Year 1 Session 6 (5/30/21)
Hello Aim families -
For me, this last week has been like finishing a 1000-piece puzzle. It started with an idea of what the overall picture could be but we didn't really know for sure. As you get closer to the end of a puzzle, it resembles that scene more and more, but the last few sections are the hardest to complete. And then, you get down to the last few pieces, and then the last one and ‘boom’ - it’s done. You stand back in appreciation for the beautiful scene before you and the admiration for the work it took from everyone to put it together. That’s what this last week was for me. Seeing all of the pieces come together and standing back in awe of what these Eagles are capable of.
The excitement of the last week of the session bubbled into everything the Eagles did this week, especially in Quest time.
The week started with evaluating examples of sales pitches by other children and providing feedback about what they liked, what was done well and what they could improve. Many Eagles then wrote and practiced their own sales pitches. The fun part came when they began recording videos of themselves for self-evaluation. Any initial hesitation was quickly followed by sharing the funny parts and laughing at their attempts with others.
We then played with various forms of feedback through games and activities - everything from evaluating facial expressions to indicating where an item was hidden using hot/warm/cold.
When it came time to provide feedback in a more intentional format, the Eagles embraced it well. At first, some were uncertain they wanted to hear what they needed to improve. Yet, they all said that they wanted others to be honest with them. When giving feedback and rating their peers, many felt stumped when they got to the part of telling someone what they could improve. For many Eagles this part was harder than receiving feedback.
Thursday at the end of school, recall votes for several positions were held. There were strong arguments for and against "firing" someone from their job.
The tension then grew as the feedback survey reports were printed and handed to each person. At first, most kept their results to themselves. Then, one and then others began to share what was surprising to them or something they were proud of. The energy picked up again.
Friday, when asked to reflect on the experience of receiving feedback, they all agreed that there was something useful and they appreciated the information. A general consensus of seeking improvement pervaded the studio. In taking time to reflect on the Quest and lessons learned this session, there were many "aha's": start my business sooner, save more money, help others, be more focused, be aware of taxes.
After school ended, several Eagles came up with suggestions for new Unexpected Events and Natural Disasters - providing great feedback for when we repeat this Quest.
John Dewey, a philosopher and education reformer once said: "We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience."
This week was full of reflection and feedback, with emotions running the full gamut and culminating in some deep and great learning!
Enjoy your week break and we'll see you back for the beginning of the end of this year June 7th!
~Aim Academy Guides
