Back from December Break and launching into 2nd semester...

I definitely feel my break was restful enough to now really swing into action!

I am going to recap what we talked about today in small groups, since I found it very helpful:

I felt that the feedback I received from my Dec. Review helped me focus in on my real intentions for my project: it is a lot about making these girls feel good about themselves (raising self-esteem), having them enter into a creative activity, and see that they are not alone if they are experiencing any feelings that are often associated with bullying and relational aggression. The review gave me so much to think about, but did not change my plan for the semester much. I still plan on doing the workshops, maintaining the website, and creating the book (or series of small books). I am also having a few of my friends over to my house on Saturday to reflect back together on this time for us- some of them also were able to take photographs.

I am now definitely ready to start making! I am going to work on my book and start laying out/designing the pages. This will give me plenty of material to present to my small group.

As far as April goes, I see having the different pieces of my project presented in a gallery setting. Perhaps having a computer for people to check out the website, having the book(s?) to look at and having some of the girl's photos/titles of their photos on the wall.

I have to accept and realize that the workshop and activity will have to alter a bit depending on what group I am working with and the logistics. For example, with the 5th graders at King Elementary, many of the girls have access to digital cameras and are beginning to email me their photos. For the group in Ypsilanti, I will have to provide disposable cameras for the girls and then develop the film etc for us all to look at during the workshop.

I am really getting anxious to work with the girls to see how this will all play out. In the mean time, I am going to be working hard on developing my book and my narrative.

Over break, I began to take photographs of memories from this time that really stood out in my head. I went to both my elementary and middle school and photographed different places where I experienced the pain that I did. This was a really intense experience for me. I think I will be able to work with these photos in telling a narrative. I just started exploring adding captions...

the table that I sat at, all alone.

the dreaded cafeteria

I wish I could have been rescued each day

Once these doors opened, I was able to go home and everything was better

I felt locked inside at recess

"Carly, you can't play with us today"

The doors to recess

"Today we'll let you hang out on the bike racks with us."

"You don't know how to do the monkey bars?!?"

trapped

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I also never really got to reflect on the activity that I piloted with Hannah's daughters and friends. I was actually really happy with the way it went, and it was really helpful to see how the girls reacted. They were really engaged in the activity and it was great to see them all really proud of their photographs. First I grouped all the photos by adjective and had each girl share what she was thinking when she took her photo. This created a really interesting conversation. At one point, one girl was talking about her photo that was depicting the adjective "scared." She said: "I meant for it to look like cornering the person but then I realized it just looked like crowding around." It was so fascinating how she switched from talking about the objects in the photo to talking about people. Another girl then chimed in "yeah, but even if a group of people is crowding around someone, it can still be scary." To me, this conversation was really interesting, and it was great how these girls were really thinking about these feelings from these photographs. I also had the girls create titles for their photographs. I thought this was a great way for them to think more about the photographs and gives them more of a narrative. I would hope to do both of these things in the workshops that I lead in February. We also began to talk about the formal elements of the photographs, and it seemed apparent that they were all engaged in the creative process. The girls seemed to enjoy this:

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What's next:

DESIGN!

workshop with my friends and reflecting back

re-designing website