Promotion of Cloud Gate
Promoting Cloud Gate Dance Theatre to the elementary school children is one of the most important tasks! The preparation was complex, and division of labor was necessary. The assignments included video production, design of pop quiz questions, purchase of small gifts, searching for pictures and synthesizing information into Power Point slides. To ensure the work efficiency and keep everybody updated, we kept the progress of different teams on the whiteboard. We had disagreement regarding how many texts should go on the slides. Some argued that the highlights should be adequate so that they would not distract students. Others felt if the slides were too simple, they will look poorly done. The compromise was to add keywords for verbal explanations so that speakers would remember to emphasize key takeaways.
Image Source: Masters' Gathering
Image Source: Masters' Gathering
We selected five classes for promotion campaigns and contacted their teachers to arrange the schedule. A group of two people would do the presentation and one person would take pictures. We encountered some problems with our time schedule. For example, some people had weekly exams in the morning. So it was difficult to adjust the time, so as long as somebody mentioned a time problem, one of us would cover the other's spot. These minor issues were resolved quickly with team support. Gradually we worked better as a team. Girls were shy and tried to interact with children in a playful way. Boys would simply strike out. Girls were more thorough and would remind boys to take heed when necessary. This was the foundation of the spirits and strengths of "Masters' Gathering"!
Image Source: Masters' Gathering
Image Source: Masters' Gathering
We noticed that the students in the fifth and sixth grades were doing their homework during the morning study sessions. To attract their attention, some team members chatted with these students during preparation time. For example, the conversation about teachers gave us common grounds. It was then they shifted their focus from books to us! They were asked to fill in the feedback form after the presentation. We selected the good comments for the poster on the social studies bulletin board for students in the third and fourth grades to see. By the end of the promotion campaign, our instructor showed us the video recording and told us that our bodies were shivering when reporting. This might have adverse effects on the impression with our interviews for college admission or employment in the future. We learned a lot from this experience.
Image Source: Masters' Gathering
Image Source: Masters' Gathering
Below is the assignment of the tasks for presentations to students from the fourth to the sixth grades: |
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Image Source: Masters' Gathering