June2012

Portland,Oregon
SlowingDownthroughSoundandVision
Areadultsrushingthroughexperienceswhilechildrenareobservingand
absorbing?Whatwouldhappentoadultsifwefocusononeofoursenses?(or
shoulditsay:Whatwouldhappenifweremoveoneofoursenses?orperhaps:If
weslowdownourprocessesandremovesomesensoryexperiences,whatwould
wenotice?)Whatwouldwe,asadults,experience?Whatdetailscouldwerecall?
Howwouldbeinterpretourfeelingsandemotionsafterslowingdown?
1.

Talkaboutslowingdown.Listeningtoyoursurroundings.Offerpaper,
clipboards,pens(notpencils).
2.
Blindfoldhalfoftheparticipantsandtheotherhalfputinearplugs.The
nonblindfoldedparticipantwillpairupandleadablindfoldedparticipanttothe
designatedarea(creek,forestorhill).Thegroupswillsitquietlyandlistenor
look.Thedrawingsuppliesarefornotesfromtheirobservation:blinddrawings
andnotes,etc.Afterabout10minuteseveryonereturnwhilekeeping
blindfoldsandearplugsinuntilheorshehasreturnedtotheclassroom.
3.
Everyonebreakintosmallergroupsrelatingtothespacevisited,ie,creek,
forest,hill.Thosegroupsagaindivideintovisualexperienceorsound
experience.
4.
Ask:Doyoufeelvisionorsound?Howwillyoutranslatewhatyouheard?
5.
Keepinginthesamegroups,theparticipantswillbegintotranslatewhat
theyheard.Thegroupswilldecideinwhichmediumtointerprettheir
experience:Movement,collaging,drawing,painting,etc.Giveexamples.a
dialogueamongsounds?Acollageincorporatingnaturalmediumsandtheir
notes?Adance?
6.
Workingtogetherthegroupwillreflectonhowthisexperiencewillslow
themdowntobewiththechildren.Relatetowhattheyhearandsee.Notice
thingstheyhaventbefore.Inwhichwayswillthisexperiencetranslateintothe
classroom?
7.
Eachgroupwilltakenotesfordisplayanddiscussion.
8.
Iftimepermits,visittheareasagainwithoutblindfoldsandearplugs.
Supplies:
Blindfolds,earplugs,

clipboards,paper,pens,
Naturalmaterialscollectedonsite,
glue,strongerpaperforcollageandart,