work spaces. Some learners had been out all week, traveling or working virtually. When they returned, other learners had taken their space. Who has the rightful claim: the people that had worked there the longest, or the people currently working there? In tackling the issue, we looked at examples from history (like Israel and Palestine). What can land struggles teach us about negotiating space?
Learners created their own systems of resolving disputes. Compromises were reached. Democracy prevailed.
It was far from a clean process. There was plenty of drama and hurt feelings along the way. But in the end, relationships were repaired and learners got first-hand experience in negotiating conflicting claims to space and learning to live together.
high school studio
In the final stretch of the session, a few heroes returned to the studio as they wrapped up their Apprenticeships. Next week, all heroes will be returning back to the studio or re-joining virtually to share their overall experience from apprenticing with the plethora of experts this session. This week, heroes completed a two minute standup skit with a partner showcasing their “day in the life” at school, in addition to their civilization discussion on defunding the police.
Looking forward to next week, heroes will complete a new haven prior to Exhibition as well as look at turning in all of their completed work for the session. Please remember that Exhibition is next Friday, April 2 from 9:00-10:15am. We look forward to seeing you all then.
-Onward
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