In the Trenches, Teaching via Video, en español.

The catch-up: The past two weeks we've been working on the global stage, as part of a teaching team at Palo Alto College, one of the Alamo Colleges in San Antonio. One of my hats this year is as a creative learning specialist for international programs here. I've been working with this program for about 10 years in various capacities -- some of which relate to my fabric/textile life, but most to my creative process and arts education interests.

Teachers from Central American and the Dominican Republic come here for scholarship residency education programs, funded by USAID to us through grants from Georgetown University SEED/SEMILLA project. I also work with teen youth ambassadors from the same region, and these two weeks, through distance learning via computer, with 6 univerisities in the border areas of Mexico. Whew....

This most recent project also involved our teacher/students as demonstrators of activities on our little makeshift television studio in the portable buildings at PAC that we are lucky to have use of for the program -- this is only the second year we have had permanent space at the university and it's been wonderful as we can use the design of the space, changing the space and making exhibits of work that mirror the kinds of classrooms our teachers go home to -- a portable here is a space that in most cases would be a luxury classroom in their rural hometowns.

Our new website is in progress, but you can see more here -- take note of the student blogs! And here.

Here's one of the videos informing this work. It's quite controversial, as you will understand when you see. it

Art and Leadership: Bamberger's Selah

 

Photo from Bamberger Ranch website.

Art and leadership. Leadership through art. Artful leadership. Of my out-of-the-studio hats, I'm wearing one of them the next three days, teaching with a group of colleagues. The students are Central American highschoolers who are attending a two week leadership symposium, the first week in Washington, D.C; the second week here in Texas. We are spending the next three days together at Selah, the ranch/ecology and environmental center founded by David Bamburger.

David and his work was featured on NPR a couple of days ago, you can hear more about the ranch here. And check out the website, here.

As to our activities, I'll be working with my colleagues from Alamo College's International Program -- Julia Jarrell, Daniel Gonzalez and others (including the "hosts" for the meals, logistics and amenities, the ILS program participants who are 20 young professionals and community organizers from South America). We will spend some of our time touring the ranch (hopefully the rain will stop!) and part of the time in creative arts activities.  San Antonio highshool students will host the Central Americans in their homes over the weekend and take them to their highschools on Monday. Next Tuesday we'll go to Say Si, a wonderful arts education and pre-professional training center for young artists, and continue working to create a multimedia presentation for the hosts, community leaders and peers. The Leadership participants will be exploring the roles, voices and actions that their world needs in the future. Here's a excerpt from our activity outline:

ROUND ROBIN of three activities with group divided into three teams, ILS participants sign up to work with one activity, being trained to help and then taking over some of the leadership with subsequent groups. Each activity takes about 50 minutes  including sharing at the end of each. Facilitators and staff will take photos as the activities are done and at the end, take pictures of each of the Leadership student participants with their products, as time allows.  I will also have a flip video camera and try to take some short action videos clips, too.. All our staff who have cameras need to bring them.

A. Leaders of the Future Badges

Badge making in pairs. Students and participants interview each other about their concerns, hopes and dreams for their future and the the future of the planet. What kind of important roles and careers and viewpoints and values are needed (environmentalist, activist, balancer, peacemaker, visionary, inventor, etc) The partners learn a bit about each other in the present, too. Then make colorful badges with magazine pictures and words (ENGLISH LABELS ON LABELS.doc attached. Please reproduce about 10 copies per page on colored paper if possible. Translate or do similar labels in Spanish and make copies of those too. Cut apart ahead of time if someone has time to do so, other wise we can do at the ranch)

B. Voices from the Future Masks

Students will think about who could be the “spokespersons” of the future – animals, plants, natural phenomena (like the earth or the ocean or reefs) and people. They will design and make strong graphic masks with paper bags, black construction paper, newspaper and white paper cutouts. If time, students will in small groups do some improvisation of what these voices from the future will say. Possibly make cartoon bubbles that go with the masks.

C. Recipes, Remedies and Cures

Starting with some brainstorming, create skits and write about the problems they see that must be solved to have a peaceful, sustainable, healthy future. Students will write, individually, then adding in groups, about the recipes, remedies and cures for these current ails. They will be in the form of recipes, etc. (ex. Recipe for Safe Cities: add  3 parts healthy sustainable infrastructure to 2 parts excellent schools, mix well with imagination, invention and technology. Do not forget to add concern, equality and love for one’s neighbors. Mix well, Let season. Do not put in too large a pan. Smaller batches may be more successful.) Begin work to make these into small group skits that could be part of presentations.

Dinner

Star Party if weather permits

Continue nature program with Bamberger staff and ILS