SEMESTER 1
STANDARDS, LEARNING PLANS, CREDITS:
This semester has involved a great amount of planning, a good amount of creating, and a whole bunch of discovery. This 2nd quarter has involved more specificity, more results, and perhaps even more busyness. I faced the same types of challenges as the first quarter such as being specific, managing time, and finding space. I found more distinguishment between intention vs. doing. My studies are developing in ways that have lead some questions to be pursued now and some to be put on hold. For example my pursuit in studying health classes at different schools in Vermont will take more time to gather research for so I have been focusing on an essay about the children’s book It’s Perfectly Normal. I meet with Amy weekly and Ben and Adrian nearly every other week. I am with middle schoolers on A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Schoolhouse Rock Jr. with Stage 16. I am been videotaping dances, taking notes, writing, and reflecting. My projects and work contribute to two credits earned: one art credit and one social studies credit by the end of the school year. With a focus on directing and choreography, I am learning by practice by working on Midsummer and Schoolhouse. I have been involved with staging, mentoring, planning, technical work, and choreographing for both these shows. Midsummer has come to a close and Schoolhouse if just heating up. Choreographically I have been exploring the dynamics and contrast between two types of dance creation: Dance for other people or a project (with set expectations) vs. dance for myself (without set expectations). Crafting movement to fit a group of 5th and 6th graders playing fairies with little time to develop and teach aligns with directing skills as much a choreography skills. That type of dance is distinguishable from dance that I create based on what I feel and envision according to my own time. I have also taken time to choreograph on my own, improv with Noah, and meet with Noah about a dance project we are pursuing. For social studies I have been conducting research on the current events in health education. This quarter I worked on getting information for a piece focused on health class curriculum and conduction in Vermont. Now I am writing about the book It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris and discussing the question of age appropriateness for sex/health education topics. This influence directly comes from podcasts I hear and essays I read, and also from my awareness of the current circumstances around health issues through my participation in the groups Are You Into It? and Acting Up. It does not always feel like I am making much progress -- At this point I am still have unfinished work that will find a result for the end of the semester. When I think back to a couple weeks ago, a month ago, and then the whole school year I take note that I did not have to confidence, skills, or knowledge to be where I am with these studies and be where I am as an independent learner as I am right now. I know there is always more to be improved, but the fact that I can feel and see that I am learning reminds me that I must be doing the Pilot right. |
Close-up of my pilot journal collage