This month, it is the 3rd grade’s turn in the Wonder Studio. I usually have a packed crowd waiting to create, but this group is a little reticent, and I have had only 3 to 6 students come to form. However, what they lack in volume, they make up for in collaborative creativity. One trio of girls decided to make a puppet theater out of one of the recycled brown boxes I have collected. One girl was the lead idea maker, and the others followed her along with her idea. B. wanted to make a puppet theater and chose a box, which she cut to make in the shape of a theater. I showed her a smaller box and asked if she’d like it for her stage, and she readily accepted it. As she worked on building the framework for the theaters, her two friends, C. and M., made furniture and people. B. wanted to make a curtain for the theater and asked if I had paper. I said that we did have lots of paper, but that we also had fabric. B. chose some bright red felt for her curtains, and I showed her how to stitch a hem where she could then slide a dowel and hang it across the stage.
It struck me how easily these three worked together. They took on different roles seamlessly and complimented each other’s work naturally. B. imagined the project, and her friends were happy to help her realize her dream. They didn’t worry about who would take ownership. They informed me that they would share the theater, each taking it home on a weekly rotation. They didn’t argue. No feelings got hurt. They just worked together so well. Usually, I have to be a referee for some disagreement or other, but not with these girls. They knew how to work and get something accomplished. When two of the girls were absent, C. decided to paint the outside of the theater. She considered all her options: yellow, blue, orange, or purple. She wanted a pastel color, so I provided her with a jar of white paint. She mixed the white with the other colors and considered the results. Since her friends were not with her, I helped her decide. I asked C. if she thought B. and M. would be upset that she decided on the color. She said that she thought they would like the color she chose, which was a shade of lavender. The next day, all three girls were present. C. was indeed correct; they loved the color of the theater and complimented C. on her choice. They continued to work on making audience members, painting the rest of the theater, and making scenery for the stage. M. cut down an empty oatmeal container to create a refreshment stand, which I only noticed when B. said with glee, ”Oh, M., that is perfect! You are a master at making refreshment stands. What a good idea!” I did not have to supply any encouragement during this process. The girls did that for each other all by themselves. At first, I felt a little useless. I was only good for showing them where certain supplies were. They really didn’t need an adult. I sometimes felt I was getting in the way. So, I stood back a watch their process of construction. In just three short sessions, they were almost done building their theater. The next step was to create puppets that would slide up and down on sticks from the top of the theater. I cannot wait to see what characters they create and what stories they tell.
This was not my idea, not my project. I was just setting the stage for children to create. They did not need help; they had a very clear idea of what they wanted to create and how they were going to do it. They delegated tasks easily and were happy working together. No one, even the originator of the idea, yields power. They were truly the embodiment of cooperation. When I told the trio that I would be writing about them, they were so excited. I told them that they had a gift for working well together and sharing. They smiled. M. said shyly, “We’re friends.” I said, “Yes, I know. But not all friends work so well together. You all did a fine job. I can’t wait to see the show.”
Once the theater is complete and the puppets are created, I hope to give the girls’ project center stage to share with classmates and perhaps some younger students. This type of collaborative creative work is so important in elementary school. It is the strong foundation for growing ideas, working through obstacles, and realizing a goal. This trio is well on their way to being experts of project based learning.
Word Dancer: Literature, the Arts, & Education 