I work pretty hard (I think) triking around doing a variety of household and handyperson chores as sustainably as possible within two or three miles of our home. I also trike by the Minneapolis Public School my kids attend on my way from job to job.
The first or second day of school, I had a few minutes to stop in to observe for a few minutes. I found my second-grader in art class, and the teacher invited me to sit in for a few minutes. The class was learning some visual vocabulary: how to draw faces, particularly with various emotional expression. This was a part of a larger "self-portrait" project to be displayed at school. These first-and-second graders were learning and having fun. The teacher also invited the students to talk about each emotion they were working on drawing, and invited the kids to share a time when they felt that emotion, and to talk about what we can do with anger, frustration, sorrow, loneliness, and fear as well as how we can express, savor and celebrate joy, gladness, good suprizes, and such. The process encouraged a group of kids to develop a safe, respectful learning community. I observed kids of many colors and backgrounds talking and listening to each others' accounts life experiences which meant something to them -- first-and-second-grader fears, joys, and sorrows -- and learning empathy and a deepened knowledge and respect through seeing each other in a new way. Art has always done this for me. I was reminded that learning is an intimate process, and that each learner brings unique experiences, gifts, and burdens to the task. Children need to learn how to build creative, constructive community. Children need to learn and experience empathy and respect, to glimpse each other in depth, and so to learn how both differences and similarities in background can be woven into the fabric of our lives in a beautiful way. Art is about forming a whole narrative of who we are, and it is often about placing us in a big map of the universe, even if that map mostly includes "my apartment, my granny, my school, and that time I was scared and this is what happened...." When we went for our first conference with my son's teacher, the kids all had self-portraits proudly displayed in mixed media -- paper, colors, wire, and other materials. They also wrote words to describe themselves and what they wanted to be or do. These self-portraits help the kids to build a sense of selfworth, to learn about each other, to dream and share dreams. Teaching art is pretty labor-intensive and demanding work, but I saw it help transform a group of first and second graders into a learning community in the first days of school this fall. I am very thankful that my children can learn art. They will explore a variety of elements of the human experience and of the stories we tell ourselves about our lives and our larger history and place in the universe through art. To me, that is one of the most important things my children will ever learn anywhere. So after visiting my son's art class for a few minutes, I hopped on my trike and rode through the neighborhood, wondering about the stories of the people I saw and the people I do work for, and somehow opened to understand and empathize even with those with whom I disagree. I was even more aware of how many people continue to shout out "cool ride!" or "nice rig!" even though I've been riding for four years now. And when I shout out "peaceful transportation!" so mnay people laugh and say "right on!" and give a thumbs up. This is positive connection through seeing in a new way. Art is about learning to think for ourselves. For me it is about mapping my place in the universe. It is about seeing Minneapolis as an energyscape, and seeing Minneapolis as sacred and bloodstained stolen ground which is a fertile place to create more violence and genocide or more peace through the way we live. I hope to go back to observe more art classes at Barton. I look forward to seeing the art all of the students make. They are beginning to shape the first narratives of their lives, including past, present, and future. Important work. Sacred work. Learning. -- pedaling for peace and ecojustice from Kingfield -- Gary Hoover REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
