“Keeping this week’s readings in mind, create an activity that will help guide your classmates’ understanding of your text and chosen concept. Take note of the things you had to consider throughout the process!” [from the materials evaluation & assessment worksheet]
MAPPING ACTIVITY: How do we come to know?
step 1: think about the “spiciest” moment in your life. this was the moment your entire body was electrified– you weren’t necessarily sure what was going to happen next but things became much more clear for you and the way you were going to look at your world would never the same.
step 2: what did you do to nourish this spice? your mind was on fire– you needed to do something with it. did you go on twitter for some related threads? walk over to the neighborhood library for related picture books? rant to your unsuspecting friend or pet? take a bike ride to the next town for a conversation with yourself? non-stop write in your very private and personal journal all evening through midnight? [full disclosure these are some things I did when I realized how much I never wanted to leave my summer counseling job while binge-reading and watching all of the materials on Edwin’s ed14 syllabus last summer].
step 3: justification– you want to be able to defend the dreams you have. you want to be able to say that you were “born for this.” you crave validation. you want your dreams to be seen, appreciated, and loved. what were some of your questions? how’d you keep yourself whole & true? how’d you keep the spice alive?
step 4: [another full disclosure– technically you’ve always known who you were and are but being able to point that out is difficult for many of us who’ve had our histories fabricated and erased way before we were even born. we come closer to knowing this part of our stories through building and sustaining critical consciousness]
okay so who taught you how to dream? can you identify the moments when you felt your body loosen up and fully embraced for exactly as it is? can you identify these images, voices, bloodstreams, you embody today? can you see how time connects us all & that space necessitates constantly being built and rejuvenated to keep all of our ancestors stories & the futures of our communities in deep and loving memory?