Take A Beat explores how shifting perspective can transform understanding, by developing problem-solving skills , and personal growth. Participants will examine their own biases, practice viewing situations from multiple angles, and develop tools for more flexible thinking. The program is available for different age groups.
Faith Ringgold's Tar Beach. The painted quilt shows Cassie Louise Lightfoot, along with her family and neighbors, on their rooftop, or tar beach. Cassie takes flight above the city. After exploring the image;
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Reveal this depicts a Black family's joy and dreams during the 1930s
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Discuss the "tar beach" concept—urban rooftops as recreational spaces
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Examine how the flying girl represents freedom from racial limitations
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Explore the quilt format—traditionally dismissed as "women's craft" rather than "fine art"
The goal for the program TAKE A BEAT: Decode Your Reality is Voyager's flagship program. I have developed it as a 45 minute program presented by a facilitator, initially myself. I have developed three programs for different age groups:
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Middle/High School - Learning to See Beyond Your Point of View: Art & Bias Exploration
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High School - Learning to See Beyond Your Point of View: Confronting Sexism and Racial Bias Through Art
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Elementary School - Learning to See Like a Friend: Understanding Different Points of View with Charlie Brown characters.
All programs follow a similar format;
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A 10-minute presentation of foundational ways the brain and our experiences plays a role in shaping our perspective.
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An interactive game either technology based that is used simultaneously or paper based for role playing with scenarios.
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Lastly either groups present or I bring the group back to a discussion and breakdown of the findings from the group and what they mean.
Voyager Learning Hub will suggest programs available for ways to extend the lessons of the program by making art, writing, or producing their own game or project, as well as a precursor to the 40 hour programs on Persuasive Writing and Civics in Action - that can be taught over a semester, in a summer, after-school or micro-school.
EXPLANATION ONLY WHILE WEBSITE IN DEVELOPMENT
The Feedback Game. is in beta. Two versions were produced. First, created for one person to move through prompts and the 2nd modified for two or a team of players- playing on their devices simultaneously. For example if each player is responding on their device and the results are later projected onto the screen (anonymously) as stats, etc - so that as a group/facilitator can then discuss the results.
Similar games under the category of Take A Beat (Social Emotional Learning) are in production. Voyager will suggest other programs on the site to extend the and deepen the concepts learned; creating art, writing, etc.
EXPLANATION ONLY WHILE WEBSITE IN DEVELOPMENT