Terrific post. That video is so cool and those kids so perfect - running us a whole range of responses. They will dine out on this day when they are older, even if they barely remember it.
I thought straight away of seeing WH Auden read when I was about 15. We must have been taken from school. I remember sitting on the floor in a hall and watching this shambling man in a stained loud check suit. I remember nothing of his voice or of what he read to us. I try and try but there is nothing. Nonetheless, I tell myself (and others, like now), that I once heard WH Auden read and feel pleased and privileged.
wow amazing article. Beautiful word and even a more fascinating choice of topic. Who we all are going to be but most importantly what are the children of today and tomorrow are going to be. You are a champ and my hero for this one. John a tip for a friend of a friend. Shhhhhhhh its an open secret.
Some one from US and even capturing so beautifully . Its a Cold Play song the Weekend. Its a story of children primarily. They are the angels established by great greek and roman painters. Why because what all children see is just a world that is so beautiful that only our childhood rememebr. The colors the magic of childhood. If a child takes that beauty with him or her to adult hood he and she would just change the world and some fine day even the universe.
Who ever is the director of this video exactly knows what you and I and every person with a heart is talking about. And hatts off to write this beautiful article. Note the colors in the video and its is Indian slums. Its magic happening there. That is how beautiful the world is for every child. Kindly write something about the children of Gaza too. No Child should be left behind as a friend would always like to share most beautiful world for the other friend. without sharing with each other the beauty of the world, it would always seem meaningless. Thank you for sharing your article and the video of the song. Here I cant watch the video and share it with you for free. for infinite times I like to. What a world and what an amazing times. Again Thank you America for making my life so beautiful while I sitting at home in Lahore, Pakistan.
This article beautifully captures the essence of curiosity and wonderment about the potential trajectories of children's lives based on their diverse reactions to a musical performance. By selecting children based on their reactions to the performance, the experiment aims to explore the varied paths individuals may take in life. It's a refreshing perspective that challenges traditional notions of success and highlights the importance of embracing the unique qualities and behaviors of each child.
Explore captivating Contemporary, Romance, Thriller & Suspense, Science Fiction, Horror, and more stories on my Substack for FREE at https://jonahtown.substack.com
Well said, regarding public schools. We need more freedom for kids and it seems less and less, especially with the fear-mongering about "learning loss." Kids need so much more freedom than we are giving them, in school and out of it.
What a lovely read this week. As the child of a musician and NY theater stage manager (my mom in the 1950s which is a whole other story), I think I grew up seeing musicians and actors respond to music and words they were performing or watching in much the same way. Perhaps we are lucky that some people don't learn those lessons about limiting our responses to what we see, read, watch, and hear. I want to sit down with them and talk about that experience and to connect what I saw in the visual responses to what they say.
Thanks for such an inspiring post. I really connected to the idea of how different we all are, and how all of us have so much potential to contribute from those differences. The kids' reactions in the video, their non-reactions, anxiety, intensity, exhaustion, trances, boredom, fidgeting, participation, and group collective articulate all of those differences.
While watching them, looking for who would connect to the music, the aspirational wish to "Trip the light fantastic" came to mind. My cousin Emily, not as studious as the standard would dictate, could do that... not just when she was touring the country in her point shoes, but watching her in the kitchen, with the radio on, eyes closed, nothing else in the world but Em, the music, her heart, and her movement. She, for sure, trips that light!
I've learned to forgive myself for not being the student I thought I could, or should have been; while also realizing my own abilities to hyper-focus, to connect disparate dots, to innovate, and uniquely solve problems. When I'm in that zone, I can connect the dots disparate!
So did anyone in the video react inappropriately? Some didn't get enough sleep. Another maybe listens to hip-hop, plays sports, reads books... If you believe that nurturing all of our differences results in tripping the light of humanity., no one in that room was right or wrong. Everyone was fantastic!
I love your idea of actually starting from scratch and rewriting as a method of revising. Reading your newsletter over the last few years has made me realize that I never learned to write, and in particular never learned to revise. (I placed out of the writing requirement in college, for one thing.) I wish I had had someone who taught me how to make my writing better. I'm picking up a few tips from you, which I appreciate!
Thanks for the mention of Disillusioned. Like you, I grew up in the Chicago suburbs and am only now in my 40s starting to figure out why the suburbs are far more problematic then I ever realized at the time. This looks like a really interesting book that may help me think this through a little more.
This post reminded me of a book I've been reading to my kids recently by Mo Willems titled "Because". It's the story of a young girl who happened by chance to find herself in a seat experiencing the magic of music and how that experience moved her deeply such that she became a conductor. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1368019013
The book is beautifully written (as are most by Willems). It also deeply connects to my own hopes for my students and the influence that I hope I will have on them as an educator. What a privilege to be part of even one step of their "because" story.
Might be a bit out of your normal repertoire, but I'd recommend that you to give it a look! Will almost certainly be the quickest and most delightful read of your week.
I don’t give much thought to what one song does to a group of kids - I think their development and success and growth is very much a slog, wouldn’t even think to spend much time on one reaction to one experience. Their journey has so many different facets and challenges and signposts that the notion of this post doesn’t even register with me.
By the way - this is one great experience for them, hopefully one of many where interesting music is a part of their education and daily lives.
I am looking at it from the perspective of what it takes for kids to be successful, etc., and that so much needs to go into that - whether as a parent or an education system - and that it often doesn’t work out or doesn’t work very well. (Pessimism much?) Just shows you how someone can take a fun and interesting experience/discussion and sap the joy out of it - you are welcome.
I will completely agree with your “one experience can make a big difference” thought. It can, but maybe not everyone has that experience.
I guess bottom line I am a rainer on parades and in this case think about the kids in an assembly or classroom and all the tough things they will face. Shouldn’t have said anything! But thanks for engaging.
Interesting point. I digress, but there seems to be more effort these days in supporting “workforce” type career programs starting in middle school and continuing through HS. One thing that’s clear if you’re a parent or involved in education is - even at the college level - career support is very haphazard. Going to college is supported, but a career path from college or directly from HS is often anything but clear. I get that “learning for its own sake” has value, but there are lots of kids who would benefit from better career guidance.
Terrific post. That video is so cool and those kids so perfect - running us a whole range of responses. They will dine out on this day when they are older, even if they barely remember it.
I thought straight away of seeing WH Auden read when I was about 15. We must have been taken from school. I remember sitting on the floor in a hall and watching this shambling man in a stained loud check suit. I remember nothing of his voice or of what he read to us. I try and try but there is nothing. Nonetheless, I tell myself (and others, like now), that I once heard WH Auden read and feel pleased and privileged.
wow amazing article. Beautiful word and even a more fascinating choice of topic. Who we all are going to be but most importantly what are the children of today and tomorrow are going to be. You are a champ and my hero for this one. John a tip for a friend of a friend. Shhhhhhhh its an open secret.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YykjpeuMNEk
Some one from US and even capturing so beautifully . Its a Cold Play song the Weekend. Its a story of children primarily. They are the angels established by great greek and roman painters. Why because what all children see is just a world that is so beautiful that only our childhood rememebr. The colors the magic of childhood. If a child takes that beauty with him or her to adult hood he and she would just change the world and some fine day even the universe.
Who ever is the director of this video exactly knows what you and I and every person with a heart is talking about. And hatts off to write this beautiful article. Note the colors in the video and its is Indian slums. Its magic happening there. That is how beautiful the world is for every child. Kindly write something about the children of Gaza too. No Child should be left behind as a friend would always like to share most beautiful world for the other friend. without sharing with each other the beauty of the world, it would always seem meaningless. Thank you for sharing your article and the video of the song. Here I cant watch the video and share it with you for free. for infinite times I like to. What a world and what an amazing times. Again Thank you America for making my life so beautiful while I sitting at home in Lahore, Pakistan.
This article beautifully captures the essence of curiosity and wonderment about the potential trajectories of children's lives based on their diverse reactions to a musical performance. By selecting children based on their reactions to the performance, the experiment aims to explore the varied paths individuals may take in life. It's a refreshing perspective that challenges traditional notions of success and highlights the importance of embracing the unique qualities and behaviors of each child.
Explore captivating Contemporary, Romance, Thriller & Suspense, Science Fiction, Horror, and more stories on my Substack for FREE at https://jonahtown.substack.com
Well said, regarding public schools. We need more freedom for kids and it seems less and less, especially with the fear-mongering about "learning loss." Kids need so much more freedom than we are giving them, in school and out of it.
What a lovely read this week. As the child of a musician and NY theater stage manager (my mom in the 1950s which is a whole other story), I think I grew up seeing musicians and actors respond to music and words they were performing or watching in much the same way. Perhaps we are lucky that some people don't learn those lessons about limiting our responses to what we see, read, watch, and hear. I want to sit down with them and talk about that experience and to connect what I saw in the visual responses to what they say.
Thanks for such an inspiring post. I really connected to the idea of how different we all are, and how all of us have so much potential to contribute from those differences. The kids' reactions in the video, their non-reactions, anxiety, intensity, exhaustion, trances, boredom, fidgeting, participation, and group collective articulate all of those differences.
While watching them, looking for who would connect to the music, the aspirational wish to "Trip the light fantastic" came to mind. My cousin Emily, not as studious as the standard would dictate, could do that... not just when she was touring the country in her point shoes, but watching her in the kitchen, with the radio on, eyes closed, nothing else in the world but Em, the music, her heart, and her movement. She, for sure, trips that light!
I've learned to forgive myself for not being the student I thought I could, or should have been; while also realizing my own abilities to hyper-focus, to connect disparate dots, to innovate, and uniquely solve problems. When I'm in that zone, I can connect the dots disparate!
So did anyone in the video react inappropriately? Some didn't get enough sleep. Another maybe listens to hip-hop, plays sports, reads books... If you believe that nurturing all of our differences results in tripping the light of humanity., no one in that room was right or wrong. Everyone was fantastic!
I love your idea of actually starting from scratch and rewriting as a method of revising. Reading your newsletter over the last few years has made me realize that I never learned to write, and in particular never learned to revise. (I placed out of the writing requirement in college, for one thing.) I wish I had had someone who taught me how to make my writing better. I'm picking up a few tips from you, which I appreciate!
Thanks for the mention of Disillusioned. Like you, I grew up in the Chicago suburbs and am only now in my 40s starting to figure out why the suburbs are far more problematic then I ever realized at the time. This looks like a really interesting book that may help me think this through a little more.
This post reminded me of a book I've been reading to my kids recently by Mo Willems titled "Because". It's the story of a young girl who happened by chance to find herself in a seat experiencing the magic of music and how that experience moved her deeply such that she became a conductor. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1368019013
The book is beautifully written (as are most by Willems). It also deeply connects to my own hopes for my students and the influence that I hope I will have on them as an educator. What a privilege to be part of even one step of their "because" story.
Might be a bit out of your normal repertoire, but I'd recommend that you to give it a look! Will almost certainly be the quickest and most delightful read of your week.
I will throw in a curmudgeonly take.
I don’t give much thought to what one song does to a group of kids - I think their development and success and growth is very much a slog, wouldn’t even think to spend much time on one reaction to one experience. Their journey has so many different facets and challenges and signposts that the notion of this post doesn’t even register with me.
By the way - this is one great experience for them, hopefully one of many where interesting music is a part of their education and daily lives.
Thanks for the response to my cranky comment.
I am looking at it from the perspective of what it takes for kids to be successful, etc., and that so much needs to go into that - whether as a parent or an education system - and that it often doesn’t work out or doesn’t work very well. (Pessimism much?) Just shows you how someone can take a fun and interesting experience/discussion and sap the joy out of it - you are welcome.
I will completely agree with your “one experience can make a big difference” thought. It can, but maybe not everyone has that experience.
I guess bottom line I am a rainer on parades and in this case think about the kids in an assembly or classroom and all the tough things they will face. Shouldn’t have said anything! But thanks for engaging.
Interesting point. I digress, but there seems to be more effort these days in supporting “workforce” type career programs starting in middle school and continuing through HS. One thing that’s clear if you’re a parent or involved in education is - even at the college level - career support is very haphazard. Going to college is supported, but a career path from college or directly from HS is often anything but clear. I get that “learning for its own sake” has value, but there are lots of kids who would benefit from better career guidance.