Context: Working outside with 8, 12-13 yr olds in the SYL Central Y Gardens
Map
03.01.2011
Influenced by H Gardner, Five Minds for the Future [2006] discussion of development of the ethical mind.
Intro: After pointing out the windchimes in each corner of the garden and explaining their purpose as orientation devices. Who has someone in their family or among their friends who is blind?
Responses: 3 knew someone well who was blind.
Exercise: Ok everyone get a partner and we'll meet in the center of the yard. Each pair gets a blindfold. One of you will wear the blindfold the other will be the guide. Remember that the person who isn't sighted is the leader and will take the arm of the guide. The guide's job is to steer clear of danger but help their partner explore the garden. Try to visit all the stations in the garden. You will take turns.
Results: The guide nearly always took the lead, during feedback both parties complained that the partner didn't listen. Some of this is developmental age-appropriate. Also the barometer was dropping because of coming storm.
Conclusion: So you can see that navigating and enjoying our garden without sight will be challenging. Until we see each other again be thinking about what we might do to make our garden safer and more fun for blind people.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
Autism Social Connection meets thunderpuppets
Beginning in April the thunderpuppets players will work with ASC to explore social learning and collaborative narrative building. 10 year olds.
BART feature survey for vision impaired
Here is the start of a new and fascinating thread: with Lighthouse for the Blind I'll work to assess BART stations features for their accessible mapping of transportation systems.
QR encoded gardening
The last few weeks of gardening have shown me new sources of inspiration including initiation of gardening classes for 3 & 4 yr olds "KinderGardening" and the book club asynchronous reading different donated books and discussing online. Tonight I ran across the missing link to bring the garden collection online and allow read-aloud of labels literally hardlinking through QR code "Quick Response" 2d reader and generator.
Now for a taxonomy and a method for notifying the blind user that a label or bulletin board exists so they can allow their phone to access it.
I can tie a GIS to physical place this way.
Now for a taxonomy and a method for notifying the blind user that a label or bulletin board exists so they can allow their phone to access it.
I can tie a GIS to physical place this way.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Videozoography, Garden Basic Training, ThunderPuppets
Max takes a bath.
During winter of 2009-2010 when we moved the entire rooftop garden from 220 Golden Gate to asphalt yard at 387 Golden Gate the garden's guardian, Max, the Anna's Hummingbird, sat on the highest point, the largest pine tree, to watch. When I walked the site to make sure it was clear, Max's pine tree was moved so he sat on a high pole making a sound I've never heard a bird make that I could only describe as sobbing. How could I tell him his tree was only a few hundred feet away? [ I'd purposely located it as close as possible NE corner of the new site].
Not long after I was working with the old plants in the new garden and he flew right up to the air in front of my face, hung there for a moment and then went to forage among the coyote bush and day lillies. Another afternoon I took refuge from the rain under the partially finished greenhouse and was recording video, primarily for the sound, when Max showed up. Its a poor record of a beautiful moment.
I also posted first garden training video on watering:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuE_6yozpw0
that I hope will solve an ongoing social problem.
And a short documentary about the formation of the ThunderPuppets:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqy0hP7KIFw
which at least gives other participants a chance to talk about their experience.
During winter of 2009-2010 when we moved the entire rooftop garden from 220 Golden Gate to asphalt yard at 387 Golden Gate the garden's guardian, Max, the Anna's Hummingbird, sat on the highest point, the largest pine tree, to watch. When I walked the site to make sure it was clear, Max's pine tree was moved so he sat on a high pole making a sound I've never heard a bird make that I could only describe as sobbing. How could I tell him his tree was only a few hundred feet away? [ I'd purposely located it as close as possible NE corner of the new site].
Not long after I was working with the old plants in the new garden and he flew right up to the air in front of my face, hung there for a moment and then went to forage among the coyote bush and day lillies. Another afternoon I took refuge from the rain under the partially finished greenhouse and was recording video, primarily for the sound, when Max showed up. Its a poor record of a beautiful moment.
I also posted first garden training video on watering:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuE_6yozpw0
that I hope will solve an ongoing social problem.
And a short documentary about the formation of the ThunderPuppets:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqy0hP7KIFw
which at least gives other participants a chance to talk about their experience.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Fieldnote: Y-Gardens Anniversary
01.11.11
Today was culmination of a year+ work on the new garden site. After receipt of a DCYF grant for sustainable garden development[see attached] there were some funds to amplify recent in-kind donations [straw, plants, soil]. So for the past week we've worked intensively on a few specific projects.
Next steps include finding effective paths for representing the work online for asynchronous participation and enhanced social learning.
A place to expose questions like -
" Describe these garden systems.
Point to examples of each system in our garden."
Today was culmination of a year+ work on the new garden site. After receipt of a DCYF grant for sustainable garden development[see attached] there were some funds to amplify recent in-kind donations [straw, plants, soil]. So for the past week we've worked intensively on a few specific projects.
- A pond in the SE corner at the end of the Biome Wall
- reorganization of other spaces so there is vegetable gardening for culinary program, cultivation, reflection and demonstration areas
- handwashing station with reclamation
Next steps include finding effective paths for representing the work online for asynchronous participation and enhanced social learning.
A place to expose questions like -
" Describe these garden systems.
- water
- human & other animals
- soil
- climate
Point to examples of each system in our garden."
ThunderPuppets Fieldnotes: Y-Gardens Anniversary
01.11.11
The ThunderPuppets Players produced a workshop to help celebrate the founding of Central Y's Garden Theatre @ 387 Golden Gate. The theme was: Envisioning the Future and we hoped to include members of the Senior Center, the T'ai Chi class, youth from de Marillac school who've been part of the Garden Club elective. Besides our company, sans Maria who was ill at home with Tita, only the de Marillac youth were able to attend. Y staff were busy elsewhere except for Andrea who stopped in for a moment on her way to an important Board recruitment event. While Martha & Rhionnda encouraged people to participate others seemed inconvenienced by our presence, bursting in to the darkened room during the performances and speaking loudly about not being able to use the space or being unclear about the schedule. Sadly the Garden Club came later than expected and so missed the performance entirely. Meanwhile we had had to strike the theater because we only had it reserved til 3.
A few logistical challenges but a positive puppet day as always when we work, however I will hope to bring the workshop to places who actively want and support it.
So what did we accomplish and what were the missed opportunities?
In addition to his powerful positive energy and a yummy lunch Stu contributed another gig bag and a useful design for multi-puppet rigging [ sea grass ].Together we talked through additional rigging options like in the diagram. I particularly appreciated dialog between Niani & Stu regarding music [cultivating improv as well as reading] and the difference between "know" and "no".
We ran the puppet play "El Mar lo Sabe / The Ocean Knows" against the chorale reading of las Enigmas; still quite rough and we need more puppets. I want to develop the surreal imagery in Neruda's poem more to emphasize his poetics and also the dream time/space we are making.
We talked about the use of small movements for large effects and how to cultivate that skill during warm-up. Also how to use the warmup to build concentration and manage focus.
I love the underwater feel but want to create more subtle changes, smooth the audio and make sure we have a strong finish. [ submarine, periscope ] Finale make the whole room feel like we're underwater with big coral banks that rise up, more projections on side screen and soundtrack that encourages people to sing [we all live in a yellow submarine].
Now to mix down today's video and keep on moving.
The ThunderPuppets Players produced a workshop to help celebrate the founding of Central Y's Garden Theatre @ 387 Golden Gate. The theme was: Envisioning the Future and we hoped to include members of the Senior Center, the T'ai Chi class, youth from de Marillac school who've been part of the Garden Club elective. Besides our company, sans Maria who was ill at home with Tita, only the de Marillac youth were able to attend. Y staff were busy elsewhere except for Andrea who stopped in for a moment on her way to an important Board recruitment event. While Martha & Rhionnda encouraged people to participate others seemed inconvenienced by our presence, bursting in to the darkened room during the performances and speaking loudly about not being able to use the space or being unclear about the schedule. Sadly the Garden Club came later than expected and so missed the performance entirely. Meanwhile we had had to strike the theater because we only had it reserved til 3.
A few logistical challenges but a positive puppet day as always when we work, however I will hope to bring the workshop to places who actively want and support it.
So what did we accomplish and what were the missed opportunities?
In addition to his powerful positive energy and a yummy lunch Stu contributed another gig bag and a useful design for multi-puppet rigging [ sea grass ].Together we talked through additional rigging options like in the diagram. I particularly appreciated dialog between Niani & Stu regarding music [cultivating improv as well as reading] and the difference between "know" and "no".
We ran the puppet play "El Mar lo Sabe / The Ocean Knows" against the chorale reading of las Enigmas; still quite rough and we need more puppets. I want to develop the surreal imagery in Neruda's poem more to emphasize his poetics and also the dream time/space we are making.
We talked about the use of small movements for large effects and how to cultivate that skill during warm-up. Also how to use the warmup to build concentration and manage focus.
I love the underwater feel but want to create more subtle changes, smooth the audio and make sure we have a strong finish. [ submarine, periscope ] Finale make the whole room feel like we're underwater with big coral banks that rise up, more projections on side screen and soundtrack that encourages people to sing [we all live in a yellow submarine].
Now to mix down today's video and keep on moving.
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