The Noctiluna summer camps are filling up rapidly, and I have started my closing dance of nervous excitement that happens like clockwork each May/June. When most other teachers are starting to exhale towards their summer break, I start frantically ordering materials, collecting found objects, meeting with my colleagues and checking my planner constantly. The planner thing has gotten out of hand actually. I may need an intervention soon. It sits on my bedside table taunting me each morning “Open me. Check your day again. Yes, you!”. It’s voice has started sounding ever so slightly like a cross between Gollum and Yoda. Oh dear.
The summer curriculum is delicious – slice of Bakewell tart delicious. I want to sound modest here, I really do, but I can’t help it. This year is going to be legendary! I have been working hard on this summer’s curriculum with my fellow (phenomenal) teacher, Nancy (who is also a former Washington International School teacher) and we have some great projects planned. I absolutely must share some of what we will be doing, before I burst:
Week 1 – Architecture and Town Planning
A week filled with: floorplans, blue prints, exploring communal living spaces, Danish architecture, Bjarke Ingels, Bauhaus, Urban planning, Block printing, bricklaying with Legos, and building cities with found objects.
Week 2 – Books, Zines and Comics
A week filled with: Book making, paper folding, Artists’ books, illustration, collage, monoprinting, comic books, superheroes, Dav Pilkey, Keith Haring, Snoopy, and ancient manuscripts
Week 3 – Posters, Screenprinting, and World Mythology
A week filled with: Graphic design, Shepard Fairey, Christian Jackson, collage, learning about composition, screen printing, mythological beasts, pen and ink drawings, story telling, Pacific Island mythology, learning the Haka, and Maori Ta Moko tattoos.
Of course, this only scratches the surface of what will really fill those weeks. An important part of the camp is it’s fluidity. Students can decide to take the learning in new directions, and they can decide when they want to take a break. There is no printed timetable for parents. If the past few years are anything to go by, there will be lots of playing outdoors, lying on a blanket looking at clouds, building with sticks and leaves, playing board games, reading books and running races. I am totally fine with that. If you read this blog regularly, you will know that I am a passionate advocate for more free time and recess for kids of all ages. Read more about this here and here. Summer should be relaxed. Relaxed, fun, and messy. And it will be.
Looking forward to seeing all my lovely campers soon.
Deep breath all of you, the vacation is almost here!!
