We Sing Ourselves
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
We Sing Ourselves is a group project in which the class developed a performance based on their interpretations of Walt Whitman's poem "Song of Myself" alongside original student poetry and artwork. On a daily basis, students participated in performance-based activities such as call and response, choral readings, group tableaus, and silent storytelling. to read, analyze, and interpret Whitman's text. In addition, students created self portraits (at right) and an original poem, "I Know I Am," to explore their own identities and engage in the same self-searching process as Whitman when he wrote the poem. At the end of the project, students worked as a group to decide on a performance structure and exhibited their work in front of peers at teachers at the High Tech High Chula Vista amphitheater. The goal of the project is for students to gain a deeper understanding of both the poem and their own selves, while building a classroom community where all students have a shared purpose, feel they belong, have a voice, and collaborate to create original work. |
.TEACHER REFLECTION
Wow! This project changed so much about my teaching and was the most fun that I have had as a teacher. After attending the Habla Teacher Institute this summer and reading A Reason to Read, I applied the hands on and theoretical knowledge of arts integration into my classroom with this project. I'm proud that I was willing to take a risk to incorporate new methods that I wasn't 100% comfortable with; in some ways it helped me to better relate to my students and the struggle that they feel in the classroom.. I can credit this project with establishing a strong bond between the students and myself that sustained us in the work that we did throughout the year, and which was lacking from projects previous to this one. Overall, I was happy with the performance and the effort that the students put forward each day, although I wish that students were able to better articulate their understanding of Whitman's poem and how it relates to their lives. I plan to repeat this project next year, and I hope that I can guide my students to a deeper understanding of the text and the major themes of this project.
STUDENT REFLECTIONS
"During this process, we leaned about our strengths and weaknesses as a group. For example, someone's strength could be coming up with good ideas, but having stage fright, while someone else could be flexible and confident, but get distracted easily. The tableaus were a great way to bring our group together, since they forced us to discuss ideas, cooperate, communicate and decide what idea would be best for the performance." ~ Phyllis K.
"I began to understand what it meant to explore yourself through poetry, which I believe is the reason for Walt Whitman writing what he did. He was attempting to put into words the great realization that humans reach near the end of their life. Though like all poets, they still have their walls, their secrets, as they have to. To learn the lesson, you must be lead on a journey, one that you can only journey on yourself. As I venture through my life, this will continue to hold true. More true than one could ever imagine." ~Ceiley D.
"The project made me realize who I am and what I like to be. We made self portraits and we each made it as our unique style and everything we feel that should be in the self portrait. For example, my self portrait was me being out in the sun, which shows that I'm outgoing and always try to do the best of my ability. I feel like this project was made to find your inner self." ~ Andres E.
PROJECT RESOURCES
Project Handout
Assessments Tools for Student Engagement
Student Generated Performance Rubric
Sample Student 'I Know I Am" Poem
Wow! This project changed so much about my teaching and was the most fun that I have had as a teacher. After attending the Habla Teacher Institute this summer and reading A Reason to Read, I applied the hands on and theoretical knowledge of arts integration into my classroom with this project. I'm proud that I was willing to take a risk to incorporate new methods that I wasn't 100% comfortable with; in some ways it helped me to better relate to my students and the struggle that they feel in the classroom.. I can credit this project with establishing a strong bond between the students and myself that sustained us in the work that we did throughout the year, and which was lacking from projects previous to this one. Overall, I was happy with the performance and the effort that the students put forward each day, although I wish that students were able to better articulate their understanding of Whitman's poem and how it relates to their lives. I plan to repeat this project next year, and I hope that I can guide my students to a deeper understanding of the text and the major themes of this project.
STUDENT REFLECTIONS
"During this process, we leaned about our strengths and weaknesses as a group. For example, someone's strength could be coming up with good ideas, but having stage fright, while someone else could be flexible and confident, but get distracted easily. The tableaus were a great way to bring our group together, since they forced us to discuss ideas, cooperate, communicate and decide what idea would be best for the performance." ~ Phyllis K.
"I began to understand what it meant to explore yourself through poetry, which I believe is the reason for Walt Whitman writing what he did. He was attempting to put into words the great realization that humans reach near the end of their life. Though like all poets, they still have their walls, their secrets, as they have to. To learn the lesson, you must be lead on a journey, one that you can only journey on yourself. As I venture through my life, this will continue to hold true. More true than one could ever imagine." ~Ceiley D.
"The project made me realize who I am and what I like to be. We made self portraits and we each made it as our unique style and everything we feel that should be in the self portrait. For example, my self portrait was me being out in the sun, which shows that I'm outgoing and always try to do the best of my ability. I feel like this project was made to find your inner self." ~ Andres E.
PROJECT RESOURCES
Project Handout
Assessments Tools for Student Engagement
Student Generated Performance Rubric
Sample Student 'I Know I Am" Poem