About Anita and her Curiosity Club
Individual Space (about me)
Founder and teaching artist Anita Evans has been working with kids since she babysat for two-year old identical twins at the age of 12. Since then she lots of experience working with many kids, including kids with diagnosed behavioral and learning difficulties. In addition to working with elementary school kids, she has created performances, video and internationally toured with teens, teaches preschool, and recently became a Certified Yoga Teacher.
Cyber Space
We were able to make a wonderful transition from outer space to cyber space through an introduction to the women computers who did the calculations which supported the Apollo mission to the moon. (Hidden Figures, Rise of the Rocket Girls)
All the kids designed and made their own webpages on this site. Free Space
I believe in a balance of structured and unstructured exploration. Kids deserve to have play time independent from adult direction.
After lunch, we have Sharing Time. Each kid suggests an activity. Games, play in the park, show each other how to make origami boxes, draw, pretty much anything the kids choose. |
Inner Space
I want everyone to experience the wisdom that comes when the distracting chatter in their mind calms. In my workshops, I guide kids to notice this by using the metaphor of the sparkle jar. I made up a simple song to help deeply root these ideas for them.
The above video is from the Curiosity Club showing where the kids are singing the sparkle song for an audience of family and friends. Group SpaceCuriosity Club is designed to be an inclusive space where everyone participates, shares ideas, and is encouraged to expand their individual abilities while experimenting with their individual challenges.
Each morning we played games that created group cohesion, for example, Group Space and Big Brain. Making Space
At the Curiosity Club we make a lot of things in a short amount of time. We have to keep the spirit of "just try it" going. There is no space to get caught up worrying about being perfect.
We make things. We come up with ideas to overcome obstacles. We notice coincidence. We appreciate that sometimes our "mistakes" are actually amazing opportunities to do something unexpected. |
Outer SpaceOuter Space is so vast and mysterious!
We went on a planet walk where we started with an 8 inch diameter sun and ended up half a mile away at Neptune. To remember the order of the planets we created our own mnemonic: "Mayday! Voldemort escaped magic jail. Save us now (Potter)." I created a song to learn some basic facts about spacetime. Pop-Up Play Space
Across the street from the Prop Thtr where we meet is a playground. It is a fun playground but what if we designed our own playground? What would we add? Using lots of found objects and boxes we began to build.
The kids designed a built a parent's lounge, a personal rain shelter, and a time machine. Growing Space
The age of kids in the camp increases each year until the group ages out. The first cohort of the Curiosity Club worked together for 4 years. In the 5th year, Curiosity Club graduates Marcel (age 12) and Curran (age 13) became my assistants as we welcomed a new group of 6-7 year olds.
This year a Curiosity Club alum who is now 14 and working with the NeuroKitchen Ensemble, came in to teach a workshop. Diego attended Space Camp and shared his passion for space with the kids this year. One of the kids asked him, "Do you work for NASA?" He said, "No. Not yet." Curiosity Club kids go on a field trip to teach a workshop at the preschool where I work. The kids, not much older than the toddlers themselves, have the opportunity to be the big kids and the teachers. This year, my assistant is Parker Smith. 5 years ago she was one of the founders of NeuroKitchen. Now she is 17 and the kids ask her if she is a grown up. |