“When I gave my first concert in Chartes, I felt that the cathedral almost kicked me out. ‘Get out with you!’ she said. For I was young and I tried to perform as I always did: by just playing my violin. But then I realized that in Chartes you actually cannot play your small violin, but you have to play the macro violin. The small violin is the instrument that is in your hands. The macro-violin is the whole cathedral that surrounds you. The cathedral of Chartes is built entirely according to musical principles. Playing the macro violin requires you to listen and to play from another place, from the periphery. You have to move your listening and playing from within to beyond yourself.” ~from violinist, Miha Pogacnik.
Our quest at Rainbow is so far beyond teaching children how to “play their little violins,” that we operate in another galaxy than most schools: We want them to vibrate from beyond (to use Pogacnik’s word). We want every child to sing their heart out!
Rainbow graduates are known to be brilliant. Brilliance is something more than smart or well-educated. Brilliance is indescribable light – so bright it fills us with inspiration. Brilliance captures something that is beyond us and vibrates within us. So what is the formula for teaching brilliance?
The arts are one of the most important means of helping children tap into spirit, or the powers beyond and within us. The arts help teach children how to play their macro violin. When one is truly creating, something takes over that is beyond articulation. When a group of people create together… a force even larger exists. Finally, when that creation is shared with an audience– if the magic happens– everyone is united in something that no one can describe. Welcome to the first IMAGINE performance in our own auditorium – our own humble version of Chartes Cathedral. Sit back, enjoy, and help us play the macro violin together today. Our quest is a journey into the beyond.
IMAGINE! It’s a hero’s journey, with plenty of opportunity to make fun of ourselves along the way– and it’s all created right here. Justin Pilla developed the concept and wrote the script. Except for a few of the recorded songs, IMAGINE is completely composed, written, designed, directed, and choreographed by Rainbow teachers, visiting artists, and students.The 1st-6th grade IMAGINE play is a sequel! In 2013, IMAGINE was titled “The Quest of Rainbow Mountain.” Our journey continues, and much has changed (including the name of our school.) “Know thyself” was the theme in Part I, when our brave protagonists had to master each of the Seven Domains. Last year, in Part II, Zarkon the Magnificent and his minion aliens tried to take over Rainbow and the Earth. In the end, love transformed all, including Zarkon himself, who re-emerges in this year’s Imagine (after taking a course in compassionate communication). In 2015, we have gone from looking inward to… An Expanding Universe! This year, the dramatic tension is between creativity versus logic. Which one will dominate?
For an intriguing statement from our executive director, Renee Owen, click here.
We would like to congratulate the staff and students for such an amazing and heartfelt show. Special thanks to all the parents and our Asheville community who attended the performance.
Here are a few photos from our annual May Day Celebration. We’d like to extend warm thanks to everyone who joined us. Photo’s courtesy of Luxe House Photographic.
Just before our winter break, the third grade class completed a unit on how things work. They investigated what might make a machine do what it does.
At the end of their unit, they invited the whole school to watch as different groups of students made their wonderful contraptions come to life.
Citizen Scientists
Take a look at the video to see what the students made – in action!
This activity was inspired by Rube Goldberg machines. To take it a step further, the third graders used this as inspiration for several centering lessons on chain reactions in their emotional and social lives.
When the kids were working collaboratively, they had to use these things to receive full credit:
At least three simple machines
At least five exchanges of force
Examples of friction
Examples of gravity
And, of course, teamwork.
This presentation of their machines was the culmination of the entire unit. Students did several experiments based on the scientific method that helped them build upon their prior knowledge for this activity.
It’s pretty amazing how just a little rolling ball can have such a powerful impact on integrated systems.
Of course, this unit blends in so well with our theme of systems thinking this year.