Joy in the Process

Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary
2nd Grade | ELA & Theater

Ms. Bates’s 2nd Grade class is lovingly known as “Over the Rainbow '' because in this classroom, dreams come true. For the entire spring semester, her class was working on a unit about pollination. Our arts integration time was spent building up to a performance at the Jazz Fest Kids Tent. Their final “pollination performance” was a true showcase of student voice, choice, and community building. Students chose their song and roles, designed their own choreography & blocking, and they each designed & made their own costumes. But, most importantly, there were a lot of laughs, joy, and collaboration throughout the process. Watch the video below to get a glimpse of our process, and all the work students put into their performance.

As a teaching artist, I brought materials, knowledge of my craft, and a dedication to promoting student agency. As students, Over the Rainbow brought curiosity, ideas, and an eagerness to engage fully. As a teacher, Ms. Bates brought enthusiasm, an openness to anything that would benefit her students, and a classroom with a culture of safety, acceptance, and celebration. 

“As co-teachers, Ms. Bates and I embraced the beautiful chaos that seems to naturally arise from centering student voice and choice. ”

We trusted each other’s expertise and accomplished so much as a team. Making our time together joyful and meaningful was a natural priority. Ms. Bates and I watched Over the Rainbow perform at Jazz Fest with the biggest smiles, knowing that what we were witnessing was “all them”; we provided love and support, but what they shared on stage was truly their own creation.