Freelearning

I've just discovered this great little grid by the always interesting John Davitt and couldn't resist posting it here. This is what John has to say about Freelearning (a bit like Free Running but with, you know, more learning):

Remember you are freelearning as soon as you escape the gravitational pull of the “always do” the ennui of the everyday. In addition I wanted to find space for the conviction that the ultimate resource of another, the outdoor world and new technologies of connection all have a significant part to play in building the most delightful learning opportunities. I wanted a model for thinking about learning that lets “creativity in the door and innovation through the window”

John runs Freelearning events for schools. Wouldn't it be great to get him to come to Tallis to show us in person how it works?

Tunnel 228

Today we went to see Tunnel 228. I wouldn't be able to give this enough credit by explaining it myself - it was absolutely amazing! I'll copy what a magazine has said about it and put up a couple of pictures. AMAZING!!! Made my day.

Tunnel 228 will run for 15 days from May 8. It is free to attend and sponsored by Bloomberg. The show promises to take audiences “on a sensory journey through art-installations, sculpture, live performance and vaults of mysterious curiosities”.

Like the city of Metropolis, Tunnel 228 divides the world into two social groups: one of planners or thinkers, who live high above ground and are oblivious to life underground. The other is a world of workers who live in the vaults of Tunnel 228 laboring to sustain the lives of those above ground. On arrival, audiences are issued with a protective mask, before setting off into the darkness to explore this subterranean world alone.

Tickets can be obtained free of charge by accessing Tunnel 228’s website and reserving a time slot to become a ‘worker’ at www.tunnel-228.com.

Kevin Spacey, Old Vic artistic director, said: “We are very excited to be working with Punchdrunk and such an amazing collection of artists. Punchdrunk creates immersive theatre like no other. Their imagination and magical touch with unusual spaces makes this the perfect collaboration. A big thank you to Bloomberg for sponsoring Tunnel 228, without their support this event would not be free to the public.”

Punchdrunk artistic director Felix Barrett added: “Punchdrunk always aims to let people rediscover the excitement and anticipation of exploring the unknown. When The Old Vic showed us the site we knew that this would be a truly unique collaboration. There are so many talented and innovative artists involved, and showcasing an event like this completely free to the public is especially incredible.”

The Happy Accident

Lewis Hyde's brilliant study of various Trickster myths is subtitled "How Disruptive Imagination Makes Culture". The Trickster enjoys happy accidents. Hyde compares the Trickster attitude that he observes in the ancient Greek god Hermes and the Yoruba character Eshu to various modern artists like Picasso. Accepting good fortune and recognizing the unexpected gift is essential to creative imagination, he argues. "The agile mind is pleased to find what it was not looking for."

He quotes Picasso as having said, "In my opinion to search means nothing in painting. To find is the thing."

How do we help to create learning experiences that facilitate discovery and embrace chance? To paraphrase Milan Kundera. Repetition is mute but chance talks to us.