What is the imagination?

What is the imagination?  
Are all imaginations the same or are they all different?  
Where does your imagination live within your body? 

These were the three questions I posed to my students to encourage them to reflect on and dive into their own imaginations.  Several of the students were palpably excited about a discussion of the imagination because they go there often and imagination is a huge part of their lives.  On the opposite end of the spectrum, I had one student in each class who proclaimed, "I don't have an imagination." 

The discussion about what the imagination is was lively and wonderful as everyone had a different idea about it.  Upon asking the students where their imaginations live within their bodies, most of the children pointed to their heads, but a few of the younger students pointed to elbows, knees, and hearts.  Besides the regular classes that I teach, I also went into my son's preschool and introduced them to the same project and ideas.

The concept of the imagination came to life in a new way through exploring a book called Sarabella's Thinking Cap by Judy Schachner.  The book tells the story of a girl who lives in her imagination in such an intense way that no one around her knows what is happening inside her mind, especially her teacher and her classmates.  Her teacher gives a weekend assignment, designed specifically for Sarabella, with instructions to share what is in your imagination.  Only one piece of paper is provided, which just isn't enough for Sarabella!  Instead of limiting herself to one piece of paper, Sarabella designs her own thinking cap.  Her thinking cap depicts many of the things that exist within her imagination; she uses collage, drawing, and painting to express her ideas.  Sarabella's classmates exclaim, "So that's what you've been thinking about!"

During the mindfulness and movement parts of our class I asked the students to dive into their imaginations; to truly visualize what lives there.  I allowed them the time and the space to exist within their imaginations for a longer amount of time then they might usually have.  Then, I asked them to create a snapshot of what is there.  "This can be anything" I said, "shapes, colors, creatures, worlds, ideas."  It needed to be only a snapshot because they each received one small piece of paper. 

Simultaneously, my four-year-old son Harlow and I have been working on artwork for a show.  All the Mind Move Make students' artwork for this project will also be incorporated into the show that my son and I are developing.  It will be fun to see the work together in one space: Miss Zumstein's Bakery located in N.E. Portland.   The work will be up for the entire month of February.

Here are the artists at work, along with some of the finished pieces:

Artwork from my son's preschool:

I Am Yoga

Welcome to the first Mind Move Make class of 2018!  There are many new students in each class, so we talked about HOW WE WANT TO BE TREATED in the class.  I asked, "How can we take good care of one another?"  The students had many good ideas.  In all classes, the children agreed that they wanted to be treated with respect and that listening to one another is very important.  Another word that came up was kindness; we agreed that everyone wants to be treated with kindness.  This discussion was a great way to start classes in the new year.

We also played a few games to get to know one another better.  First, we went around the circle and said our name and one thing for which we are thankful.  Students mentioned their homes, families, friends; one student said he was thankful for pizza.  Then we played a game called Popcorn.  Sitting in a circle, each child crouched down pretending to be a tiny kernel of corn waiting to be popped.   On his or her turn, the child popped up and said his or her name.  Then everyone popped up and said that child's name.  The Popcorn game was a great way get to know everyone's names and it was also great exercise!

After that I introduced the idea of mindfulness.  I asked returning students to share their thoughts about what mindfulness is to the new students.  Many children talked about how mindfulness is something that helps them feel calm and relaxed.  We also discussed how we are PRACTICING mindfulness.  I asked the children if they practice anything else in their lives.  They talked about practicing the piano, soccer, horseback riding, and singing.  I explained that mindfulness is also something we will practice together, and for mindfulness we will practice focusing on the present moment (or what is happening RIGHT NOW!).  We began by practicing mindful bodies; bodies that are still, sitting criss cross applesauce with a straight spine.  I had several of the returning students demonstrate what a mindful body looks like.  Then we used the Breathing Ball to focus on our inhales and exhales.  Once again, I relied on returning students to lead us in this activity.  It is wonderful to have several older students who have been in the class for one or more sessions who are mindful leaders in the class.

Remaining in a circle, I then read the book I Am Yoga by author Susan Verde, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds:

This is a book about a young girl who, in the beginning, feels out of balance.  She talks about how the world is spinning too fast and she feels as if she doesn't fit in anywhere.  Then she practices yoga and the practice helps her gain perspective, feel in control, and feel calm.  The book goes through many different yoga poses, and we took the time to try half of the poses presented in the book during this first class.  We will practice the remaining poses next class.  The book is a great introduction to many of the different yoga poses that we will work with throughout Mind Move Make's Session 2.

Lastly, for the art part of the class each student received a sketchbook.  I asked everyone to design a front cover image that either represented the thing that they were thankful for from the beginning of class, or to draw him or herself in one of the yoga poses that we tried.  Here are some of the fun front covers the students created!!!!

 

Superhero Self-Portraits

Kindergarten Artist: "Super Lion Saver" 

For the final project of Mind Move Make for 2017, the students developed Everyday Superhero alter-egos!  I explained that their superhero selves needed to help other humans, animals, or planet Earth.  Their invented superpowers needed to be focused on making the world a better place.

The students took the skills and ideas developed in the figure drawing exercises and applied them to their superhero self-portrait.  They worked hard in their sketchbooks designing a logo for their superhero, along with details of their costumes.  Some students even decided to create a superhero pet sidekick!  It was fun to see what everyone came up with.

The Alameda students developed their designs a little differently then the TIS students.  They designed their creations on large pieces of paper on which they had a partner trace their body.  It was easier for them to find the proportions of the human body this way.

Here are a few picture of both the TIS and the Alameda students' final artworks.

TIS Artists:

This third grade artist gave her superhero the power to purify water so that everyone has clean water to drink.

Fourth grade artist

Kindergarten artist

Second grade artist

Fourth grade artist

Second grade artist

Second grade artist

Alameda Artists:

Second grade artist

Second grade artist

Third grade artist