Clara Barton Open School, Allison Rubin Forrester, 7/8th grade, 7 hrs
Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center, Teaching Artist Jess Bergman Tank, 3.5 hrs
On Monday, I visited Clara Barton Open School and experienced their African American Family Involvement Day, which started with an all school assembly. Fifth graders performed a play about the March on Washington, which was very beautiful and left me impressed. Throughout the day, African dancers and storytellers visited classrooms, and a trio of performers from a local dance company visited Ali’s Dance in Society class. The visiting artists taught two different dances; at one point, when the students were talking and having side conversations, the instructor told them that “I know all of us know better [than to talk over them].” This resonated with me and reminded me that a simple phrase or gentle reminder holds a lot of power with these middle schoolers. Immediately after the instructor said this, the students got quiet again and remembered that they are role models at Barton. I have continued to be impressed by these seventh and eighth graders each week I have visited Barton, through the students teaching their peers and myself during Algebra and dance.
Ali taught matrices in her Algebra courses this week, and we both were surprised at how many students haven’t seen The Matrix. We talked some about preparing a lesson plan for my upcoming teaching days, on February 25th and 27th. Since I have spent time with both her homeroom and third period (and that they are on the same schedule), I am going to teach the same lesson for both sets of students. I have been collecting magazines this week and with Lynda’s assistance, have been preparing a materials list to pick up over the weekend.
Sadly, this week was my last week at Chicago Avenue. Fortunately, it was an exciting and busy night with a bronze pour and Jess instructing on how to overall finish a piece. Jess had an assistant to help with the pour, Ashley, who also assisted with the aluminum pour. Next week, students will work on finalizing and finishing both of their pieces (i.e. brushing sand off, grinding, etc.). I enjoyed getting to spend time at CAFAC shadowing Jess, watching her teach and experiencing new casting methods; as well as seeing the incredible student work.