tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207790472523825581.post7462751592510492143..comments2017-06-21T09:14:03.068-07:00Comments on Metaminds : 5th Transnational Project Meeting and 4th Joint Staff Training Eventjolantasveghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13847629018247774586noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207790472523825581.post-30025390476466729102017-06-21T08:21:51.993-07:002017-06-21T08:21:51.993-07:00Acting without excuses (prof. Maite Alarcón Iglesi...Acting without excuses (prof. Maite Alarcón Iglesias)<br />It was very cold outside. The first day in the school, after the warm welcome, foreign teachers went to the current classes (job shadowing). We were all covered by our scarf and coats, and we stayed all together very close. The coldest week of the current year, everybody had been saying everywhere that it was as if the gods were angry and punishing them for something. <br />A freezing week... Good to talk about war. War related to peace. Always the pairs: our history is understandable by something and its opposite. Some and none. Good and bad. Can we love without hating before? In any case, students in Edessa had the chance to experience this big and important concepts, Peace and War, being conducted by a special teacher, Angelina. And we were lucky to witness it, during one hour.<br />No tables, no pupils’ chairs in the classroom. Only a row for us, “the supervisors”. Music and students are moving around the room. They change their rhythm and do different positions. They are connected to the space, they smiled. Sometimes they stop, then keep going. <br />—It’s a class of what? —I ask one of the students who helped the visiting teachers. <br />—Art. They’re doing a kind of performance theatre about War and Peace <br />I would have liked to insist —teachers always need to have things clear!— but I decided to enjoy it and find out the answer by myself. Not often have I the chance to be impressed in a classroom.<br />Students are happy to take part the performance. They walk quickly, slowly, squat, bend down... Once, they play to the mirror only with the background music and Angelina‘s soft voice. They look at each others’ eyes, they walk by holding hands, some squeezed them and sometimes they don’t look each other at all. The teacher gives some instructions and the volume of the music is changing. They seem to be pleased even if this is the first time they are doing it. <br />The class is divided in several small groups, then they get out a picture and each group represents a part of the photo. Warlike pictures. They all stand still, silent, quiet, rigid and Angelina gets closer to ask them what are they doing and how are they feeling in their role. She takes theirs students’ shoulders and speaks languidly one by one. They answer shortly without moving. Silence is very powerful.<br />The horror of the war. Victims and executioners. No need for more words.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br />After a while, they made a huddle and talked about what has happened. <br />—Are they talking as students or as characters? —I can’t avoid asking to the assistant student.<br />—Is the same, Madame —I was astonished about the depth of her answer. <br />I feel this class was ingenious, quite plain at the same time, and perfect to get cold off our bodies and feel the warm in our hearts.<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com