A November in NY

Joyeux Novembre!

I have been in NY state for one week. I arrived last Sat. to warm weather and blue skies...to my surprise. This week has been dedicated to my work as play director, program developer and youth educator. In these last 5 days, I have taught one full day seminar on women's history and girls' empowerment to 7th grade honor students (this kind of gets me...you are only privileged enough to be empowered if you have the best grades in your class!), I have also taught 8 workshops on folk tales of the Catskills with 2nd graders, 4 workshops on women's history, gender roles and the media with 5th graders, and 8 workshops on conformity vs. diversity with 6th graders. In addition to that, I have rehearsed after-school with 2 different groups of kids for 2 different plays to be performed this week. One group is my youth theater preparing a revival performance of The Best of Monty Python. The other is a group of thirteen 5th and 6th graders who are learning the play I co-created in Turkey and will perform it for their school this Tues. Funny enough, this is taking place at the very elementary school that I attended as a child. Bringing it all back home.

My workshops provide me with a sort sounding board for integrating and exploring all the things that I am thinking about and learning in my own life. Right now I am encouraging 10, 11 and 12 year olds to question gender roles, pay attention to subliminal messages in media, realize that women have a history of slavery in our country (why do we never admit that?) and be willing to stand out, celebrate their differences and follow their dreams.

Yesterday, inspired by a French film I saw on the plane ride home ("L'Age de Raison"-I highly recommend it), I asked the 6th grade students to each write a letter to themselves as 30 year old grownups. I asked them to be sure to remind their older selves of all the things they feel are most important to remember and all the dreams that they want them to follow, in case they've lost their way. It was beautiful. Several of the kids shared what they wrote...I was very moved. I encouraged the kids to give the letter to someone older that they know and trust and ask them to hold onto it and return it to them when they turn 30. The kids seemed really enthusiastic about this idea. I wouldn't mind having such a letter from my own self now!