Friday, 26 February 2010
A Slice of Life in Kansas City
This week, Brett and I attended the Expeditionary Learning National Conference in Kansas City. It’s always fun to see clients in action, but when the action involves field trips into the great outdoors, expert panels, live jazz performances, poetry and exhibit design — let’s just say that we were in for a treat.
To help us experience the Expeditionary Learning methodology that we are in charge of rebranding, we were each assigned to a different “slice” – a daylong learning expedition designed to simulate a typical 10-week project that teachers design for students. Brett participated in the Science slice while I was happily committed to the Humanities slice.
Both of our days started with ice breakers and time spent on setting goals for the day as a group. I know he went to look at some rocks but I didn’t see him again until nine hours later when I found him commandeering the design of his crew’s documentation panel:
Meanwhile, my slice tackled the “Great Migration,” a term that was met with mostly blank stares when our Master Teachers projected it on to the screen. Prompted by a question about social movements and armed with only our dim memories of history, some unidentified data and a couple of hunches, my group conjectured that the topic had to do with the urbanization of African Americans after reconstruction. Through short readings that ranged from personal stories to historical accounts to legal documents, our understanding gradually increased until we were able to craft a cohesive statement that defined the concept.
Then it was into the field. Our first stop was the Lincoln Building, home to both the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the American Jazz Museum. Walking down the street in the historic district of 18th & Vine, where fabulous architecture and vintage signage demarcate both thriving jazz clubs and another era, we felt transported.
The intimate museums featured interactive exhibits that gave dimension and flavor to the content. We learned about the Monarchs – Kansas City’s home team and the crown jewel of the NLB. Articles told the story of entrepreneurs seeking to fulfill the unmet desires of an underserved population, interspersed with personal profiles of private citizens, athletes and heroes. Next door, the sounds of Charlie Parker, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Ella Fitzgerald put a dance in our step and gave us a wholly different portrait of the city that some called the “Paris of the Plains.”
Next we were off to the Mutual Musicians Foundation, where a panel of Kansas City experts awaited our arrival. Long-time resident Irene Whitley Marcus told us about her memories of the vibrant community that called 18th & Vine home. Dewey Alexander recounted his career in baseball and working for Mr. K. Jazz legend Luqman Hamza played a few songs on the piano, and then accompanied another Jazz legend, Myra Taylor, as she treated us to a set, interspersed with hilarious stories of her travels abroad. Common themes tied the narratives together: the humiliation of segregation, the influence of church and other community organizations, the excitement of growing up in a center of activity, culture and music. We finished our outing with some cake and a serenade to celebrate Myra’s 93rd birthday.
Back in our workroom, we paired up to write and perform a “two voice” poem that captured the spirit of the day. Here’s what my partner, Jeremy Heering, an English teacher from Utah, and I came up with based on the voices we heard throughout the day (check back in a few days — we’re recording a reading of the poem and will post it here!).
Needless to say, the day was a smashing success. In addition to a sense of wonder about this small city in our heartland, I gained a huge appreciation for the amount of effort, creativity and preparation EL teachers put into their work. Organizing engaging activities, devising probing questions, selecting intriguing stimuli – every day, they are directing a complex production that not only entertains but teaches its fickle audience.
I learned a lot about Kansas City, but my expedition provided me some bigger teachings too. I remembered how thrilling the discovery of new facts and ideas can be when there is real context, authentic material and space for creative expression. I experienced how focused collaboration can create a product that is many times more impressive than the output of a single individual. And I saw how careful, intentional communication sets the stage for thoughtful feedback and an open exchange of ideas.
These are lessons that reach far beyond the classroom. And that’s what Expeditionary Learning is all about.
