Anna (see previous post The Old Adobe Church, the Wolf and Survival) and I have a friend, Vera Booth, who teaches at Mt. View Elementary in Cordova, NM, just one village down the mountain from our village of Truchas. She has combined her 5th and 6th grade classes to work together on a social studies project, and this is where we came in. Vera asked if we would come to her class, in our official roles as artists, to help make papier-mâché dragon heads.
You see, the children are studying China and as part of their studies, they are putting on a full-fledged festival to mark the Chinese New Year. Seen most often during festive celebrations, they will be performing their version a traditional Dragon Dance. So they are in the process of making their dragons.
And it was such an eye-opening day. Not only were these children filled with creative energy (enough to exhaust Anna and me by the end of class—we felt so OLD), but they were also amazing problem solvers. Working with a mass of materials, a mind-boggling array of possibilities, they settled on ways to make snouts and teeth, eyes an manes.
In order to do this, they had to work together. And these kids modeled a remarkable ability to come together toward a common goal. They listened to each other, weighed ideas, and came to agreements. They complimented good solutions and were gracious about those that fell away.
Some kids were busy cutting crepe paper, while others cut out teeth and, still others, attached parts. These dragons represent nothing less than a healthy, thriving, productive community. They are an example of what we all can do when we work together. Each of us has something to learn from this class.
While the room was, quite literally, bursting with creative energy, over in one corner a group of students sat quietly doing research on the school’s computers about the Great Wall of China. That’s the next project: the class is building the Great Wall out in the hallway.
The Chinese Dragon symbolizes much in that culture. One phrase I happened upon was, “Hoping that the child will become a dragon,” meaning to have much success and to be as powerful as the dragon. And I wish this for every child in that class. May each and every one of them become a dragon.
While the dragons weren’t finished before the end of the school day, the kids were off to a great start and, for Anna and me, our day’s work was done. We came back to my place and celebrated the flourishing of a whole new generation of creative spirits, toasting the close of a wonderful day, and one more beautiful New Mexico sunset. Here are more pictures from the rest of the day:
Love to you all,
Jeane
Gosh that is awesome to experience again isn’t it? The high energy of creative school children with a cooperative art project!! It is exhilarating and tiring at the same time lol. When Kellen was in Elementary school, I was in a group of parents that started a spin off from the community school in Kirkland Wa. It was a huge amount of work to get it off the ground (many parent meetings and writing of bylaws, hiring of teachers with consensus decision making etc) But we had combined classes like this one all year long and many many art and hands on science projects. Being an artist I nearly LIVED at the school as a teachers aid…so I hear what you are saying about the grand amount of energy contained in a classroom full of inspired children lol. Of course I was 25 years younger than I am now…that may have had something to do with the ability to do it. Your friend the teacher hopefully just transmutes all that energy into feeding her own stores!!
I have had the great gift of going to a Qi gong seminar about this Chinese New year of the Water Dragon…have the calligraphy of longevity, and gold painted dragon rock as keep sakes 🙂
Put your feet up with some tea after that adventure!
I remember when you were putting so much energy into that school. So worthwhile! Yes, Vera, is always infused with light and energy. She’s a wonderful teacher and a blessing to her students, as they are to her. It was a lot of fun to be exposed to such beauty at least for the day.
Amazing adventure Jeane. Thanks for sharing the kid’s energy and ability to work together. When my sons were in school (1990’s+), the curriculum called for group efforts in nearly all categories. The powers that be finally realized that keeping kids as an island unto themselves wasn’t useful. I remember being told, “People don’t get fired because they are stupid, but rather they are unable to work well in groups.” And I see/saw that kids learn(ed) well from their peers. The benefits of this “Chinese New Year” project covers all of the subjects dictated in their curriculum and I believe many of these kids will be the future artists you mentioned in the blog, as well as doctors, teachers, engineers….. I chuckle about how tired you were at the end of the day. Can you imagine having been a teacher? Ha! And while on my soapbox…we had parent artists in our community who knew how important art is so they started a parent volunteer project called Art Literacy and we were able to keep art in the schools when the budgets cut. It continues today! Hooray for creativity. Love ya, Joy
Yes, creativity is a great teacher. I just watched a documentary called The Hobart Shakespeareans that shows a gifted teacher putting this concept into practice to great affect. Then there’s the wonderful, old, Meryl Streep movie, Music of the Heart, based on a true story, that poignantly shows what art can do for a child. It’s a wonderful program you describe in your school system. Congratulations.
THANKS FOR giving your time and talent to the children of our community. You and Ana have given some new skills to the community!
It was our great pleasure to get to spend a day with those wonderful children. I think we both had to rest for the whole weekend afterwards though 🙂 Bless our teachers who do it every day.