One session that had my interest at the start of the Symposium was the Greene Lecture that featured Sir Bob Geldof. I was interested to hear from a person who was in a rock band. I thought that it was great how that he went against all of the stereotypes that I had in my mind. It was evident that he was not all about sex and drugs. I was amazed by the word choice he used throughout his lecture. The focus of the lecture was how that the world still needed change. The main source of this change was going to be through the world wide web. This lecture kind of reassured some of my thoughts about technology and its importance. I think as a future teacher it is important to realize the power that come with the world wide web and how that this power is continuing to grow.
I think you have brought up a great point! With the big switch of one-to-one schools the web is a very powerful resource that we as teachers will need to be able to use. After my observations so far this semester, I have noticed a giant influence of technology in the classroom. I think that while it is becoming so important, it is also nerve wrecking to think about how much the teaching and education fields will change by the time we are all teachers.
Just think about it, the interent affects everything we do, daily. Right now, you're using the internet. I surmise that we probably use the internet an average of at least 2 hours a day. It has a crazy amount of influence.
Nathaniel -- I think it's really cool how you tied it back to education! It's interesting to see you link rock and roll, world change, the internet, and education. It definitely lends towards the idea of an integrated classroom, where ideas from outside of the classroom are brought in to enrich students' experiences. It seems like his ability to make change through rock and roll encouraged you that teachers can make that same type of change. :)
Holy cow was Bob Geldof a great speaker or what! One idea from that 20 page manuscript that really caught my attention was the idea of an internet version of the Sistine Chapel. Just the that there could be an art form, involving the internet, and that it could potentially produce art of that magnitude just never stuck me before.
I wonder if you could ask students how they saw the internet as an art form or what things on the internet they would describe as a form of art. They might come up with facebook or twitter or blogging.
It is quite exciting to think about. I wonder what the internet version will be. It would be interesting to ask your students what they see as the biggest change in their life times. If they will recognize the evolution of technology or if they will just be able to easily incorporate it in with their lives without noticing a difference.
I got the privilege of attending the session entitled Arts Therapy, and it was definitely worthy of reporting on. Janet Peterson, a licensed Art Therapist, from Kansas City, MO., facilitated the session in Herman Lounge. Overall, we were indulged with a wealth of knowledge about art therapy as well as the organization she works with. By the end of the session, each participator got the privilege to both practice and experience art therapy though our own work and the work of others. This was extremely impactful for me because immediately following some life-altering circumstances in my life I began to paint. I had always used writing as an outlet but expressing my self through acrylic paint and a canvas became a new groove. At that time I was completely unaware of art therapy, not knowing that essentially my new hobby was a process used by clinical therapist through a healing process with individuals of all ages. One of the quotes we explored through this session was that “art is the meeting ground of the world inside and the world outside.” This was so true as we art provided a bridge for ourselves and patients as well, connecting ones inner self that I might not be completely aware of, with the external outside world in which I live in.
I heard such positive responses from that session. That is wonderful that you were able to go and that you enjoyed it so much! I hope you are able to encourage others in your life to take advantage of art therapy and what you have learned. I do wish you well in your new hobby and I hope that you continue it as long as you can!
I'm so glad you were given the opportunity to attend this session, it sounded amazing. I think it is so cool that before you even attended the session you had taken up painting almost like a therapy. Do you see your self continuing to use painting or any other art form in times of need?
I LOVE the quote you included! I think this can be true about not just the traditional idea of art, but also of writing, photography, etc. That's such a deep though, and yet so obvious, although I never thought of it like that before. Very powerful, and really changes the way I look at art. I used to go to a lot of art shows, but I had trouble connecting to art the way I connected to writing. I kept thinking of art (paintings, drawings, etc.) like things on display--something created by an individual for an audience, without any emotion having been put into it. This completely changes my perspective, though, and makes me want to use some form of art therapy in my classroom!
In the opening plenary session by Andy Paris i was very inthralled by how he turns tough to talk about social issues and brings them to the theatre where it might be easier to talk about. I would love to show a few minutes of one of his plays and have students write about what current social issue they would write a play about. This brings in current issues in the world around my students and allow them to choose what things they think are important. During Any's lecture he also brought up the Beatles famous song Revolution and how the lyrics were sung and what they meant. I love the idea of asking students their take on the lyrics of a song. Each student might find some different reason behind the words based on the events going on in their lives. You can also ask students what they thought the author of the song meant by the lyrics. This can also lead to several conclusions.
I definitely agree with you. Andy's talk was quite interesting. Did you hear about his play based on his views of education? I think that would be so cool to see! I can't imagine what it is all about, but it is probably pretty eye-opening just like all of his other works. I think that that is a great idea to ask students about song lyrics though! What a great way to connect with your students and learn more about their interests!
I loved Andy's speech, and I also like your idea with the song lyrics. I think it would incite students to think about specific details and life events which they could relate to music or some other form of art :)
Really good observations, Lindsey! I think one thing you mentioned is so important in the classroom -- choice. Dr. Bum talks a lot about how choice influences students to increase their work ethic and really invest themselves in their schoolwork. These controversial topics definitely lend themselves to choice, and I love these ideas for the classroom!
During the Symposium this week a few sessions concluding with the Green lecture yesterday. Bob Geldof spoke for quite some time about how society needs to wake up and start "smelling the coffee" of change that needs to be brewing. I learned from Sir Geldof's words that during a time of extreme need (not saying that time has ended) where millions of people were starving in Africa, and but only 8 miles away stood the super continent of Europe, which would produce a surplus that could probably feed two Africas. It sickens me to think that the richest and poorest nations are next door neighbors. The focus of Sir Geldof's talk was to make us become aware of such important issues that stare us in the face everyday. The overarching focus, without sounding cliche, was to "start a revolution". Bob also hit on another point when he spoke of pop-culture. The men and women of the music industry are looked up to in such a way that when they do philanthropic things, the fans are really taking that to heart and follow. They are superstars and role models; and now activists and reformists. I was impacted pretty hard and feel as if i should be more conscious about my food portions, as well as being more knowledgable about issues that exist even thought they don't SEEM to effect me. I am also intrigued to find out how i can get involved and help.
I think that Bob Geldof made a good point in that while the rich and famous start a charity or bring some cause to the forefront of the media, it is up to us, the average man, to be inspired by them to act. We are the ones that will make the difference, they just have the social status to start the movement or revolution.
Your phrasing of the words "next door neighbors" really got me thinking... This is REALLY something that could apply to students, and in any content area. If the richest and the poorest countries are "next door neighbors," so to speak, how much closer are students (and us!!) to someone in need? I think introducing this idea to students could really inspire them to look toward their "next door neighbors" (donation centers, soup kitchens, community service in general), and be willing to do positive things with their "surplus." Awesome wording, Justin; this is so thought-provoking.
I attended many of the sessions and special presentations this year's symposium had to offer. As someone who loves the arts, I enjoyed everything I saw and heard on some level. I listened to Andy Paris discuss the role of theater and the stage in addressing social issues, I learned about the role of photojournalism from Sally Stapleton, I was entertained and immersed in the talk by Dale Bell, and finally was really challenged to self-examine not only myself and my life-style but the world because of Sir Bob Geldof. After considering all of the amazing speakers and which one of them impacted and enthralled me the most, the prize would go to Sir Bob Geldof. He was engaging and knew how to talk with such a grace and a unique style that it was easy to get lost in his message. He made some fantastic points about this generation and why we need to change and what our generation might be remembered for. He also had a way of making me feel utterly guilty for being a part of a country that consumes so much while there are millions of people starving and suffering in the world. Overall, he had such a powerful and humane message, "All you need is love." Maybe love is really all we, the human race, need.
Yes; Hancock Symposium was great! Beside having an opportunity to hear and to meet some great and fascinating figures, I also learned a lot from it. However, Sir Bob Geldof won my heart as well. What a great man :)
I agree with you that Geldof was an engaging speaker. He spoke for an incredibly long time, but he didn't lose my attention a lot. If anyone else had been up there speaking for that long, I doubt would have been able to stay awake, let alone retain what they were saying.
I went to three plenary sessions: Sally Stapleton, Dale Bell, and Bob Geldof. I thought they were all pretty good presentations, especially Bob Geldof. They all had a common theme of how the arts could make a different and move people to action. Sally Stapleton is a professional photographer who took photos of the Rwandan genocide. She showed some of the pictures and how they changed her life. She also emphasized how, even if a picture is horrific, there can also be beauty in it, which I thought was really interesting. Dale Bell talked about his participation in the Woodstock film. I thought he did say some interesting things, but I was mostly confused the whole time because he never explained what Woodstock was or what the film was about, assuming that everyone already knew. Bob Geldof had a really great speech about how artists can make a difference. I thought he made a good point when he said that people often look up to artists as the ones who should make the change, but he said we are the ones who should make the change and they are the ones who inspire us to. Although his speech went a little long, he had a lot of great things to say and he has made a big difference in the world, so it was an honor to have him at Westminster.
I think it would be wonderful to show some of the photos that Sally Stapleton collected and are considered sad or horrific and ask students to find the beauty or goodness in them. Each student would come out with something different.
I think that Bob Geldof was great and very strong and truly tied in everything into a very cohesive argument for Symposium. I felt like although he was a little little he was still a very talented person and gave a effective speech. After listening to him, I know I let feeling like I too could make a difference and that I ought to.
Yeah I agree with Mahogany, he came from much less than I have, and look what he has done. What could I do with what I have? It's crazy to think about.
Out of all the sessions of the symposium, I was most excited for the Green Foundation Lecture: "The Arts and Culture in Action" with Sir Bob Geldof and "Deconstructing the Photojournalism Narrative in Africa" with Sally Stapleton. I felt like both of these lectures would be relevant to my life and I would leave them with some sort of new found enlightenment that I did not have previously. I definitely believe that I learned a lot listening to Sir Bob. I thoroughly enjoyed his discussion and I was quite intrigued with his positions. He gave views, comparisons, and real life experiences of social movement and change. He called mass populations to actions and tried to call us. I would say, however, that we as an audience were a tad bit unmotivated in my mind even to stay awake. It was an amazing experience to simply be in his presence. On the other hand, I was quite underwhelmed with Sally Stapleton's speech. I believe that she did not have enough content. At the moment she asked "What time am I at?" I lost all interest. I think that the idea of her speech could have been quite intriguing if she had gone further with it. Yes, she showed horrific photos and gave the audience a sense of shock, but there was no call. There was not connection to our lives. I think that it was good, but could have been better.
I agree with you; Sir Bob Geldof's speech was indeed impactful and educating. He managed to get our attention and enrich us with information concerning not only him, but all of us as a whole.
Meredith, I totally agree with you about Sally Stapleton. Her whole talk was just...lacking. It was disappointing because she could have given us so much good information about photojournalism, but she didn't.
I really enjoyed Andy Paris and his presentation in the first plenary session. He showed the audience the importance of theater and how it can impact culture through his work with the Tectonic Theater group and the play "The Laramie Project." That play was influential in shaping theater as we know it today since it was written from a bunch of interviews from the citizens of Laramie about the murder of Matthew Shepard. I also thought it was ingenious of him to compare the media's treatment of Laramie to the treatment of Ferguson. Many people had never stepped foot in Laramie and were saying how terrible of a place it was, and the same thing has happened to Ferguson.
I agree with this! I wonder if we were to create a play based on the events of Ferguson and the views of other people how much it could educate the people of this world. It would also provide a voice in a very peaceful way which I think could then also serve as a healing process for those still mourning over Michael Brown. I wish we could see more productions like "The Laramie project."
I like how Paris compared Laramie to Ferguson as well. I think whenever any of the speakers connected their talk to experiences we could relate to, it was easier to follow/pay attention to them.
During the week of symposium, the speaker that I was excited to hear from most, was Bob Geldof, and he did not disappoint. His speech was astounding. As a person in the crowd listening, I could feel his passion about what he was saying. This was the first time that I was fully captivated by what a speaker was saying, I was in awe. It wasn't just his ability to give a speech that I was impressed with, but mostly the content of what he was saying.Something that really hit home for me was when he was talking about social change, and how you don't need to do the big things in order to make the world a better place, but offering change to a struggling homeless person on the street is a way you can make the world a better place. He said something along the lines of, seeing that hurt in those peoples' eyes and neglecting it, is neglecting an opportunity to positively change the world. I think he is right, just the small acts can truly change the people, the world, and even ourselves.
Sir Bob Geldof left many of us speechless. Little tinny things that mean nothing to us can make so many people happy. There is so much we can do for the society we live in with so little effort.
I thought he was an incredible speaker as well. Even though he spoke for a long time, I loved everything he was saying. There were so many points in his speech that were relevant to us.
I thought this year's Symposium was excellent. Being on the Westminster Twitter Team forced me to attend all plenary sessions and some breakout sessions that I normally wouldn't have chosen to attend. One session that I did go to by choice was Dr. Aulgur's breakout session on how the arts make students smarter. While spitting out facts about research on the arts in the classroom, Dr. Aulgur had everyone dancing, playing with playdoh, and drawing. Her entire presentation was interactive and I think that surprised a lot people. While getting the audience involved, I think Dr. Aulgur did an amazing job of convincing everyone how the arts make students smarter and why they should, in some form, be used in every classroom.
I really enjoyed being a part of Symposium this year! I am naturally more artsy than into sports so I'm sure that played a part into my enjoyment, however, I just felt we had very strong speeches and sessions which also made a difference. I feel like we really started strong and ended strong and all get other events that went along wi it were so informative and exciting.
Andy Paris lecture evoked my passion and interest to current events that Tectonic Theater stresses among its actors. He dedicated his speech to discussing the role of theater in social justice and avoided the traditional or a linear speaking in order to excite the audience. I loved the way he managed to incorporate the social justice ongoings with the role of theater. His speech made me think of different creative ways in stressing out current social issues. If the theater is one of the ways, then why not poetry, or short story, or just a simple warm up regarding the current social issue the students are concerned about or interested in?
I really enjoyed Andy Paris and after listening to the reading of the alarming Project, I just felt like this was such a powerful way to promote social change and wondered why we don't hear about theatre serving that purpose as often.
Surprisingly, and unlike previous years, the Symposium struggled to keep my attention this year. I had trouble seeing how everything connected, drawing my own conclusions about what the speakers were saying, and making personal connections. I felt as though the most powerful part of the Symposium was actually something that happened afterwords. Dr. Bum showed a video in our Teaching English class about the impact that Sir Bob Geldof had made, and at such a young age. I was inspirational, and gave me a glimpse into what an amazing man he really was. At that point, I wished that he had received a similar introduction. I feel as though he didn't get the respect and admiration he deserved, simply because we, as students, had no idea of the gravity of his footprints. The video showed the making of "We Are the World," and all of the timeless musicians involved. The video was inspiring, and it caused me to feel honored that he came to Westminster and spoke.
One session that had my interest at the start of the Symposium was the Greene Lecture that featured Sir Bob Geldof. I was interested to hear from a person who was in a rock band. I thought that it was great how that he went against all of the stereotypes that I had in my mind. It was evident that he was not all about sex and drugs. I was amazed by the word choice he used throughout his lecture. The focus of the lecture was how that the world still needed change. The main source of this change was going to be through the world wide web. This lecture kind of reassured some of my thoughts about technology and its importance. I think as a future teacher it is important to realize the power that come with the world wide web and how that this power is continuing to grow.
ReplyDeleteI think you have brought up a great point! With the big switch of one-to-one schools the web is a very powerful resource that we as teachers will need to be able to use. After my observations so far this semester, I have noticed a giant influence of technology in the classroom. I think that while it is becoming so important, it is also nerve wrecking to think about how much the teaching and education fields will change by the time we are all teachers.
DeleteJust think about it, the interent affects everything we do, daily. Right now, you're using the internet. I surmise that we probably use the internet an average of at least 2 hours a day. It has a crazy amount of influence.
DeleteNathaniel -- I think it's really cool how you tied it back to education! It's interesting to see you link rock and roll, world change, the internet, and education. It definitely lends towards the idea of an integrated classroom, where ideas from outside of the classroom are brought in to enrich students' experiences. It seems like his ability to make change through rock and roll encouraged you that teachers can make that same type of change. :)
DeleteHoly cow was Bob Geldof a great speaker or what! One idea from that 20 page manuscript that really caught my attention was the idea of an internet version of the Sistine Chapel. Just the that there could be an art form, involving the internet, and that it could potentially produce art of that magnitude just never stuck me before.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if you could ask students how they saw the internet as an art form or what things on the internet they would describe as a form of art. They might come up with facebook or twitter or blogging.
DeleteIt is quite exciting to think about. I wonder what the internet version will be. It would be interesting to ask your students what they see as the biggest change in their life times. If they will recognize the evolution of technology or if they will just be able to easily incorporate it in with their lives without noticing a difference.
DeleteI have to actively metacognate to notice how reliant I have become on technology.
DeleteI got the privilege of attending the session entitled Arts Therapy, and it was definitely worthy of reporting on. Janet Peterson, a licensed Art Therapist, from Kansas City, MO., facilitated the session in Herman Lounge. Overall, we were indulged with a wealth of knowledge about art therapy as well as the organization she works with. By the end of the session, each participator got the privilege to both practice and experience art therapy though our own work and the work of others. This was extremely impactful for me because immediately following some life-altering circumstances in my life I began to paint. I had always used writing as an outlet but expressing my self through acrylic paint and a canvas became a new groove. At that time I was completely unaware of art therapy, not knowing that essentially my new hobby was a process used by clinical therapist through a healing process with individuals of all ages. One of the quotes we explored through this session was that “art is the meeting ground of the world inside and the world outside.” This was so true as we art provided a bridge for ourselves and patients as well, connecting ones inner self that I might not be completely aware of, with the external outside world in which I live in.
ReplyDeleteI heard such positive responses from that session. That is wonderful that you were able to go and that you enjoyed it so much! I hope you are able to encourage others in your life to take advantage of art therapy and what you have learned. I do wish you well in your new hobby and I hope that you continue it as long as you can!
DeleteI'm so glad you were given the opportunity to attend this session, it sounded amazing. I think it is so cool that before you even attended the session you had taken up painting almost like a therapy. Do you see your self continuing to use painting or any other art form in times of need?
DeleteI LOVE the quote you included! I think this can be true about not just the traditional idea of art, but also of writing, photography, etc. That's such a deep though, and yet so obvious, although I never thought of it like that before. Very powerful, and really changes the way I look at art. I used to go to a lot of art shows, but I had trouble connecting to art the way I connected to writing. I kept thinking of art (paintings, drawings, etc.) like things on display--something created by an individual for an audience, without any emotion having been put into it. This completely changes my perspective, though, and makes me want to use some form of art therapy in my classroom!
DeleteIn the opening plenary session by Andy Paris i was very inthralled by how he turns tough to talk about social issues and brings them to the theatre where it might be easier to talk about. I would love to show a few minutes of one of his plays and have students write about what current social issue they would write a play about. This brings in current issues in the world around my students and allow them to choose what things they think are important.
ReplyDeleteDuring Any's lecture he also brought up the Beatles famous song Revolution and how the lyrics were sung and what they meant. I love the idea of asking students their take on the lyrics of a song. Each student might find some different reason behind the words based on the events going on in their lives. You can also ask students what they thought the author of the song meant by the lyrics. This can also lead to several conclusions.
I definitely agree with you. Andy's talk was quite interesting. Did you hear about his play based on his views of education? I think that would be so cool to see! I can't imagine what it is all about, but it is probably pretty eye-opening just like all of his other works. I think that that is a great idea to ask students about song lyrics though! What a great way to connect with your students and learn more about their interests!
DeleteI loved Andy's speech, and I also like your idea with the song lyrics. I think it would incite students to think about specific details and life events which they could relate to music or some other form of art :)
DeleteReally good observations, Lindsey! I think one thing you mentioned is so important in the classroom -- choice. Dr. Bum talks a lot about how choice influences students to increase their work ethic and really invest themselves in their schoolwork. These controversial topics definitely lend themselves to choice, and I love these ideas for the classroom!
DeleteDuring the Symposium this week a few sessions concluding with the Green lecture yesterday. Bob Geldof spoke for quite some time about how society needs to wake up and start "smelling the coffee" of change that needs to be brewing. I learned from Sir Geldof's words that during a time of extreme need (not saying that time has ended) where millions of people were starving in Africa, and but only 8 miles away stood the super continent of Europe, which would produce a surplus that could probably feed two Africas. It sickens me to think that the richest and poorest nations are next door neighbors. The focus of Sir Geldof's talk was to make us become aware of such important issues that stare us in the face everyday. The overarching focus, without sounding cliche, was to "start a revolution". Bob also hit on another point when he spoke of pop-culture. The men and women of the music industry are looked up to in such a way that when they do philanthropic things, the fans are really taking that to heart and follow. They are superstars and role models; and now activists and reformists. I was impacted pretty hard and feel as if i should be more conscious about my food portions, as well as being more knowledgable about issues that exist even thought they don't SEEM to effect me. I am also intrigued to find out how i can get involved and help.
ReplyDeleteI think that Bob Geldof made a good point in that while the rich and famous start a charity or bring some cause to the forefront of the media, it is up to us, the average man, to be inspired by them to act. We are the ones that will make the difference, they just have the social status to start the movement or revolution.
DeleteYour phrasing of the words "next door neighbors" really got me thinking... This is REALLY something that could apply to students, and in any content area. If the richest and the poorest countries are "next door neighbors," so to speak, how much closer are students (and us!!) to someone in need? I think introducing this idea to students could really inspire them to look toward their "next door neighbors" (donation centers, soup kitchens, community service in general), and be willing to do positive things with their "surplus." Awesome wording, Justin; this is so thought-provoking.
DeleteI attended many of the sessions and special presentations this year's symposium had to offer. As someone who loves the arts, I enjoyed everything I saw and heard on some level. I listened to Andy Paris discuss the role of theater and the stage in addressing social issues, I learned about the role of photojournalism from Sally Stapleton, I was entertained and immersed in the talk by Dale Bell, and finally was really challenged to self-examine not only myself and my life-style but the world because of Sir Bob Geldof. After considering all of the amazing speakers and which one of them impacted and enthralled me the most, the prize would go to Sir Bob Geldof. He was engaging and knew how to talk with such a grace and a unique style that it was easy to get lost in his message. He made some fantastic points about this generation and why we need to change and what our generation might be remembered for. He also had a way of making me feel utterly guilty for being a part of a country that consumes so much while there are millions of people starving and suffering in the world. Overall, he had such a powerful and humane message, "All you need is love." Maybe love is really all we, the human race, need.
ReplyDeleteYes; Hancock Symposium was great! Beside having an opportunity to hear and to meet some great and fascinating figures, I also learned a lot from it. However, Sir Bob Geldof won my heart as well. What a great man :)
DeleteI agree with you that Geldof was an engaging speaker. He spoke for an incredibly long time, but he didn't lose my attention a lot. If anyone else had been up there speaking for that long, I doubt would have been able to stay awake, let alone retain what they were saying.
DeleteI went to three plenary sessions: Sally Stapleton, Dale Bell, and Bob Geldof. I thought they were all pretty good presentations, especially Bob Geldof. They all had a common theme of how the arts could make a different and move people to action. Sally Stapleton is a professional photographer who took photos of the Rwandan genocide. She showed some of the pictures and how they changed her life. She also emphasized how, even if a picture is horrific, there can also be beauty in it, which I thought was really interesting. Dale Bell talked about his participation in the Woodstock film. I thought he did say some interesting things, but I was mostly confused the whole time because he never explained what Woodstock was or what the film was about, assuming that everyone already knew. Bob Geldof had a really great speech about how artists can make a difference. I thought he made a good point when he said that people often look up to artists as the ones who should make the change, but he said we are the ones who should make the change and they are the ones who inspire us to. Although his speech went a little long, he had a lot of great things to say and he has made a big difference in the world, so it was an honor to have him at Westminster.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be wonderful to show some of the photos that Sally Stapleton collected and are considered sad or horrific and ask students to find the beauty or goodness in them. Each student would come out with something different.
DeleteI think that Bob Geldof was great and very strong and truly tied in everything into a very cohesive argument for Symposium. I felt like although he was a little little he was still a very talented person and gave a effective speech. After listening to him, I know I let feeling like I too could make a difference and that I ought to.
DeleteYeah I agree with Mahogany, he came from much less than I have, and look what he has done. What could I do with what I have? It's crazy to think about.
DeleteOut of all the sessions of the symposium, I was most excited for the Green Foundation Lecture: "The Arts and Culture in Action" with Sir Bob Geldof and "Deconstructing the Photojournalism Narrative in Africa" with Sally Stapleton. I felt like both of these lectures would be relevant to my life and I would leave them with some sort of new found enlightenment that I did not have previously. I definitely believe that I learned a lot listening to Sir Bob. I thoroughly enjoyed his discussion and I was quite intrigued with his positions. He gave views, comparisons, and real life experiences of social movement and change. He called mass populations to actions and tried to call us. I would say, however, that we as an audience were a tad bit unmotivated in my mind even to stay awake. It was an amazing experience to simply be in his presence. On the other hand, I was quite underwhelmed with Sally Stapleton's speech. I believe that she did not have enough content. At the moment she asked "What time am I at?" I lost all interest. I think that the idea of her speech could have been quite intriguing if she had gone further with it. Yes, she showed horrific photos and gave the audience a sense of shock, but there was no call. There was not connection to our lives. I think that it was good, but could have been better.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you; Sir Bob Geldof's speech was indeed impactful and educating. He managed to get our attention and enrich us with information concerning not only him, but all of us as a whole.
DeleteMeredith, I totally agree with you about Sally Stapleton. Her whole talk was just...lacking. It was disappointing because she could have given us so much good information about photojournalism, but she didn't.
DeleteI really enjoyed Andy Paris and his presentation in the first plenary session. He showed the audience the importance of theater and how it can impact culture through his work with the Tectonic Theater group and the play "The Laramie Project." That play was influential in shaping theater as we know it today since it was written from a bunch of interviews from the citizens of Laramie about the murder of Matthew Shepard. I also thought it was ingenious of him to compare the media's treatment of Laramie to the treatment of Ferguson. Many people had never stepped foot in Laramie and were saying how terrible of a place it was, and the same thing has happened to Ferguson.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this! I wonder if we were to create a play based on the events of Ferguson and the views of other people how much it could educate the people of this world. It would also provide a voice in a very peaceful way which I think could then also serve as a healing process for those still mourning over Michael Brown. I wish we could see more productions like "The Laramie project."
DeleteTheater has historically been very influential in the current events of the day. i.e Tartuffe by Moliere
DeleteI like how Paris compared Laramie to Ferguson as well. I think whenever any of the speakers connected their talk to experiences we could relate to, it was easier to follow/pay attention to them.
DeleteDuring the week of symposium, the speaker that I was excited to hear from most, was Bob Geldof, and he did not disappoint. His speech was astounding. As a person in the crowd listening, I could feel his passion about what he was saying. This was the first time that I was fully captivated by what a speaker was saying, I was in awe. It wasn't just his ability to give a speech that I was impressed with, but mostly the content of what he was saying.Something that really hit home for me was when he was talking about social change, and how you don't need to do the big things in order to make the world a better place, but offering change to a struggling homeless person on the street is a way you can make the world a better place. He said something along the lines of, seeing that hurt in those peoples' eyes and neglecting it, is neglecting an opportunity to positively change the world. I think he is right, just the small acts can truly change the people, the world, and even ourselves.
ReplyDeleteSir Bob Geldof left many of us speechless. Little tinny things that mean nothing to us can make so many people happy. There is so much we can do for the society we live in with so little effort.
DeleteI thought he was an incredible speaker as well. Even though he spoke for a long time, I loved everything he was saying. There were so many points in his speech that were relevant to us.
DeleteI thought this year's Symposium was excellent. Being on the Westminster Twitter Team forced me to attend all plenary sessions and some breakout sessions that I normally wouldn't have chosen to attend. One session that I did go to by choice was Dr. Aulgur's breakout session on how the arts make students smarter. While spitting out facts about research on the arts in the classroom, Dr. Aulgur had everyone dancing, playing with playdoh, and drawing. Her entire presentation was interactive and I think that surprised a lot people. While getting the audience involved, I think Dr. Aulgur did an amazing job of convincing everyone how the arts make students smarter and why they should, in some form, be used in every classroom.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed being a part of Symposium this year! I am naturally more artsy than into sports so I'm sure that played a part into my enjoyment, however, I just felt we had very strong speeches and sessions which also made a difference. I feel like we really started strong and ended strong and all get other events that went along wi it were so informative and exciting.
DeleteAndy Paris lecture evoked my passion and interest to current events that Tectonic Theater stresses among its actors. He dedicated his speech to discussing the role of theater in social justice and avoided the traditional or a linear speaking in order to excite the audience. I loved the way he managed to incorporate the social justice ongoings with the role of theater. His speech made me think of different creative ways in stressing out current social issues. If the theater is one of the ways, then why not poetry, or short story, or just a simple warm up regarding the current social issue the students are concerned about or interested in?
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed Andy Paris and after listening to the reading of the alarming Project, I just felt like this was such a powerful way to promote social change and wondered why we don't hear about theatre serving that purpose as often.
DeleteSurprisingly, and unlike previous years, the Symposium struggled to keep my attention this year. I had trouble seeing how everything connected, drawing my own conclusions about what the speakers were saying, and making personal connections. I felt as though the most powerful part of the Symposium was actually something that happened afterwords. Dr. Bum showed a video in our Teaching English class about the impact that Sir Bob Geldof had made, and at such a young age. I was inspirational, and gave me a glimpse into what an amazing man he really was. At that point, I wished that he had received a similar introduction. I feel as though he didn't get the respect and admiration he deserved, simply because we, as students, had no idea of the gravity of his footprints. The video showed the making of "We Are the World," and all of the timeless musicians involved. The video was inspiring, and it caused me to feel honored that he came to Westminster and spoke.
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