Last week our class was invited to view two arts events at school. The first was the student production of the musical "Honk, Jr.". Later in the week, we watched 4th graders present "Sadako", a combination of dance and story-telling. I was struck by how both of these arts opportunities gave the students insight into working hard, working as a group, and reaping the rewards, not unlike any other team.
At the end of "Sadako", the facilitator of the program asked the students what they had learned throughout the day working on the presentation. The answers were illuminating; students learned that through practice they could improve on something that they thought was difficult; they commented that they were happy at how they had all worked together to make the dance and story graceful; they were surprised at how much they enjoyed it. It was also amazing for me to watch our current 5th graders, who had worked on the same program last year as 4th graders, mirror their presenters. Their steps were just as graceful and showed their recall of this moving meditation. And there were no complaints about having to stand up and perform the dance. There seemed to be an understanding that they were just part of the greater team.
I thought about how the students who brought together "Honk, Jr." participated in some of these same life-lessons. It takes practice (over many afternoons and evenings) to make something that is difficult look easy. It needs the participation of an entire crew, working together, seen and unseen, to coordinate a group effort with so many individuals. There is joy in accomplishing such a production. They are all to be commended for their stamina and talent.
Sometimes we think of teams only on fields, lugging sports equipment. These students showed that teams happen everywhere, fostering the same kinds of values that we want to instill in our children. We are fortunate that our children have these opportunities to try out different teams and to grow from the experiences.
At the end of "Sadako", the facilitator of the program asked the students what they had learned throughout the day working on the presentation. The answers were illuminating; students learned that through practice they could improve on something that they thought was difficult; they commented that they were happy at how they had all worked together to make the dance and story graceful; they were surprised at how much they enjoyed it. It was also amazing for me to watch our current 5th graders, who had worked on the same program last year as 4th graders, mirror their presenters. Their steps were just as graceful and showed their recall of this moving meditation. And there were no complaints about having to stand up and perform the dance. There seemed to be an understanding that they were just part of the greater team.
I thought about how the students who brought together "Honk, Jr." participated in some of these same life-lessons. It takes practice (over many afternoons and evenings) to make something that is difficult look easy. It needs the participation of an entire crew, working together, seen and unseen, to coordinate a group effort with so many individuals. There is joy in accomplishing such a production. They are all to be commended for their stamina and talent.
Sometimes we think of teams only on fields, lugging sports equipment. These students showed that teams happen everywhere, fostering the same kinds of values that we want to instill in our children. We are fortunate that our children have these opportunities to try out different teams and to grow from the experiences.
