Circle and Art Projects

Day one of the Summer Institute brought back a few of those recurring questions about fitting in from the orientation as I drove onto the UNCC campus.  From my previous post though, I was really enjoying the book I got at orientation, thinking a lot about my inquiry and gathering more ideas for my demo.  I already had several ideas that I was ready to bring back into my classroom and also help implement into my school.  So, I was feeling good with only a tiny doubt as I began my morning.

We started off first with the directions of walking down the hallway to the common area for our first activity.  How strange it was to walk down the hallway with a group of people and to NOT remind them to keep their hands to theirselves, use walking feet.  Ah..this is nice.  We gather for a circle, yes, a circle for this activity.  Again, everyone gathers easily with no prompting from me to move away from friends, stop talking, allow space for other friends.  We do an improv piece where everyone follows directions, waits for turns, listens quietly to others.  Next, we play a game with movements.  Now, I'm really thinking, hey, I can do this, I feel right at home here...but it's easier even. 

The first "real" session involves us thinking about our writing timeline and how we've evolve as writers.  Hmm...now we're into a bit heavier things and activities...but wait.  Steve tells us about the tools that we will use to produce the timeline: glue, construction paper, scissors, magazines pictures, markers. 

 Is this really happening?  I feel totally at home surrounded by all of these supplies.  But this time instead of watching and helping the kids with their work, I'm the one creating it! 

And to boot, I really like the people I'm interacting with.  They have great stories to share, interesting ideas to mull over, they are curious about what I have to say...and they don't wipe their boogers on me!  I feel right at home.