What if you built a river in a classroom? | Gregory Gavin | TEDxMeritAcademy

if you built a river in a classroom you

if you built a river in a classroom you could have a cloud and you could have

could have a cloud and you could have

could have a cloud and you could have rain and you could have Rapids and you

rain and you could have Rapids and you

rain and you could have Rapids and you could have more Rapids and you could

could have more Rapids and you could

could have more Rapids and you could have a boat design studio where children

have a boat design studio where children

have a boat design studio where children could design and experiment with boats

could design and experiment with boats

could design and experiment with boats and they could have passengers on their

and they could have passengers on their

and they could have passengers on their boats and they could send their boats up

boats and they could send their boats up

boats and they could send their boats up and down the river and if he had a river

and down the river and if he had a river

and down the river and if he had a river if you built a river in a classroom you

if you built a river in a classroom you

if you built a river in a classroom you could plan out what you’re going to

could plan out what you’re going to

could plan out what you’re going to build along the river by each child

build along the river by each child

build along the river by each child getting a chunk of real estate and and

getting a chunk of real estate and and

getting a chunk of real estate and and doing drawings at a half scale before

doing drawings at a half scale before

doing drawings at a half scale before they build and you could grow plants in

they build and you could grow plants in

they build and you could grow plants in your in your territory or your plot to

your in your territory or your plot to

your in your territory or your plot to grow grass in your plot and you could

grow grass in your plot and you could

grow grass in your plot and you could watch it grow every day in fact the

watch it grow every day in fact the

watch it grow every day in fact the grass we use in the morning is

grass we use in the morning is

grass we use in the morning is significantly taller in the afternoon

significantly taller in the afternoon

significantly taller in the afternoon and so each child could have this

and so each child could have this

and so each child could have this territory next to the water which would

territory next to the water which would

territory next to the water which would give them the security of building what

give them the security of building what

give them the security of building what they want to build or collaborating with

they want to build or collaborating with

they want to build or collaborating with their neighbors and you could populate

their neighbors and you could populate

their neighbors and you could populate your plot with creatures and characters

your plot with creatures and characters

your plot with creatures and characters that you would invent

that you would invent

that you would invent but writing stories on your River

but writing stories on your River

but writing stories on your River journals and you could cut up tiny

journals and you could cut up tiny

journals and you could cut up tiny figures and recombine them with animals

figures and recombine them with animals

figures and recombine them with animals and put wings on them that are made from

and put wings on them that are made from

and put wings on them that are made from milk bottles and paint them silver just

milk bottles and paint them silver just

milk bottles and paint them silver just for the heck of it

and if you built a river in a classroom

and if you built a river in a classroom you could build bridges that as an

you could build bridges that as an

you could build bridges that as an academic engineering exercise but

academic engineering exercise but

academic engineering exercise but bridges that bridges that go from

bridges that bridges that go from

bridges that bridges that go from nowhere to nowhere

nowhere to nowhere

nowhere to nowhere but bridges that go from that link

but bridges that go from that link

but bridges that go from that link different lands and different realms

bridges that have mythic or narrative

bridges that have mythic or narrative meaning and your classroom would become

your classroom will be driven by tiny

your classroom will be driven by tiny feats of engineering if he builds River

feats of engineering if he builds River

feats of engineering if he builds River in a classroom you can have all kinds of

in a classroom you can have all kinds of

in a classroom you can have all kinds of different materials available and

different materials available and

different materials available and different tools and you could have a

different tools and you could have a

different tools and you could have a lumber yard full of miniature lumber

lumber yard full of miniature lumber

lumber yard full of miniature lumber appropriated from the coffee and

appropriated from the coffee and

appropriated from the coffee and culinary industries and you could have

culinary industries and you could have

culinary industries and you could have special materials available that are

special materials available that are

special materials available that are recycled bits that that are special and

recycled bits that that are special and

recycled bits that that are special and that are maybe not in quantities big

that are maybe not in quantities big

that are maybe not in quantities big enough to give to everybody that you get

enough to give to everybody that you get

enough to give to everybody that you get from all different sources and those

from all different sources and those

from all different sources and those could exist in the store and the store

could exist in the store and the store

could exist in the store and the store could be run by children and then they

could be run by children and then they

could be run by children and then they would set the hours and they would price

would set the hours and they would price

would set the hours and they would price things and they would sell these objects

things and they would sell these objects

things and they would sell these objects that the kids could use to enhance their

that the kids could use to enhance their

that the kids could use to enhance their architecture

and if you had 75 gallons of water

and if you had 75 gallons of water surging around inside the classroom you

surging around inside the classroom you

surging around inside the classroom you would you would have a constant kinetic

would you would have a constant kinetic

would you would have a constant kinetic prompt foreplay but you might also have

prompt foreplay but you might also have

prompt foreplay but you might also have something else which we don’t really

something else which we don’t really

something else which we don’t really usually think of having in a classroom

usually think of having in a classroom

usually think of having in a classroom and that’s just the edge of danger

and that’s just the edge of danger

and that’s just the edge of danger there’s a flood somebody yells the water

there’s a flood somebody yells the water

there’s a flood somebody yells the water is overflowing somebody eles and four

is overflowing somebody eles and four

is overflowing somebody eles and four kids come running to the scene with mops

kids come running to the scene with mops

kids come running to the scene with mops and they have jobs so they know that

and they have jobs so they know that

and they have jobs so they know that they’re on the job on the mop duty that

they’re on the job on the mop duty that

they’re on the job on the mop duty that day and if you built a river in a

day and if you built a river in a

day and if you built a river in a classroom you might think that you’re

classroom you might think that you’re

classroom you might think that you’re teaching carpentry and design but then

teaching carpentry and design but then

teaching carpentry and design but then you would find that you’re also teaching

you would find that you’re also teaching

you would find that you’re also teaching civics because working along this 35

civics because working along this 35

civics because working along this 35 foot object requires negotiation for

foot object requires negotiation for

foot object requires negotiation for people to figure out how they’re going

people to figure out how they’re going

people to figure out how they’re going to blend their architecture and their

to blend their architecture and their

to blend their architecture and their work together

in one instance there were three girls

in one instance there were three girls who got plots along the river that were

who got plots along the river that were

who got plots along the river that were spaced far apart along the river along

spaced far apart along the river along

spaced far apart along the river along the 35 feet of the river in it you know

the 35 feet of the river in it you know

the 35 feet of the river in it you know River otherwise completely occupied by

River otherwise completely occupied by

River otherwise completely occupied by boys and kind of overwhelmed by the boy

boys and kind of overwhelmed by the boy

boys and kind of overwhelmed by the boy energy and feeling isolated from each

energy and feeling isolated from each

energy and feeling isolated from each other the three girls decided to build a

other the three girls decided to build a

other the three girls decided to build a skyline down the entire length of the

skyline down the entire length of the

skyline down the entire length of the river using string and little cups and

river using string and little cups and

river using string and little cups and in order to do so they would have to go

in order to do so they would have to go

in order to do so they would have to go over the airspace controlled by the boys

over the airspace controlled by the boys

over the airspace controlled by the boys so that was kind of a cool thing kind of

so that was kind of a cool thing kind of

so that was kind of a cool thing kind of a cool idea because it was showing that

a cool idea because it was showing that

a cool idea because it was showing that there that they were empowering

there that they were empowering

there that they were empowering themselves but to make it work they had

themselves but to make it work they had

themselves but to make it work they had to devise beautiful towers to hold up

to devise beautiful towers to hold up

to devise beautiful towers to hold up the skyline and that kind of gave them

the skyline and that kind of gave them

the skyline and that kind of gave them credibility in the context of the whole

credibility in the context of the whole

credibility in the context of the whole group when they labor it over these

group when they labor it over these

group when they labor it over these towers and they built them and they had

towers and they built them and they had

towers and they built them and they had to plant them not only in their own

to plant them not only in their own

to plant them not only in their own plots but they had to get variances from

plots but they had to get variances from

plots but they had to get variances from other kids to put them in other people’s

other kids to put them in other people’s

other kids to put them in other people’s plots Civics so some kids like to go

plots Civics so some kids like to go

plots Civics so some kids like to go really big and other kids like to get to

really big and other kids like to get to

really big and other kids like to get to zero in on small details like interior

zero in on small details like interior

zero in on small details like interior architecture and furniture this these

architecture and furniture this these

architecture and furniture this these are buttons and these handles on the

are buttons and these handles on the

are buttons and these handles on the refrigerator are three-quarter inch

refrigerator are three-quarter inch

refrigerator are three-quarter inch nails are about this long and these

nails are about this long and these

nails are about this long and these burners are made from wire and this this

burners are made from wire and this this

burners are made from wire and this this was made by a ten year old girl who I

was made by a ten year old girl who I

was made by a ten year old girl who I used to call Edward Scissorhands because

used to call Edward Scissorhands because

used to call Edward Scissorhands because she would just go away and go like this

she would just go away and go like this

she would just go away and go like this and then this kind of stuff would emerge

and this boy who got in this groove of

and this boy who got in this groove of making fruit for his tree house and he

making fruit for his tree house and he

making fruit for his tree house and he got in this zone making fruit and you

got in this zone making fruit and you

got in this zone making fruit and you got to understand the scale of this

got to understand the scale of this

got to understand the scale of this these loops these this is about a half

these loops these this is about a half

these loops these this is about a half an inch these bowls are actually those

an inch these bowls are actually those

an inch these bowls are actually those metal things on the bottom of chairs

metal things on the bottom of chairs

metal things on the bottom of chairs they were they were a surplus product

they were they were a surplus product

they were they were a surplus product though that he turned into bowls look at

though that he turned into bowls look at

though that he turned into bowls look at these are his finger prints

these are his finger prints

these are his finger prints these these grooves here look at these

these these grooves here look at these

these these grooves here look at these peppers back here so in a sense in a

peppers back here so in a sense in a

peppers back here so in a sense in a conventional sense he hadn’t really

conventional sense he hadn’t really

conventional sense he hadn’t really accomplished anything because we hadn’t

accomplished anything because we hadn’t

accomplished anything because we hadn’t assigned fruit making and look at this

assigned fruit making and look at this

assigned fruit making and look at this incredible composition by two

incredible composition by two

incredible composition by two eight-year-old girls who work together

eight-year-old girls who work together

eight-year-old girls who work together and ice was in the water and I thought

and ice was in the water and I thought

and ice was in the water and I thought it was beautiful and amazing until and

it was beautiful and amazing until and

it was beautiful and amazing until and then if I didn’t really understand what

then if I didn’t really understand what

then if I didn’t really understand what I was until they explained to me that

I was until they explained to me that

I was until they explained to me that the center square is a waiting room and

the center square is a waiting room and

the center square is a waiting room and it’s a sea animal hospital and each of

it’s a sea animal hospital and each of

it’s a sea animal hospital and each of the each of the rectangles is an exam

the each of the rectangles is an exam

the each of the rectangles is an exam room where the animals are being treated

room where the animals are being treated

room where the animals are being treated so this was an ephemeral work the creek

so this was an ephemeral work the creek

so this was an ephemeral work the creek near my childhood home was my first

near my childhood home was my first

near my childhood home was my first classroom what did I learn there I

classroom what did I learn there I

classroom what did I learn there I learned currents currents eddies

learned currents currents eddies

learned currents currents eddies buoyancy inertia gravity insects birds

buoyancy inertia gravity insects birds

buoyancy inertia gravity insects birds trees when my friend came to visit we

trees when my friend came to visit we

trees when my friend came to visit we would walk down the river and we would

would walk down the river and we would

would walk down the river and we would go down a couple of bends farther each

go down a couple of bends farther each

go down a couple of bends farther each time you know what we would get our

time you know what we would get our

time you know what we would get our nerve up and we’d go a little farther

nerve up and we’d go a little farther

nerve up and we’d go a little farther down the river and we really thought we

down the river and we really thought we

down the river and we really thought we were gonna find a foreign country around

were gonna find a foreign country around

were gonna find a foreign country around the next bend so we were seeing

the next bend so we were seeing

the next bend so we were seeing searching for a secret see I remember we

searching for a secret see I remember we

searching for a secret see I remember we thought we would find an inland see if

thought we would find an inland see if

thought we would find an inland see if we went down there Creek and I say River

we went down there Creek and I say River

we went down there Creek and I say River the creek a little farther everything

the creek a little farther everything

the creek a little farther everything actions had consequences in the river

actions had consequences in the river

actions had consequences in the river there are places where we couldn’t

there are places where we couldn’t

there are places where we couldn’t proceed because it was a sunken creek

proceed because it was a sunken creek

proceed because it was a sunken creek without jumping from rock to rock and

without jumping from rock to rock and

without jumping from rock to rock and that always didn’t work exactly the way

that always didn’t work exactly the way

that always didn’t work exactly the way we expected so part of the experience

we expected so part of the experience

we expected so part of the experience was walking home in the discomfort of

was walking home in the discomfort of

was walking home in the discomfort of wet shoes so we’re building this big

wet shoes so we’re building this big

wet shoes so we’re building this big river in the classroom and when things

river in the classroom and when things

river in the classroom and when things are going really well we achieve what I

are going really well we achieve what I

are going really well we achieve what I am my co-teacher call the hum the home

am my co-teacher call the hum the home

am my co-teacher call the hum the home and the hum is the sound of 20 children

and the hum is the sound of 20 children

and the hum is the sound of 20 children each working at their own pace and their

each working at their own pace and their

each working at their own pace and their attention is shifting from making to

attention is shifting from making to

attention is shifting from making to playing to thinking to making to talking

playing to thinking to making to talking

playing to thinking to making to talking and back to making and my co-teacher and

and back to making and my co-teacher and

and back to making and my co-teacher and I sometimes just look at each other

I sometimes just look at each other

I sometimes just look at each other because we know we’re in the hum and the

because we know we’re in the hum and the

because we know we’re in the hum and the hum is why we do all this work without

hum is why we do all this work without

hum is why we do all this work without the hum some people are not that

the hum some people are not that

the hum some people are not that productive many of us are just not wired

productive many of us are just not wired

productive many of us are just not wired to be consistently inspired and creative

to be consistently inspired and creative

to be consistently inspired and creative when we’re when we’re I saluted from the

when we’re when we’re I saluted from the

when we’re when we’re I saluted from the creativity of others the powerful

creativity of others the powerful

creativity of others the powerful archetype of the visual artist alone in

archetype of the visual artist alone in

archetype of the visual artist alone in their studio may have limited the way we

their studio may have limited the way we

their studio may have limited the way we teach visual arts to children in

teach visual arts to children in

teach visual arts to children in classrooms each with their own desk each

classrooms each with their own desk each

classrooms each with their own desk each with their own piece of paper each with

with their own piece of paper each with

with their own piece of paper each with their own set of paints and their own

their own set of paints and their own

their own set of paints and their own brush we would hardly tolerate this in

brush we would hardly tolerate this in

brush we would hardly tolerate this in sports or music or theater this

sports or music or theater this

sports or music or theater this isolation from each other this dividing

isolation from each other this dividing

isolation from each other this dividing the world into disconnected parts so the

the world into disconnected parts so the

the world into disconnected parts so the performing arts music theater and and

performing arts music theater and and

performing arts music theater and and and filmmaking our models for the kind

and filmmaking our models for the kind

and filmmaking our models for the kind of in Samba wijl arched that we’re

of in Samba wijl arched that we’re

of in Samba wijl arched that we’re trying to achieve in the river appleís

trying to achieve in the river appleís

trying to achieve in the river appleís studio and we bring rivers to schools

studio and we bring rivers to schools

studio and we bring rivers to schools the classroom of the 19th century may

the classroom of the 19th century may

the classroom of the 19th century may have provided a refuge for children from

have provided a refuge for children from

have provided a refuge for children from the crudeness and danger of the factory

the crudeness and danger of the factory

the crudeness and danger of the factory and the farm but maybe the classroom of

and the farm but maybe the classroom of

and the farm but maybe the classroom of the 21st century used to go in the other

the 21st century used to go in the other

the 21st century used to go in the other direction and embrace the actual things

direction and embrace the actual things

direction and embrace the actual things wood water tools nails hammers plants

wood water tools nails hammers plants

wood water tools nails hammers plants soil a garden of heavy things a refuge

soil a garden of heavy things a refuge

soil a garden of heavy things a refuge not from the farmer the factory but from

not from the farmer the factory but from

not from the farmer the factory but from the ever-present internet social media

the ever-present internet social media

the ever-present internet social media and entertainment

and entertainment

and entertainment these these virtual things are amazing

these these virtual things are amazing

these these virtual things are amazing and important but they are not the world

and important but they are not the world

and important but they are not the world and I want today’s children to know and

and I want today’s children to know and

and I want today’s children to know and love the world thank you

love the world thank you

love the world thank you [Applause]