Upcoming Events
Past Events
Bardic Madness |
October 31st, 2015
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Over in MacMillan Hall, while students went moved about to different Halloween event a cluster of people gathered in the Halloween spirit to share amongst themselves tales and stories of old. In reality, the event didn't have to have anything to do with Halloween, but that happened to be the date it landed upon. This event was an SCA even that travels around the nation, and this was officially the farthest south it had been.
So what it this event might you ask? Well Bardic Madness is all about the telling of stories and tales in the same manner as the medieval ages. This is because it's part of the SCA which focuses on the recreation of anything from the 600s-1600s. Bardic Madness has different challenges, as well as classes for individuals to take.
As a member of the SCA I had been to a couple of different events, but non quite like this one. At this event, the focus wasn't on fighting but rather a form of the arts. All kinds of people had gathered here to enjoy merriment and humor around some fantastic people. While I was in a room full of strangers minus a small handful of people, I felt more welcomed in this space than I had on most of Miami's campus. This event was all about this art. Learning about it, enjoying it, and being challenged within it. The challenges were especially interesting to me because it made people step out of their comfort zones and practice their trade in a way that they might not normally.
I think this kind of concept is important in a classroom. To present off-the-wall challenges to the students would cause them to think about their skills in a whole new light than they usually would. Also, pushing students out of their comfort zones could let them discover a new skill or something they enjoy.
Overall, I was glad to spend my Halloween with such great, welcoming people doing what it is that they love.
So what it this event might you ask? Well Bardic Madness is all about the telling of stories and tales in the same manner as the medieval ages. This is because it's part of the SCA which focuses on the recreation of anything from the 600s-1600s. Bardic Madness has different challenges, as well as classes for individuals to take.
As a member of the SCA I had been to a couple of different events, but non quite like this one. At this event, the focus wasn't on fighting but rather a form of the arts. All kinds of people had gathered here to enjoy merriment and humor around some fantastic people. While I was in a room full of strangers minus a small handful of people, I felt more welcomed in this space than I had on most of Miami's campus. This event was all about this art. Learning about it, enjoying it, and being challenged within it. The challenges were especially interesting to me because it made people step out of their comfort zones and practice their trade in a way that they might not normally.
I think this kind of concept is important in a classroom. To present off-the-wall challenges to the students would cause them to think about their skills in a whole new light than they usually would. Also, pushing students out of their comfort zones could let them discover a new skill or something they enjoy.
Overall, I was glad to spend my Halloween with such great, welcoming people doing what it is that they love.
Spring Street Alumni Poetry Reading |
October 8th, 2015
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On October 8th I walked my way to the university bookstore with ready ears. I had successfully dragged my friend with me, so that I wouldn't have to anxiously await for the reading to start alone. Seats were in curved lines, leaving a single aisleway towards the podium. Once the event began an announcer introduced each of the alumni's before it was their turn to read pieces from their newly published poems. The poetry styles were vastly different, but both enjoyable. Lesley Hardy read from her book Dreaming of Zeus, and Tasha Golden read from her book entitled Once You Had Hands. The pieces were powerful, and although the student in me screamed to take notes, I found myself too mesmerized by their readings.
Tasha Golden's pieces were especially interesting to me. Her poems were more personal to her life, and when she read them you could almost feel her struggle as she carefully walked along, verse by verse. There was something deeper there, like a scab she had been picking at for years. Her poems referred to her struggle with her faith and how it pertained to the events that had occurred within her life.
That's the beauty about poetry. Much like art it can be anything, and in this way it was a form of internally reflecting. Poetry takes deliberate choices in how you state things, no matter if that may be planning out things or deciding to just let things flow out. In many ways poetry (rather writing in general) is a form of expression just like art is, they just happen to take different forms. Because of this, poetry can be a really great way to incorporate English into art curriculum.
So if you're wondering how the event was, let's just say I walked out with two new books for my collection.
Tasha Golden's pieces were especially interesting to me. Her poems were more personal to her life, and when she read them you could almost feel her struggle as she carefully walked along, verse by verse. There was something deeper there, like a scab she had been picking at for years. Her poems referred to her struggle with her faith and how it pertained to the events that had occurred within her life.
That's the beauty about poetry. Much like art it can be anything, and in this way it was a form of internally reflecting. Poetry takes deliberate choices in how you state things, no matter if that may be planning out things or deciding to just let things flow out. In many ways poetry (rather writing in general) is a form of expression just like art is, they just happen to take different forms. Because of this, poetry can be a really great way to incorporate English into art curriculum.
So if you're wondering how the event was, let's just say I walked out with two new books for my collection.
Marching Band Performance |
Every season the Talawanda Marching Band puts on a community performance the Friday before their Finals competition. This season their show was titled Rapid Waters. They marched through all three movements of their show, and ended strong with the woodwinds joining the color guard with flags, while the brass and drumline played out the last few measures.
The theme of the show itself could be interpreted many ways. I personally relate it to the theme of unity. At the beginning they represent a stream, then plays the ballad of a calm river, and finally the waterfall that rushes into the ocean. Just like bodies of water, we all connect to one another. Withing our communities we are unified. We have our friends, family, classmates, and co-workers. These people all play a part in our society and they all build the ocean of our community.
Bringing it back to the classroom, I can have students use water to symbolize a theme that they feel strongly about. This could work with students of any age, but you can dive into some more serious themes with high school students.
The marching band's performance was fantastic. There were members of the community there to support the high school students, and they left it all on the field for them to enjoy.
The theme of the show itself could be interpreted many ways. I personally relate it to the theme of unity. At the beginning they represent a stream, then plays the ballad of a calm river, and finally the waterfall that rushes into the ocean. Just like bodies of water, we all connect to one another. Withing our communities we are unified. We have our friends, family, classmates, and co-workers. These people all play a part in our society and they all build the ocean of our community.
Bringing it back to the classroom, I can have students use water to symbolize a theme that they feel strongly about. This could work with students of any age, but you can dive into some more serious themes with high school students.
The marching band's performance was fantastic. There were members of the community there to support the high school students, and they left it all on the field for them to enjoy.
The Ohio Renaissance Fair 2014
Everywhere I looked I saw people dressed in garb, people chowing down on turkey legs, and simply enjoying themselves. There were merchants everywhere you went. There were scheduled jousts, and other shows. Since I went on highlands weekend, there was even a marching band of drums and bagpipes. The jousting show was exciting, and I found myself thoroughly invested in the show. As I enjoyed chomping away at a turkey leg myself, I enjoyed listening to a group perform Celtic folk songs.
The theme of history was everywhere you looked. And as the title suggests, the focus is on the renaissance period. History has made what the world is today, and it plays an important role in all our lives. The intertwine the content, I could have students illustrate a historical event. This would be best done with middle school or high school students because they have a wider range of knowledge with historical events. The Renaissance Fair was extremely fun and it was like getting a glimpse at a time that has long since passed. |
OxVegas Street Drumming Performance
I didn’t expect to be present for this event. I honestly had no clue it was even going to happen, but as I sat down to eat my lunch I heard drumming. So I went to check it out. There were these two guys banging on pots, pans, trashcan, and plastic barrels. Their instruments hung on a tall chain-link fence and they would move up and down the fence as they played. Part-way through, they asked for a volunteer to come up and play.
When I first heard them drumming, I wasn’t expecting what their instruments were. They were reusing things in a new form than they are most commonly used. To find ways to reuse things is a creative, and innovative way of thinking. I personally like to find alternative uses for items to save money, or to craft things.
Pulling the idea of re-use into a classroom could take form with an arts and craft project. You could have the students find an item in their house, like a can or glass bottle. Then they’re tasked to turn it into something other than what it originally was.
The show was unexpected, but I couldn’t have been happier to have been in the right place at the right time.
When I first heard them drumming, I wasn’t expecting what their instruments were. They were reusing things in a new form than they are most commonly used. To find ways to reuse things is a creative, and innovative way of thinking. I personally like to find alternative uses for items to save money, or to craft things.
Pulling the idea of re-use into a classroom could take form with an arts and craft project. You could have the students find an item in their house, like a can or glass bottle. Then they’re tasked to turn it into something other than what it originally was.
The show was unexpected, but I couldn’t have been happier to have been in the right place at the right time.