Session 6: Year 5, Week 27 In Review
Empathy, support, and design
Check out this week’s updates…
spark studio
Spring is considered to be the season of new beginnings and it welcomes this change with nature emerging from hibernation.
This season brings new life to flowering plants, trees, and other vegetation. Spark is truly alive as we have witnessed new life along with death this week. We started with 12 eggs in the incubator and ended with 5 precious baby chicks. The best part is, we were there to experience 3 of the 6 births right before our very eyes. The anticipation, as it was happening, was thrilling. Listening to the learners’ joy was the best part. It even captivated the hearts of learners from other studios. Thanks go out to a middle school expert who guided us every step of the way. What an experience! Dreams really do come true.
We learned about Ramadan from one of our own learners and it made us feel wholesome to share in his culture. Did you know, Ramadan bounces around because the Islamic calendar is lunar? When it begins depends on when the new moon is seen. That's why the precise dates change from year to year. Did you happen to see the new moon? The holy month of Ramadan advocates for good mannerisms, humility, and generosity.
Ramadan Mubarak! We wish you an easy fast.
And now we find ourselves in the final week of Session 6. We cannot wait for you to join us at Exhibition this Thursday, March 30th from 8:30-9:30 am at The Spark Studio Cafe (the learner-chosen name will be unveiled during the Grand Opening Ceremony). You are in for a very organically grown treat.
See you then!
elementary studio
What would it be like to create your very own outdoor space?
Elementary is wrapping up their designs for the Spark outdoor classroom. This week they finished their second iteration and got feedback from the spark heroes on their designs. It has been great to see the heroes grapple with designing for someone else's needs and planning an outdoor space with a specific need. We are excited to see which designs our Sparkers choose for their outdoor classroom.
Our civilization has taken us to the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. Heroes learned about why Africans were brought to the Americas and stepped into the shoes of colonists. They came up with ideas of how to get farm work done without using slaves or indentured servants. We then looked at the lives of slaves and created a quilt, much like those created to give instructions for escape. Each hero created a quilt patch with the meaning behind their art. Click here to take a look at our final quilt!
Learners are in the final stretch of our Story Arts book writing and are finishing up illustrations. They are excited to share them with our guests at Exhibition. We've got comic books, short stories, and picture books in the making. The Scholastic Book Fair will also be at Exhibition for heroes to purchase books to add to their collections.
As we wrap up this session, we are focusing on our character trait of honesty and spending extra time "building the Tribe" through team builders and evaluating our studio systems. Growing our studio culture will be a focus as we close out this session. Have a great weekend!
middle school studio
“Remember, it's not about getting to the finish line first, but rather about crossing it with pride and the satisfaction of knowing you gave it your all."
That said, we are at the end of the second to last week of Session 6. Learners have been geared up for their summer vacations and family trips. However, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done. This week has been eventful with Story Arts, Civilization, Quest, and Core Skills. As well as, the social life in the studio has changed, and the Freedom Levels have advanced also.
We wanted to advance the studio and make them feel empowered when they do well on a session-by-session basis. Giving positive feedback daily in between sessions can have a more significant outcome on student achievement. This will cultivate a positive community in the Middle School studio.
In Quest, the studio has continued to advance their experience with A1 and used a new skill to write an email, essay and an E-book. This was an eye-opening experience for them because they learned a better way to utilize their creativity. The benefits of using A1 to complete writing assignments are life-changing.
For starters, A1 can quickly generate high-quality text that is grammatically correct and coherent, allowing students to focus on more critical aspects of their assignments, such as research and analysis. Additionally, A1 can help students improve their writing skills by providing feedback and suggestions for improvement, making it an excellent learning tool. Lastly, this Exhibition will be designed by the studio where learners will be in groups and showcase different things they did with Chat GBT and let their parents test it out.
In Civilization, we have been giving the studio numerous opportunities to do homework. The term “Homework” is used to describe make-up work that they didn’t get to finish or haven’t started at all. This will give learners the opportunity to go from Nesting to Flying and from Flying to Soaring. We want heroes to take accountability for their natural consequences, like being behind.
In addition, Story Arts is going well with their TedTalk and/or Book. They had the opportunity to practice their speeches and Book Pitches in the studio. Furthermore, presentation skills are essential for success in both academic and professional settings. A well-executed presentation can convey information effectively, engage the audience, and leave a lasting impression. On the other hand, a poorly executed presentation can lead to confusion, disinterest, and a lack of engagement, which we want to avoid altogether.
All in all, creating a classroom environment that is conducive to learning requires a combination of clarity, oversight, and fairness. Clarity involves setting clear expectations and providing students with the necessary information to succeed. Oversight involves monitoring student progress and providing feedback and support as needed. This can include regular check-ins and one-on-one meetings with students to address any concerns or questions they may have.
Finally, fairness is critical for creating a classroom environment that is inclusive and supportive of all students. This involves treating all students with respect and providing equal opportunities for learning and success. It also means addressing any biases or prejudices that may arise and ensuring that all students are held to the same standards. We have come to the conclusion that clarity, oversight, and fairness are things our studio needs to cultivate more, and it will happen.
high school studio
This week was the first week of the new schedule in high school, and so far, it has been a success!
It's been an exciting week here at our studio. Heroes have been busy improving their public speaking skills. We believe that communication of all sorts is an essential skill for success, and let me tell you, the improvement of this session has been amazing!
As we prepare for our upcoming Exhibition, your child has been working hard to develop their creative skills and put their best foot forward, this included working on their improvisation skills. We're confident their hard work and dedication will pay off, and we can't wait to see what they create. You are in for a treat!
In addition to public speaking, we've been using town hall to address some studio concerns to ensure everyone feels comfortable and supported. We're committed to providing a safe and inclusive space for all of our students, and we appreciate your support in this effort.
As a studio, we're working on what it means to be culturally sensitive and accepting of people who are different from us. Someone once said, "productive change is not about simply making things different. It's about making things better - for ourselves and for those around us." We believe that these skills are essential not just in the arts but in life. Only one more week to go!
-Onward.