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!