My mom and I went to the symphony on Tuesday evening.  We saw Yo-Yo Ma perform DVOŘÁK’s Cello Concerto.  It was, in a word, amazing!

It was the way Yo-Yo Ma performed the music.  He didn’t play it, didn’t even perform it, he experienced it right there in front of us making the music simply come alive!

Both my mom and I knew we were in for a different type of listening experience as soon as the music began.  Yo-Yo turned to both sides of the orchestra around him as they played, a smile on his face.  He was enjoying the introduction as much as we were!  And when it was his turn to play, the music poured from him; from his entire body as he played the piece.

Yo-Yo Ma performs Dvorak's Cello Concerto with conductor Juanjo Mena and the BSO Tuesday night. Photo: Stu Rosner

What really stood out for me though, was the idea of freedom in structure.  Here was a man who obviously is highly trained in musical theory, playing music that is meticulously scored, and yet, he emulated creativity and freedom.  He knew every note, playing without the score in front of him.  It was engrained in his mind and fingers, and that allowed him to be free.  His body twisted as his cello conversed with the flute or sang with the first violin.  He listened as he played, allowing his cello to speak in the moment, at every moment.  It was beautiful!

In pasts posts I have made mention to freedom in structure.  In fact, back in April of 2009 we composed an entire series on the topic.  Being able to find the freedom within a structure is when true creativity can occur.  It’s not until you have that structure, know that structure and own that structure that you can then be free to revel in your own creative spirit.  It’s true in music.  It’s true in art.  Its’ true in teaching.  It’s true in learning.

So, what can this teacher learn from a master musician such as Yo-Yo Ma?  Plenty.  Not only is he an inspiring musician – one that makes me want to sit back at my piano and find that joy in caressing the keys, but he makes me want to find the joy in all that I work for each day.  I work hard to develop my craft of teaching and once I figure out my structure, whether it’s a day’s schedule, a method of conducting a reading group or how to manage certain behaviors, I am then free to work within those perameters and stretch my own understanding of good teaching.

Watching him the other night also reminded me of how important it is to teach those basic skills to my students: the drill and practice of math facts and grammar, providing structure for writing essays, so that one day my students can feel the freedom that comes with an intensely rooted foundation of knowledge.

The concert itself was wonderful.  The performers were top notch, and the company was great.  The fact that I was able to learn from a masterful teacher from 24 rows back through his music and interpretation made this more than a concert.  It was a wonderful lesson of freedom in structure.

Thank you, Yo-Yo Ma.

(And thanks, Mom.)

~EMP

Picture by Stu Rosner from The Classical Review.

Related posts:

1. What is Freedom in Structure?
2. The Relationship Between Structure and Freedom
3. Children's Freedom in a Classroom Structure

The other morning, I was half watching Oswald with my kids while we snuggled on the couch: my kids eyes glued to the pre-school program, mine on my Kindle reading up on The Help.    Every so often, I would get distracted and glance up to the TV to watch the odd characters go through their child dilemmas and, as sometimes happens, I had to watch on as the talking penguin, dancing daisy and egg twins competed in a summer sand castle building contest.  By the time I got sucked into the riveting plot, each of the characters was working on their own sand creation.  The penguin had a plan and he wasn’t straying from it.  It was a very precise, perfect cube.  Daisy’s sand structure, on the other hand, was abstract, unique and free (my kind of artist!)  The egg twins – well, I didn’t quite catch what they were going for, but their sand castle was flat, creating a sort of foundation.  Maybe because that was as tall as they could get it.

Oswald, the blue walking, talking, very kind octopus was the judge and of course is friends with all the others.  He marveled at each character’s creations noting how each one exemplified the creator.  (He used those exact words too. hehe  :-p)  I realized his pre-school predicament – how was he going to choose among his friends when they were all working so hard?  But then again, is this only a pre-school predicament?  Don’t we often find ourselves in this situation where we feel students have done their personal best?  And then, we don’t want to reward just one.

How many times have we seen a group of students ALL get awards at the end of a season?  I remember, one year at my end of the year Colorguard banquet, the excitement and anticipation of the trophy ceremony was squashed when every single one of us received, (and I quote) “Most Improved, Most Valuable and Most Outstanding Performance.”  Are you kidding???  That trophy meant nothing.

That same year, same season, our Coach Barb for field hockey recognized all of our accomplishments, but then thoughtfully awarded those who stood out from the crowd.  Sure, they were some of the same kids, but there was also the one or two surprises: The Unsung Hero or The Most Improved Player.  Those trophies meant something.

As I watched Oswald  struggle with how he was going to award just one competitor, I thought about my own classroom when I’ve assigned something and, although the students were working hard, something was missing.  There was a need for a challenge to push students or competitors to reach higher and do something that helps them to grow.  That’s where parameters can come into play.

Parameters may come in the form of a set of rules to play or work by, a rubric to follow or a theme to direct you.  The sand castle making on Oswald was one of those free-form things where the competitors are just told to create instead of being given any direction.  That “blank sheet of paper” is going to make grading or awarding very difficult.  I often like to give my students freedom to create, but when it’s something to do with the curriculum, that freedom needs structure.  We’ve had a lot of posts published on this site about Freedom in Structure – Jazz in the Classroom – When you give structure to an assignment or project, people can become more creative.  So, if given parameters to work within, students’ minds would be more challenged and their work more creative.  Not to mention, it will make the judging or grading a little easier, and let’s face it, if you’re in a competition, there needs to be a winner.

So, how did Oswald choose just one winner?  I’m not sure I want to give it away.  I’ll just say it had something to do with a big wave, combining sculptures and a lot of happy friends.

Enjoy your day.

~EMP

picture from http://www.employeeforfree.com/2011/06/story-of-the-sand-castle/

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Ever sit with an object and tried to figure out all the things it could do?  What noises it could make…  How it could move…  What you could pick up with it…  Then you’ve experienced “poking a box.”

Ever take a camera and shoot a photo of the same thing multiple times?  What angle should you go with…  What setting will work…  What background would be best…  Then you’ve experienced “poking a box.”

Seth Godin’s new book “Poke the Box” is an inspirational plea to society to get creative and get moving.  If you are to change successfully or move ahead, you need to poke the box a little bit.

As I am reading this ebook on my Kindle, I can’t help but think of how this relates to creativity in education and in learning for our students.  Wouldn’t it be great to allow our students box poking time?

I’m thinking of when I introduce percussion instruments to my students as we gather together in a circle for our first experience in a drum circle.  I invite them to try out all the sounds their instrument makes and then share with the class.  This could be the beginning of box poking.

I’m thinking of science lessons where students are expected to conduct an experiment.  Often the experiment is prescribed for them already with a procedure.  What if I allowed students time to explore the materials they have and poke the box a little before designing their own?  Or even if they then did the prescribed experiment, it may mean more after giving them structured free time.

There is a magical element here of creativity in a framework, freedom in structure too.  You may have certain limits, but you are free to explore.

Free to play.  We learn so much when we play…

I guess that’s part of what I’m doing this summer myself with the Teacher Art Retreat…I’m poking the box and seeing what happens when I organize time for teachers to get together and create things, to explore materials and art forms, to play, and to poke a few boxes of their own.

~EMP

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Every year at this time, our fourth grade team starts to prepare our students for their “Fourth Grade Celebration.”  It is not a graduation, but rather a time when the students and teachers create a performance that celebrates their time at the Cashman Elementary School as they prepare for middle school.

Our theme this year is to perform a tribute to all the people at the school who have helped and guided the students through their elementary careers including teachers, staff and their families.  We are singing all Beatles music to help punctuate the points such as needing Help! along the way and working a Hard Day’s Night.  Two songs in particular, not only are fun to sing, but we are also adding in some dancing.

For Twist and Shout, we are choreographing a flashmob style dance to perform on video and play while we sing it live.  (There won’t be enough room in the cafe to do it.)  All this week students have been trying out dance moves to use and yesterday we, after being inspired by the parade scene in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, we tried out some “authentic” moves from the movie to incorporate into the dance.  Needless to say, it was fun!

The ending song is In My Life.  This particular piece is one where all the lyrics make complete sense and fit our purpose seamlessly.  The kids love singing it and are understanding the significance of the lyrics and what they mean at this time in their lives.  Yesterday, I asked for dancing volunteers that would be interested in choreographing a dance piece to accompany the instrumental in the song.  I told them this dance, unlike our flashmob scene, would have to be serious and sweet.  A handful of girls and boys stayed with me and another fourth grade teacher during recess to work on this short segment.

I had no plan, and that was perfect.  When you mix brainstorming with the arts, creativity starts to flow.

We asked them to try out some moves and if they were the right “feel” we were going after…great!  And so they did.  The kids started twirling and leaping, stepping and posing.  Chris (the other teacher) and I sat in the sun praising their wonderful movements as the students naturally started to create their own dances.  It was beautiful.  There were no arguments, just kind collaboration.  Each of the ten committed students knew they were all there to create something meaningful for the ones they love.

As we sat there watching, Chris and I couldn’t help but comment on how wonderful it was to just watch them take ownership of this and relish in the freedom (within a structure) they they were given.  And as I continued to reflect on this later, it just further solidified my own thoughts on how important it is to provide students this type of time – time when they can be freely creative.  (Freedom in Structure!)

~EMP

Want to get creative too?  Join educators in the MA/NH/ME area for three days of a Teacher Art Retreat where you can get inspired so you can be inspiring to your students!  …and earn professional development too!  Click the link to get more information and to register for this great summer opportunity.

Related posts:

1. When You Can Make it Jazz – Creativity through Rigor
2. Balancing Testing with Creativity

With April here, I can’t help but reflect on the ideas of improvisation!  It’s Jazz Appreciation Month and National Poetry Month.  Jazz and poetry: two art forms that emulate improv!

“Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one’s immediate environment and inner feelings”, according to Wikipedia.  But it’s not just a get-up-and-do-anything type of creation.  The beauty is the freedom you have in a structure.  (Last year’s April series was on Freedom in Structure.)

With jazz you have a cadence of chords, a string of lyrics and a tempo to ground you, but the rest comes from your guts.  You have to be in the moment, react to the others around you and let yourself go all the while sticking with the skeletal plan.  Jazz is a great metaphor for many things, including good teaching.  When you can make what you do jazz, you are surely heading in the right direction.

Poetry is similar.  There are forms that are more free than others and in their creation you can go more with the flow than with the rigidity of rhythm and rhyme.  The reciting of poetry, though is where great improvisation can happen.  You can’t truly recite a poem the same way twice.  You adapt and react to the present each time you recite the poem, whether it be one that sounds like a song in spoken words (like a limerick) or one that is free of form.

I remember last April, I organized a Teacher Field trip to attend a “Beat Night” in Portsmouth, NH put on by Jazzmouth.  There, poets recited poetry, some original, while a jazz ensemble played with them.  It was the ultimate example of poetry, jazz and improv.  The poets and musicians all melded together as they listened and reacted to each other producing performances that cannot be replicated.

During the open mic section of time, I gravitated to the stage to try my hand at this exciting combination of art and improv and recited my poem “Ode to a Drum”.  You can see it here.  (Forgive the video, the audio is ok.)

Those intimate moments among performers are magical.  Everyone should have the opportunity to collaborate in such a creative and raw manner and then have the opportunity to reflect on how the beauty of improvisation can play a part in our daily lives; both personal and professional.  Imagine if we could all learn to improvise alone and in collaboration with others.
~EMP

Image: Wassily Kandinsky. Improvisation 26 (Oars). 1912. Oil on canvas. From www.abcgallery.com

Related posts:

1. Jazzy DADA
2. April: Jazz and Poems
3. Poetry in Balance – Part 1: Appreciation

Last night on #ntchat (New Teacher chat) we discussed resources and ideas to use for National Poetry Month.    During the chat, someone tweeted me a “ponder”:

I was taught a poet, then made 2 mimic. Valuable? Exposure was, not regurgitation. how to start? #ntchat ~@theHelpGroup

To which I replied:

I hear ya! There needs to be a balance to poetry instruction (as w/all arts) appreciation&creation #ntchat

It is true that many people and teachers spend time reading poems and then ask students to answer questions and to mimic them in some ways.  And that’s ok!  I am often reminded that modeling and mimicking is a step in the process to freedom in structure; improvisation.  I myself was like that.  Growing up I would create new lyrics to tunes I loved from the radio, I would change words in poems to fit my own situation and copy the writing style of my dad who would check an essay before I passed it in to my teacher.  But eventually, I found my own voice.

The same can be true with poetry, but there does need to be a balance.

This month, I started a poetry project with my students and it is two-fold for just that reason.  One part of it is to create their own poetry.  (I’ll talk more about that in another post.)  And the other part is to research, read and discover other poems and poets.

Each student was giving a list of activities that included everything from finding books on poets to copying a favorite poem to working with and mimicking a poem and reflecting on a poem or poet’s style.  I gave each student one of those blue “examination” books to use and transform into their very own poetry book as they complete the activities in it.  (They are also required to design a new cover for it.)

I have many poetry books in my classroom and we also have a great collection in the library, but don’t forget about the wonderful resources online.  Just the other day, my friend, Melissa Edwards http://twitter.com/mwedwards posted yet another great collection of online resources, this time for poetry.  Please check it out.  It has great ones for teachers and students alike.

“Poetry in April” from Melissa Edwards

And here is one last idea I learned about last night on #ntchat: Poem In Your Pocket Day.  This year it is on April 14th.  It is a day where  you are encouraged to keep a favorite poem with you all day and share it with others.  This idea reminds me of a poem.  Keep A Poem In Your Pocket   by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers

What a sweet idea that is!  And it’s easy to implement.  So, I will be adding that to my poetry appreciation part of this project for sure.

Poetry appreciation as with any art appreciation is important!  Part of our job as teachers is to expose students to great works and challenge them to discover their own personal connections to them.  That’s when they can really start to grow into their own creative beings.

Now go to: Poetry in Balance: Part 2 – Creation

Independent Project Series - Poetry Project

In this independent project, students will create and study poetry for a period of time. This project is differentiated through work level and reading level and is great for Poetry Month (April) or any time of the year. Use this for individual students or your entire class. Included are teacher instructions for implementation of both appreciation and creation of poetry, explanation of easy, yet creative poetic forms to introduce to your students, reproducibles and engaging activities for students, a rubric for assessment, plus live links to other resources. Part of the Independent Project Series for grades 3-12 (14 pages)
Price: $2.95

Related posts:

1. Jazzy DADA
2. Teacher Field Trip-Beat Night-Jazz and Poetry
3. PLaiC – Process, Play and Balance