One Thing After Another, Without Much Time to Reflect

A month of our lives has sailed by, without a true moment of reflection.  If only for simple accounting purposes, I will chronicle all that has happened. 

April & May 2010 were filled with activity, responsibility, and fun.  First came Fund Drive.  Public Radio lives and dies by the fund drive, and it was that time again for my husband.  This Spring, the all-important event coincided with our daughter's annual performance week with Children's Dance Theatre (CDT).  I attended opening night alone, but that wound was soothed by the achievement of record donations to the station, over $400,000.

Performance Week is hectic and intense.  There are rehearsals each evening in the theater, and the week culminates in two days of student matinees, an evening opening for the paying audience, and a final matinee on Saturday.  Parent volunteers are vital to the operation, which includes 300 children, so even with his added work responsibilities, Chad dutifully loaded and unloaded scenery and I monitored thirty 8 and 9 year-old girls backstage, helping with costumes, ferrying groups to professional photographers, assisting with make-up and hair, and ensuring arrival in the wings on time.

After the whirlwind of CDT rehearsals and performances, the ninth birthday arrived.  Cupcakes were required.

An outing to Antelope Island was enjoyed.

Youth Theatre class performed "The Giving Tree." 

Our vegetable garden was planted.

Some rainy days followed, making for good reading time.  Otto likes it when we slow down.

Exams were taken at Ballet West Academy.  Maya was told she has "dance savvy."

A belated Samurai-Ninja-themed birthday party was well attended, and included the ceremonial sword-cutting of the cake, which was from the new vegan bakery, City Cakes.  Yay for our town!

Amidst all this, Maya auditioned for a film and received a call back (it went well, and we're crossing our fingers!), learned to turn long division remainders into decimals,  studied fractions, continued to edit a novel inspired by a Pilobolus performance, attended a Girls Read club at the public library, saw a wonderful play based on Aesop's Fables at the Children's Theatre, did some bird watching, blogged a bit, read many books, explored the traveling Smithsonian Anne Frank exhibit, wrote birthday thank-you notes, painted a wonderful family portrait as a gift for Mother's Day, watched two rounds of Jazz basketball playoff games, learned several new songs on the violin, and spent much quality time with our beloved, 17 and 18-year-old cats. 

Today, she rested.  And played Lego Batman with her dad.

 But I didn't.  I wrote and posted this. 

Modernists and Urban Naturalists

Today we attended a student matinee performance of the Martha Graham Dance Company.  A delightful multimedia presentation meant to illustrate the progression of Graham's career, it was a great introduction for Maya.  Beginning with a very early dance film, and punctuated by large-scale photographs, a later film, and anecdotes from Graham's autobiography, the program was most informative and entertaining.  The dance segments were chosen to demonstrate the different periods of Graham's artistic development, and the dancers deftly moved from one set of stylistic movements to another. 

The first anecdote was an apocryphal story of Graham's father catching her, at the age of five, telling a lie.  She asked him how he knew she hadn't told the truth.  He said "The body doesn't lie."  This supposedly inspired the style of dance she pioneered, her quest to develop a universal language built on the body's natural movement when experiencing an emotion. 

My favorite moment came in the introduction of one of Graham's most famous pieces, "Lamentation."

The speaker noted that critics were not entirely positive about this distinct shift in Graham's dance vocabulary, the contract-and-release style she is now known for, and one quipped "When I go see Martha Graham dance, I am always afraid she might give birth to a cube."

After the performance, we slowly meandered across campus, taking in the changes of early spring, and talking about what we had seen.  Little did we realize what we would see next!

Just as we approached our car, a buck and two does ran across a busy street north of our parking lot!  Luckily for the deer, all the drivers were able to stop.  There are a lot of deer in the foothills surrounding our campus, but it is more common for them to come down from the mountains in times of drought, when the green, well-watered lawns and trees of the University beckon.  It was surprising, but welcomed.

We got in our car and began the drive home.  Not two minutes later, while waiting for a commuter train to pass, I noticed a very large raptor bird soaring above our car, catching the wind, almost as if dancing.  A very blustery day, this bird seemed to be enjoying the gusts.  Then suddenly, just as the light turned green, a second large bird appeared, gliding beside the first.  I said to Maya, "Let's see if we can find a place to pull over and watch them."  Easier said than done on a busy, urban University campus!

I turned onto a road leading to Fort Douglas, a sprawling area of narrow, winding roads, leading to the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains.  When I first moved here many years ago, this place was a vast field punctuated by a few historical buildings in disrepair.  Twenty years later, in 2002, the Olympic Village was unveiled, and now serves as housing for University students.  Needless to say, I was more familiar with the wild field, and as a result, got a bit disoriented as we tried to keep the birds in sight while navigating an unfamiliar path, filled with bicyclists and meandering, texting students listening to iPods. 

The birds swooped low, making me determined to find a place to pull over.  I swung right onto a side road, but quickly realized, from the angle of the parking lines,  I was on a one-way, going the wrong way!  But behold---an empty parking spot appeared (thank you, good parking karma)---so I swung way wide, and pulled off the road just as shuttle bus appeared.  Phew!!!   A couple of quarters later, and we were on foot pursuing the birds.

They had disappeared, but we were determined.  With the wind blowing, it didn't seem likely they could have gotten too far away.  We started walking in the direction the birds were last seen.  For a couple of minutes, nothing.  Maya took it in stride, and suggested we explore the area.  She walked down into a small gulley between historic buildings, and I walked on a path.  Suddenly I spotted one of the birds up ahead!

I called to Maya, and she scrambled up the hill in time to see this:

They played, swooped and danced in the wind right above our heads.  It was breathtaking.  Only one other person stopped to look.  The angle of the sun made it difficult to determine coloring, but we chatted a bit, and agreed that Golden Eagle was the best guess.  We do have Turkey Vultures in our foothills, but the head shape didn't seem right. 

Then just as suddenly as they appeared, off they went.  We played and explored some more in the gulley, enjoying our freedom to roam as much as the birds.

Let's Talk About the Weather

Much has transpired since my last entry.  When we awoke, April Fool's Day looked like this:

Early spring is a marvelous time, one moment a wintry wonderland, the next bursting with color.  It's a good time to be spontaneous, and let the chaotic weather be inspiration instead of irritation.

Maya took this time to learn to knit, a skill I don't have.  Thanks to my friend Eric, my long-time designated knitter, Maya is enjoying this process and progressing in her proficiency. 

Eric has made everyone in our family something beautiful to treasure.  Hats, scarves, a poncho, and a blanket serve as wonderful reminders of our long-term friendship.  I hope Maya will provide others with such delightful gifts, and to experience the pride and joy of personal craftsmanship and effort. 

Kudos, Maya.  Keep at it. 

Friday Arts Immersion, With Time for Dessert

On Friday, we watched Ballet West rehearse for their upcoming all-Balanchine program.  For three years, we have taken advantage of a standing invitation by the company's Development team to sit in on a rehearsal.  It is a wonderful experience to see firsthand what it means to be a professional dancer, ballet master or mistress, accompanist, choreographer, and occasionally, company director.  I have been so appreciative of this opportunity, and can't thank the company enough for allowing us to do this 3 or 4 times a year! 

Maya has really benefited from these field trips.  First and foremost, she has a highly enhanced appreciation for what it takes to put on a professional dance performance.  She has seen the difficult moments, witnessed falls and frustrations, and observed the creative process as new choreography takes shape.  Not many 8-year-old girls have this sort of life experience to draw upon when approaching their own endeavors. 

Granted, Maya has received special attention from the dancers, such as being given autographed pointe shoes.  That makes for precious memories.  But more importantly, these interactions provide opportunities to develop positive relationships with people engaged in creative endeavors.  My daughter wants to be an artist in some manner or another.  That is not an easy accomplishment.  If she feels comfortable around these adults, and they have a sense of who she is, I believe she will be more likely to approach and ask for guidance when it is needed. 

Maya has already seen the impact of simple face-recognition in the hallways before her own ballet classes.  She is greeted by dancers and company professionals with a warm regard that makes her feel a greater part of the organization than just a lowly, nameless Foundations I student.  Every time a company member or employee says hello to her, she reports it as if it was the most important moment of the day.  We all thrive when we feel engaged and acknowledged by people we respect and admire.  Children are no different.  Regardless of whether or not Maya becomes a dancer, these positive emotional experiences will color all her days. 

On Friday, we were lucky to see both Serenade and Agon, very difficult, intense pieces.  In between rehearsals, the dancers relaxed in a variety of ways, including a game that entailed bouncing a tennis ball into a cylinder.  Maya was clearly enjoying observing the anticipation of the game; would they make it?  Would they fail?  Suddenly, one of the Principals gestured to Maya and asked if she wanted to join them.  I think she was somewhat flabbergasted, as she so admires the dancers, so I gave her a nod and gentle nudge, and off she went.  She very nearly made her first attempt, the ball narrowly bouncing off the tube's edge.  An audible response from the dancers really got her excited to participate in their game.  Fun ensued.

After the rehearsal, we went to our favorite local vegan restaurant, Vertical Diner.  Dessert was enjoyed!

 

Brownie Sundae

Amusement with distorted reflections in cutlery.

In the evening, we attended the Utah Symphony, showcasing Will Hagen's performance of Bruch's Violin Concerto #1.  Hagen is a local 17-year-old prodigy.  He was featured in a newspaper article this week, so Maya was excited to hear him.  We enjoyed his performance very much, making a nice end to our arts immersion day. 

For a parent engaged in an experiential learning endeavor, this particular Friday was pure gold.  Maya's day wasn't spent amid ringing bells, among a herd, and in obedience or defiance of adults.  It was lived freely, out in the world, and learning flowed naturally. 

Make Art!

For many years, we have enjoyed the 3rd Saturday program at the Art Museum. 

Maya, age 4 1/2, enjoying a UMFA art-making program.

Megan Hallett, Curator of Education, always has wonderful projects, and her staff and volunteers are so helpful and encouraging to the budding artists.  Megan has personally engaged and connected with Maya, so our visits always leave us with a warm feeling of support and friendship.

Today was no exception.  Oil pastels were the medium; Pablo O'Higgins the inspiration. Megan presided over the chaos that (almost always) is the first hour of the activity.  Things calmed down a bit after 3pm.  Either way, chaos or calm, I'm happy to see art-making endeavors well attended.  Imagination is a critical thinking skill.

Creative People Solve Problems.

Destructive People Make Problems.

Which would you rather be?

This won't be the last time you'll hear this mantra from me; it's repeated several times a day in our household.  We all face conundrums, large and small, on a regular basis.  It's part of the human experience.  What kind of human are you becoming through your daily doings?

Creative People Solve Problems!

Serendipity Drives Our Lives

The week began with the 8th Annual Puppetry Festival at the Public Library.  The highlight this year was seeing master puppeteer Freddie Spencer, of Sid and Marty Krofft  and Pee Wee's Playhouse fame.  Maya was so excited to meet someone who had worked on the original "Land of the Lost" TV series, which is one of her favorite shows.  By coincidence, she had just finished reviewing all 3 seasons on DVD, so it was fresh in her mind.  She got Freddie's autograph and business card.  Turns out he lives nearby.  Serendipity!  I see marionette lessons in our future.

Our next adventure was a trip to the Museum of Ancient Life (which we fondly refer to as "the dinosaur museum").  Home to the world's largest collection of mounted dinosaur bones, with exhibits designed to demonstrate the principles of evolution, we are so lucky to have this resource 20 minutes from our doorstep.  Currently, the museum is partnering with the Exploratorium of San Francisco to bring traveling, interactive science exhibits to our state.  We went to check out the first of these endeavors, titled "The Mind, Motors, and Magnetism." 

Our family loves hands-on science.  We spent 90 minutes going through the exhibit, station by station.  Some experiments warranted many tries, others a once-over.  Physics is always entertaining, but the most fascinating stations involved perception.  One dealt with perspective, creating a wonderful opportunity to talk about visual perception as well as how our philosophical worldviews color everything we see.  Another dealt with how the brain edits extraneous information, like an extra "the" in a sentence, without us being aware of it.  My favorite called for viewers to watch a film while counting the number of times a ball was passed between a group of people.  Then you are asked if you saw the moon-walking gorilla!  What!!!?  Completely unnoticed by us, so fixated on counting passes, a person in a furry suit indeed had been right in the middle of the screen! 

Maya's favorite station illustrated how our brains are designed to create meaning when faced with randomness. 

A metal barrel contained colored blocks engraved with words.  After turning the barrel, we were instructed to take a certain number of blocks, and place them in a particular color order on a table. 

We repeated this process over and over, each time delighted with the results. 

A hand-made sign posted by this word/meaning station suggested people make haiku.  Maya loves poetry, and began to play with the word blocks.  She worked with them for many minutes.  While she often makes haiku, this time she decided to do something different, and that choice lead to our next serendipitous moment.

Right in front of us was a window into a museum office, where workers were observing visitors and working on various projects.  After Maya had been hard at work for a good while, one of these folks came out and greeted us.  He inquired as to what was keeping Maya's attention for so long.  She showed him a poem she had made from randomly selected blocks, using one word to connect two sections. 

Mark, our new friend, became very excited, and inquired what Maya was calling her creation.  She replied, a "combined poem."  Mark wrote down the poem and informed us that he would be making a new sign asking exhibit visitors to make a "Combined Poem" using Maya's as an example.  She was delighted!

She was also happy to be thoroughly interviewed by Mark, an exhibit designer.   He asked lots of questions, from how old she was, to what her favorite stations were, and why she enjoyed visiting museums.

After taking in an IMAX film about coral reefs, and visiting the rest of the museum, it was time to head home. 

We decided to say goodbye to our new friend, Mark.  To our surprise, he invited us into the office, and proceeded to show us some prototypes for upcoming exhibits.  Maya was asked to test the prototypes.  She had so much fun!  While she worked, Mark explained how part of his job was to observe people in the Try-It Lab.  He talked about what sort of behavior he usually observed, what exhibit designers really hoped people would get from their work, how difficult it is to design things for wide age ranges, and how and why prototypes are built.  It was a wonderful experience.

One of the reasons I love our homeschooling experience is the serendipity factor.  This is not the first time a professional has invited Maya into their world.  In fact, one of the last times we visited this very same museum, Maya asked a question of a paleontologist, Rick, who just happened to be out on the floor, and he responded by taking us into his lab!  With a little instruction and encouragement, Maya got to work on an actual fossil with a pneumatic drill and brush, and for her effort was given a dinosaur bone from Bone Cabin Quarry in Wyoming.  Rick said he had noticed us as we lingered in an area outside the lab's window, and had been fascinated by Maya's attentiveness to the exhibits.  Before sending us on our merry way, he reminded Maya to keep asking questions, and never lose her curiosity. 

Because our "school" day is our own, we can afford to linger, and we can make time to absorb ourselves in whatever we're doing.  We can experience flow.  That is a great gift to give oneself, and it is enjoyable and instructive at any age.

Wherever we go, we are blessed with one-on-one experiences that open our eyes to how others spend their days.  I believe this real-world engagement will help Maya make important decisions about how to live her life, and prepare her to be a happy, fulfilled, giving adult.  The kindness of these strangers also reminds us how we all seek connections with others, and wish to share our personal knowledge and joy.  When we reach out to each other, we make our world bigger, yet more intimate and immediate.  We acknowledge all that others do to build our communities, and get the opportunity to thank them directly.  We see clearly how our personal passions contribute to the greater good.

What I call "Community-Based Learning" is a large part of our home schooling experience, though it is often serendipitous in nature.  Go out into the world, be open, and amazing things happen.

Signs of Spring Hidden for 24 Hours

On Saturday, March 13th, snow began to fall.  By Sunday morning, our signs of Spring were blanketed in white.

By Sunday afternoon, the snow was mostly gone.

Signs of Spring 2010

Every year since Maya was 3 or 4 years old, we have taken official "Signs of Spring" walks.  We begin in late February and continue, once a week, until Spring officially arrives.  When she was small, the primary point was to practice noticing, paying attention to details, and realizing how much one can learn or know just from simple observations.

As she has grown, the walks have become more of an intellectual, scientific exercise.  We collect data, such as time and temperature.  We note the position of the sun.  We sometimes count or measure shoots.  We listen for birdsong, and watch for insects.  At Red Butte Garden, signs of wildlife are keenly sought.  We touch leaves, bark, buds, and stems, and note differences in texture from week to week.

Our most startling observation this year was hearing a woodpecker on March 1, 2010.  That was definitely the earliest we'd ever heard one in the neighborhood.  It was a beautiful day, but it snowed 8 inches that night! 

In preparation for these walks, we read a lot of books about the seasons, plant and animal biology, climate, and astronomy; many Bill Nye and Schlessinger Science dvds are watched, among others. On the  Spring Equinox, we'll measure shadows for comparison with data from the Solstices and Autumnal Equinox.

We read old folktales about why seasons change, review the springtime celebrations and mythologies of the world, consume endless beautifully illustrated picture books with spring or new life themes, and spend time reflecting about the seasons of our lives.  Demi's "The Greatest Power," pictured above, is one of our very favorites.  Maya often remarks about how fast time seems to pass, and that it seems like yesterday we were noticing something that is now but a memory.  She is often inspired to write haiku or other forms of poetry. 

Currently, I ask her to put together a booklet of observations and drawings, and we compare each year's compilation to the one past.  She can see handwriting improving, sentence structure getting more complex, and paragraphs growing in size.  Next year, as she enters 4th grade, I'd imagine more in-depth reporting will be our goal, perhaps facilitated by a science project or experiment she wants to develop.  We are excited about acquiring our first decent microscope this spring, so I'm sure it will inspire many new components to our seasonal rituals.

We'll repeat these weekly outdoor observational walks in late October and November, and call the exercise "Signs of Fall."

Now I'm off to check on our grass seedlings, planted to grace our upcoming Nowruz feast table, for a wonderful Persian New Year festival.

Tulips in our yard

2/23/2010
3/1/2010
3/12/2010

Red Butte Pond frozen 3/1/2010


Cacti on top of Red Butte Sprout House 3/1/2010

The Blog Begins

Monkey See, Monkey Do;
Monkey Do, Monkey Be!

This homage to Dr Seuss summarizes my basic philosophy of child mentoring and home learning.  I believe how we choose to spend our time ultimately determines what kind of person we become.  Every day, through big decisions and small, we grow or shrink from our true selves: free, reasonable, kind, unique people. 

As a parent, I quest to guide my child toward becoming a compassionate, creative, expressive human.  We are lucky to live in a country that allows us the freedom to pursue our own path, so we may spend our precious, short time doing what leads us to our best selves.  Though we stand in stark contrast to stereotypes held by many, we are a home-schooling family.

Through an experiential, collaborative adventure, we seek to develop in ourselves and in our child a respect for all living things, a strong understanding of science and reason, an intuitive grasp of the power of ideas, a passion for inquiry, and the firm knowledge that creativity is the highest form of thought.

This blog will document our days of doing and becoming.