From the Field

The Metropolitan Youth Orchestra held family orientation/retreats the week of 9/1 led by our friends Rebecca and Dante with Theater of Inclusion (http://theaterofinclusion.com). If you've never heard of TOI, they are made up of this fantasticly artistic duo who design and facilitate workshops for youth, teaching teams, and corporate groups. Their workshops often focus on developing character, strengthening cooperation, and intensifying team building. Our family retreat covered creating a positive and inviting learning environment for MYO, developing common vocabulary and developing a culture of inclusiveness --- All concepts integral to MYO's program success!
 

One of the activities involved building, drawing and studying this tower of blocks... 

Question: What do you see?  Some parent/student responses included:

• Building of knowledge
• Different pieces/shapes (blocks) representing the MYO community
• Teamwork - we all have important roles
• Setting of goals

Another Question: How is this tower like me?  Responses included:

• Like the blocks, I am connected to my family and my orchestra
• I focus my attention on my goals and stand straight
• I am prepared and ready
• Parts of me are strong and other parts weak
• I am strong

What does a "tower of blocks" mean to you?  How is a "tower of blocks" like you?  As I come to work everyday, I think of my work not as a whole, but as a part of something bigger.  I look around at piles and piles of "to-do"s on my desk or in my computer and I think - what kind of building block do I need to be today or what building block am I going to use today...  Each pending or completed task, each interaction with a colleague, MYO family and donor are also building blocks.  We'd like for you to be a building block too.  What can you bring to our tower to build it taller and stronger?

In general, I love "beginnings and endings" of things.  The cyclical nature of my work keeps me going each and every year at the ISO.  As towers are built they occassionally crumble and have to be reinforced or taken down and started all over again.  Working in educational and community settings has taught me that that's OK. This is how we learn and grow.  This is how we make things better or stronger.  We just have to be brave enough and have the courage to keep going. 

To all of our MYO friends and family, we are looking forward to an awesome year together.  Our tower is going to be beautifully constructed and amply supported.  I can't wait to see what the year brings and how our tower of blocks will look.  With everyone's help it'll be an MYO masterpiece!!

We can make it stronger by working together.