No school today because of Columbus Day, but the students still went to a class that they take through Different directions. (Dd is an impressive organization; while still in its startup stage, its strength is that every student is treated with more genuine interest and respect than I often see in the child-student relationship. There are classes for preschool, home school, after school).
The kids read and discuss an Oscar Wilde fairy tale with the instructor for the first hour. During the second hour they learn different theatre games and exercises as a way to explore the themes and details that they discovered in the literature. Today at pick-up Judd the Red Chicken was being asked to walk like a character from the tale and as he did so the instructor asked for his reasoning. He gave it and she pushed for more substantive proof from the text for his decision. She said that they would infer later, but for now they were only to bring in what they could prove. I appreciate that the environment is supportive so he felt encouraged to push further, as opposed to feeling like the questioning meant he was lacking.
Before class we went with some of our favorite people to the Columbus Day Parade along 5th Avenue. Google informs me that the parade has been happening here since the 1920's and it's the largest Italian-American celebration. We cut through Central Park (still mostly green, but smelling like Fall), and felt fortunate to find a good spot. I clapped like I was more than a wee daft when some kilt-wearers marched past (you might ask why there were kilt-wearing bagpipers at an Italian parade... I only ask what I ask every day: why aren't there more kilt-wearing bagpipers...). Friend A was all aglow when Susan Lucci went by waving from the top of an Italian car. (Speaking of Oscar Wilde, that woman clearly has a picture of her decaying self tucked away in a locked room. Wow.)
Each of the five kids were given some sort of picture-taking device. The process was good (they were focused while I clapped daftly over kilts, and the other mom absorbed Erica Kane glow); and the products were great:
To appease Berkeley-esque sensibilities, we did discuss Columbus's faults today. Brave explorer or total jerk? Interestingly, the kids didn't seem to care. I kept trying to get a conversation or debate going, but they were amenable to all suggestions. I read this to them. They were okay with that. Geez, if they've already got it down that rarely does a person, ideal, idea, organization, experience stand up to harsh scrutiny, and that there's usually something redemptive in almost everything(body)... Well, then show me a kilt and call me Susan Lucci -- life is good.
