Have you ever had the chance to work with someone, or be part of something that you had once only imagined or discussed in a sociology class, or wrote about theoretically on a college essay? Something that brings together art and poverty and children in a rich and meaningful process. Something that fills their day with substance while granting them a way to find their particular voice. And on top of this, have it be your very own kids that are the ones benefitting, the ones being listened to, the ones being asked their point of view.
For us, Spells Writing Lab has been this.
Last week, was Wild West Week and the boys were part of making a silent western film "The Legendary Bandits." It involved the Parent Trap trick where the four bandits fought against four sheriffs that looked oddly similar. Also, my favorite, the slow motion hero walk. Benicio was the betrayer who shot a sheriff. I love that they worked with 2 other kids, 3 counselors, and made something greater than the sum of the parts.
This week is Travel Guide Week and they are traveling to Philly tourist-spots and reviewing them. Like critical travel-writers, they are discussing subway station smells, rating the Independence Hall tour, comparing milkshakes, and grading the difficulty of the mini-golf at Franklin Park.
Also, there are no grades. Nobody asking why Manny's in fourth at age 11. And nobody assigning letter grades for their effort. The director said to me today, "The group-energy flagged by 3 but it picked up again when the brainstorm board was filling up." I love hearing about the group, the team. And I think that's how they see themselves.
When I was writing personal mission statements for college, I could not have imagined something this creative, set up where it is in North Philly, doing what it does, serving whom it serves. Micah 6:8 all the way. So brave.
