Session 7: Week 1
Recently, I have been re-reading one of my favorite series: Harry Potter. I love all the books but there is a part in the 5th book that I particularly love. It is magical (even more magical than the rest of the series).
Harry enters his 5th year at Hogwarts (the wizarding school) and discovers that in one of his classes, the students aren’t allowed to do magic. They simply read chapter after chapter about the theory of the spells.
With the threat of dark magic outside of Hogwarts, this format simply won’t do. Harry and his friends form a rebel group. They set up secret meetings, electing a leader (Harry, of course), and practicing spells on their own. In essence, they become a community of self-sufficient learners with a common goal of mastery.
I get excited every time I read this part. Even in a magical wizarding world, JK Rowling endorsed authentic, self-directed learning! Well, perhaps that wasn’t exactly her motivation, but she does highlight its benefits. Neville Longbottom, a notoriously poor student in a traditional classroom, improves “beyond all recognition”.
This session, the heroes are focusing on creativity through Writer’s Workshop and the Art Quest. As they paint, write, and draw, they will explore this big question, “How do I use my voice creatively in the world?”
Artistic forms (like creative writing) are less focused on fact and more on imagination. But I do think that art can reflect and inform us about our current state. I like to think that here at The Village School, we have our own brand of rebels. Proving every day that they are capable self-directed learning and mastering real-world skills. And it does seem like magic!
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