On Wednesday, February 1, our seventh and eighth-grade students enjoyed a variety of activities designed to help them learn more about the backgrounds and perspectives of their peers. The whole day was a wonderful opportunity for self-reflection and community building.
The theme of the seventh annual Ram Impact Summit, or RISE, was “Your Story.” Students thought about and shared their stories with each other, building a stronger and more inclusive MICDS community.
“The Party”
What’s it like to meet someone from a different culture? How do you learn about them and their beliefs? A fun simulation game brings these questions home and asks students to explore the interaction of two cultures, one outgoing and casual and the other more reserved and formal, with very different social norms.
The students were divided into groups and given information about their “new culture.” They learned that they are either outgoing, extroverted, and democratic or that they are insular, formal, and introverted, with very different social norms (men require chaperoning by women and aren’t allowed to make eye contact or communicate directly with others). Then, both groups, knowing nothing about the other, gathered socially and tried to learn more about each other. Both sets of students gained skills in observing and describing behaviors, and developed an understanding of how our cultural values influence the way we view other groups.
Playback
What’s it like to see your experience acted out on stage by others? Students learned first-hand, sharing vulnerable stories and watching as their classmates acted them out on the stage in the black-box theatre of the Freeman Arts Building. Carefully guided by Middle School Dean and Theater Arts Teacher Charlotte Dougherty, students were invited to share stories that let their peers see a bit more into their personal lives. Participation was optional, and Dougherty reports that brave students stepped up over and over, sharing experiences that included navigating the death of a loved one. Every student learned from the exercise, both about their peers and about themselves, and created a space of empathy and support that encouraged classmates to open up.
Advisory Poem & Empathy Discussion
Students gathered by advisory to work on poems about themselves, and were then invited to share their poems with their classmates. The poems are based on a template that guides students through identifying all the parts of themselves. They took time to be thoughtful and descriptive. Want to make your own poem to share with your family? Click here to access the template. You may give more or fewer details than requested, and the details may be single words or phrases.
Advisory discussions were arranged to ensure that students had a focal point when talking, and that their groups were grounded with intention. They were encouraged to say their truth and speak from the heart, listen for the truth in others and expect differing opinions, say just enough (no monologues!), and to honor privacy. Students discussed the ways that people misjudge each other at our school, and things that they wish others knew to help them understand. Many teachers reported that students felt comfortable opening up about difficult experiences and that they were supported by their classmates.
Together, they watched a video on empathy and discussed how we can interact with others better, knowing that we have no idea what they are dealing with and what culture they bring into school every day.
The Pieces of the Puzzle
Finally, the day offered seventh and eighth graders the opportunity to write their own stories, deciding what parts of themselves they wanted to share of their journey to/through MICDS. Each student used a big paper puzzle piece to write their story on the back and design the front to match, including their names. They considered questions like “Who might people think I am?” and “Who am I, really?”
Puzzle pieces interlock, showing students that their own stories are integral parts of each other’s. All the puzzle pieces put together make up MICDS, a rich tapestry of people bringing their own cultures and talents together in community each day.
The advisories enjoyed a treat and then spent time determining what, if anything, each group wanted to share during the final meeting with all seventh- and eighth-grade students in Eliot Chapel. They discussed one word that described how they felt about the day, what they found most interesting about the exercises, what they learned about their community, and what they think they’ll take forward. Each advisory nominated one or two students to share their thoughts with their peers in the final meeting in Eliot Chapel.
What a wonderful day for our seventh- and eighth-grade students to get to know themselves and their classmates even better! Our community is even stronger thanks to their willingness to share and to be active listeners for each other.