Mayor Sam Adams’s visit was amazing, but the beauty of what these kids and their teachers created is in the details. Check this out:
Today I am really proud of my wife. She teaches a 2nd-3rd grade class at the Opal Charter School of the Portland Children’s Museum. This year they have been studying what it takes to make a neighborhood. The work they are doing coincides with work happening in the city of Portland, where we live.
The students call the place they have created “The Neighborhood”!
Portland has just completed a 30 year plan and is embarking on a new 25 year plan, called the Portland Plan. There have been many public meetings around the city to get people’s input. The meetings are run by the mayor of Portland.
Today, the Mayor visited my wife’s classroom for an hour and talked with the kids about their work.
How cool.
Better..way better (and imagination) begins here!!
But, with all the fireworks of the day, there was something my wife shared about how the project began that I think is absolutely profound and begins to throw light on the real story.
“The reason we continued with this project, is because right at the beginning we noticed that the kids treated each other differently in the neighborhood than they did in our classroom.”
She went on to explain that kids all had a character in the neighborhood. They became that character when they played there, and their characters who were mean to each other in the classroom worked together with each other in the neighborhood. Kids who only played with certain other kids in the classroom, played and worked with everyone in the neighborhood. Kids who struggled to be creative in the classroom, were able to be creative in the neighborhood.
Their neighborhood became an imaginary place where the kids could be who they really want to be (i.e. beneath the facade & struggle of who they have to be to survive on a day to day basis). In the neighborhood they could:
- use their natural abilities
- all be friends (or at least support each other)
- be generous and kind
- treat each other the way they really want to treat other kids
- escape the place where they had to defend themselves and protect their vulnerabilities
I wonder if you are reading this with your jaw dropping, because every time I write it or read it, I am astounded. And I start to cry.
What I would call it is an experience of Wholeness. The neighborhood has become a place where the students can go to play – and while there they get to imagine, feel, experience, and see what is possible for their life.
Here is another example: the other day, the class had some explore (free) time. They wanted to go visit the neighborhood, but the teachers were worried about so many people being in such a small place, so they suggested dividing the class up. The kids objected – how can we play there if not everyone is there? They didn’t want to go in small groups. They only wanted to go with everyone in the class. Everyone needed to be included.
Wow. Wow. Wow. And more Morgan tears.
Not enough young people (let alone us adults) have this kind of experience…
and the implications are significant…so lets imagine them!
Tags: creativity, friendship, Imagination, Mayor Sam Adams, neighborhood, Opal school, Portland Plan
Morgan,
I could not agree with you more. The kids were totally engaged on many different levels at the same time. It was very inspiring to see their kindness, thoughtfulness and innovation. We are going to use the film we took of their presentation and use it to introduce the Phase III Portland Plan workshops.
Yours,
Sam
Sam,
That is very exciting…and we’re eager for Phase III. Thank you for all the work you do with that, it’s so important.
Your appreciation and understanding of the remarkable work and commitment the educators at the Portland Children’s Museum and Opal school make to young people means a lot to our community.
From our Board of Directors, to the parents, to the amazing staff, there is a a tremendous amount of time and energy put forward to make a difference in the lives of young people. There are amazing things going on in that building (and beyond) every day – what we call Playful Inquiry.
There is a serious (and playful) commitment to make a difference in many, many lives, and your support is greatly appreciated!
Playing Huge.
morgan
Hi Morgan,
This is wonderful! Great story, and I’m super-glad Sam Adams both witnessed the class project and is leveraging it in ways to support the Portland Project.
I’m a tad confused about “The Neighborhood,” though, which is just a detail rather than having anything really to do with the amazing takeaways.
You mention that the students “have been studying what it takes to make a neighborhood,” and then you mention something they have created that they are calling “The Neighborhood.”
Is this Neighborhood a specific location apart from the classroom?
I ask this because your wife makes a distinction between what normally happens in the classroom and something else that occurs in The Neighborhood.
As a means of extension and transfer, I wonder what the “next step” can be. How can these new collaborative behaviors transfer to a more “real” environment?
Tshombe,
Great question and thank you for your response.
The students have been exploring what a neighborhood is, what they would want in their neighborhood, and so much more that my wife and the students could explain. They explored it with words and ideas and lots of listening (the secret behind all the magic) while they created a miniature neighborhood in the classroom…they all have houses, there are parks, places for animals, and more…
So they have a place in their classroom that they call “The Neighborhood”.
The miracle that happens is that The Neighborhood, while a part of the classroom, has become an imaginary place where things are different – it’s a place of kindness, listening, respect, creativity, and aliveness.
I’m crying now, which I do every time I think about it, because the students have created a kind of place where I wish we all could enter…a place that we don’t know very well, but would really make a difference in our lives.
I’ll write more…but for now, check out pictures of the neighborhood here.
http://www.portlandonline.com/portlandplan/index.cfm?&c=50730&a=299908
Playing Huge.
morgan
Tshombe,
More about your question of next steps. You can read into it in this Blog entry, it’s about the Experience of Wholeness and how important it is.
http://playhuge.com/wpblog/?p=73
To be more explicit than that, I think that these kinds of experiences are ones that must be nurtured in our young people. When they are nurtured and cultivated, then when they have the abilities and support to bring them into the world it is much, much easier.
But, I also think that we can be creating extraordinary experiences and excellent learning environments in our work places and in our lives. The more people that have access to what is possible, the better!
Here are a couple places that I think it’s happening.
http://www.odemagazine.com/doc/69/workplace-autonomy/
http://www.danpink.com/drive
Enjoy.
Playing Huge
morgan
Thanks for sharing this story from your perspective, Morgan! Speaking of wholeness… how wonderful to have connections that reach further than the school, classroom and museum…