On February 2, we held a remote delivery class for two classes of 4th graders at Yawata Elementary School in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo.
This time, the students were given a 90-minute experience of creating computer-operated works of art using programmable batteries.
After a brief introduction of how to use the battery and a video of works created in past workshops, the students began creating their own works of art.
As the children began to create their works, their voices, which had been quietly listening until then, gradually grew louder as they engaged in the activities, which could be heard even through the remote control.
I could hear their voices saying things like, “Oh, I see,” “I’ve got an idea,” “Look at that,” “Huh? I could hear their voices in various ways. The screen also reveals a variety of children: some are sitting and working on their works, some are staring at their works, some are walking around with their works in their hands, and some are gathering together to work on them. It is amazing to see how the speed is constantly increasing.
Every time I want the children to seriously enjoy themselves while creating their artwork, I am reminded once again that children are better than adults at having fun in a serious way to begin with. (It is because they are having serious fun that they notice and discover various things through the creation of artworks.) I would encourage the children to look back on their findings in the activity with words, but if they can enjoy the activity so seriously, there may be no need to dare to look back on it with words. It may be more important for the children to connect the memories of this activity to some other situation.
I felt like I was being asked, “What is the adult’s idea of learning? I felt as if I was being asked the question, “What is the learning that adults think about?
I am filled with gratitude to the children for this precious opportunity, to the principal and homeroom teacher of Yahata Elementary School, and to Mr. Aoki, the ICT support staff, who provided a lot of support from preparation to operation and cleanup at the site.
I will try to think of an activity that the children can seriously enjoy so that we can work together with you again.
Thank you very much😊.
Here is the Chobitto box this time.
