When teaching artists Kitty O’Connor and Mia Rotondo sat down to reflect on and share about their collaborative practice, they quickly realized that there were SO many stories of joyful collaboration woven throughout their semesters at school residencies, professional development, and planning with SO many other colleagues and community organizations- that just one story wouldn’t do! So please enjoy this ongoing reflection series on Collaboration and Arts Integration.

I felt a tug of anxiety in my chest and thought silently to myself, “How can I steer them towards drawing artifacts instead?” I have years of experience creating and teaching young people drawing, painting, collaging, and photography, but despite some sculptural experience both personally and instructionally, I have never felt very comfortable making three-dimensional art, especially with clay.

This year, 5th graders are studying the Middle Ages. In their eyes, this is truly ancient history. Sometimes it's a challenge to relate to anything that happened before you were born, and you’re left wondering why it is even relevant to learn. But the one thing that has never changed over thousands of years is human nature.

5th grade is learning about the Middle Ages. At first thought, you might think, “What fun! Knights, and castles, and dragons, Oh, my!”, but what’s really happening is as unexpected as it is welcome. What’s happening in these 5th Graders doesn’t usually occur until college. These 10 year-olds are questioning. Everything.