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5/11/2012
NaTasha O'Brien, Teaching Artist
This week at Orchard Gardens K-8, students were really shaking things up. As the WOW draws near we are really getting into gear to amp up the seventh grade performance! Students worked with an outstanding choreographer to develop a unique dance sequence to be performed. But that’s not all, not everyone is a dancer, so another group has been working on another form of self-expression in the form of creative writing and spoken word, while yet another works to create beautiful visual imagery to reflect goals and wishes.
Although students have been divided into groups, we value the sense of unity and ensemble so for a final activity, each student was asked to write a few things about themselves to explain why he or she is HIP-HOP GOLD. Each one of these young people is wonderful and special in his or her own way, this activity allowed the opportunity for students to share their own positive opinions about themselves, for a little positive self affirmation!
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5/9/2012
Andre Sparrow, Teaching Artist
This will be the 3rd session of the City Spotlights Spoken Word Project that I participated in as a teaching artist. This session was very different from previous sessions in terms of the amount of students that participated, but it was also different in terms of what I saw when we met. The young people who participated this session grew as writers and helped me grow as a writer also.
This session brought a little more creativity and fun activities than previous sessions. Because this session took place in the spring, the weather was nice enough to go out side and take in the environment. One activity that we did was to go out side, sit on a bench in Dudley Square and observe the area. Some students took notes while some students didn’t feel they needed to. When we went back inside, they put together poems based on what they saw. Not only did they put together great poems, but they put together poems that painted the community in such a positive and ordinary light. It was refreshing to see the neighborhood so often associated with negativity, painted in such a welcoming light.
A number of the students who participated in this session also participated in previous sessions. I was happy to see their eagerness to write, but given that I had certain lessons that I had created, I had to also add some new things or adjust the lessons so that they wouldn’t get bored or feel like this was something that they had already done. This turned out to be really fun, as sometimes I’d let the students share the responsibility of leading a lesson, or I’d come up with a different example for them to see how to represent a concept discussed previously. It was great to see their continued excitement and enjoyment with the program. It made me feel like I was truly a solid teacher.
During our sharing sessions, the students created deep, cohesive and colorful poems, I on the other hand felt the poems I wrote were mediocre. I was, in a number of cases, reminded that as the teacher you must still keep your skills sharp. I was reminded that just because you are in a position of leadership doesn't mean that you don't have to demonstrate your ability. Thank you to the students who participated this session. You motivated me to get back to writing with a deep thought provoking purpose that has separated me from other writers. Have a great summer!
Joy (Spoken Word Project Participant)
3.21.2012
What I Saw
Cars rushing fast, in blinding colors, to get somewhere
Maybe a wedding, a funeral, a friend’s house
People walking by, breathing in the wonderful warm weather
Some were smiling, some were frowning
Maybe they were thinking about cigarettes or toys
Maybe even girls and boys
There were signs on every building, advertising things and looking pretty
There were trees blocking the sun, giving us oxygen
There was a plastic bag in one tree, floating around like a sail on a ship
There were plants hidden in barrel, unnoticed by many occupied pedestrians
One brave soul zipped his motorcycle down the street
Rushing home or getting fast away from home
Many cars had their music blaring, thinking the entire world needed to hear their songs
People sat on the benches and talked, enjoying each other’s company after a hard day of life
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5/4/2012
NaTasha O'Brien, Teaching Artist
Students are gearing up for the final few weeks of their work, and that means it’s time to take the stage. This week during our session, students were divided into groups depending on their role in the upcoming WOW performance. Dancers took the stage and rehearsed a wonderfully choreographed routine, while poets, and artists worked hard to develop their contributions to the event.
These students are finding unique ways to express themselves both as individuals and as an ensemble. Each week they continue to discover that the elements of hip-hop can be expanded beyond the limits and stereotypes that exist.
Also this week, students were provided the amazing opportunity to see the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater perform at the Citi Wang Theatre in Boston. Throughout the performance students were excited as they watched a strong ensemble performance. After the show students were revved up and exclaiming, “It ain’t no thang, we’ll dance like that next Wednesday!”
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