Evaluation

The Moving Tides Has been a rollercoaster experience. One that shell not be dampened by the unfortunate ending that it came to.

I have learnt so much and gained so many valuable life skills out of this and I think it is very much down to it being a live project. Which began we the terrifying experience of meeting the teachers that were going to help use though the teaching of the children. Unfortunately the teachers that I meat were not the year 6 teachers and this did hinder the organizing of some of the lessons checking with supplies lessons plans as I hadn’t got a direct contact with a year 6 teacher.

The research into carnivals really made me realize that it is as much the journey that the costumes take to be in the carnival as it is the final out come on procession day. I research that helped and influenced me the most was into the different carnivals held and Rio’s carnival really took my eye as the colours were so blocked I really took this onboard and in my design made sure that it was as much purple as possible as I wanted the same effect as this in Radipoles section of the procession.

In the designing of the costumes I I really wanted to experiment with all the different elements of shrimps which I think you can see in my other designs I really enjoyed the one with the tail but as this was something that would not been seen from the front as much deified to go with more of the legs as these could be seen from both front and back and have more of an impact. Seeing costumes from previous years also really helped me come up with ideas and this is really where adding the height to the costume with the eyes and antennas came from. I had this vision of in the distance just seeing bobbing eyes coming through the crowd and as you get closer to the costumes you then get to see what they are.

Budgeting was something I was not familiar with and I think something that I struggled with the most remembering to add VAT and the packaging to the final amount really confused my at times but in the end I got there. Also thinking of everything you needed and how much of everything took time but in the end I stuck to my budget really well and I feel now I have done it once i=I would defiantly be able to take this skill forward onto other projects in the future.

Lesson planning was a very carefully planed thing as parts of the costume needed to be finished and dry to more on to the next  and after my third lesson I needed all of the components of the costumes to be finished for me to take them home and construct the back packs. After getting it right my plasterzote did not arrive on time so I had to rearrange the first lesson. I feel this was handled well and my lessons still worked out well even though at sertan points I was carrying large amount of items on the train at points but it was defiantly worth it.

Preparation for the lessons was very repetitive but this just came with the number of costumes we were constructing. Venturing into the workshop to the spray paint room was really interesting and not half as intimidating as I thought and I think I will try and use these facility more and asking for help is always necessary in there I feel I have overcome my fear of this place and with be venturing further than our dye room in future.

Over all my lessons went really well seeing how much the children enjoyed the finished peace was amazing. These lessons have helped me become more organized and understanding how a classroom works. The lessons have also made me realize that I do want to go into teaching when I am older not straight after Uni but one day I think I would really enjoy it. I think what made my lessons more of a challenge would be the number of children I had. The 60 children to kept entertained was at times a struggle and to keep and eye on every one was also hard I felt I had one class room under controlee everyone was happy and know what they were doing and then having to rush and sort the other one out by the time I had finished this the first class was getting restells again. Some times I did feel like a yoyo. The traveling to and from the school however with the amount of things you have to carry sometimes did seem really impractical but memorable experience.

It was such a shame the actual day got canceled as I hadn’t had chance to see the costumes on the children which is really disappointing and something I feel I have really missed out on. The dissition was the right one to cancel even though everyone put so much hard work into the costumes but hopefully we will see them in September. I would just like to take this opportunity to say thank-you to the teachers that have helped me along the way and to all the children for putting in all the hard work to make the costumes it would not have been possible with out them. 

Canceled

Dear AUCB MTers 

I bring you this extremely disappointing news with great sorrow. As you can see from the email below the Moving Tides Carnival has been cancelled. Please read the official email from the event organisers below.

"It is with a heavy heart that Sarah and I took the decision this afternoon to cancel the Moving Tides Procession for July 12th due to the almost certain bank of heavy persistent rain that is predicted in Weymouth between 11am and 8pm tomorrow. We've checked on all websites and eventually phoned for a personal and detailed consultation with a met office officer.

The problem is not simply one of processing in the persistent rain. Most schools are stoical and optimistic about this. It is also the fact that several schools are walking to the Pavilion and will arrive already wet, space is already crowded, all our outside rehearsal spaces cannot be used, there are no inside spaces available, the large scale puppets and costumes cannot be taken out and neither can the sails that schools have been making. We won't be left with a procession worth watching  and we will destroy some of the work in the process.

We can take solace in all the good work that has been achieved in schools so far and all the new skills that the children have learned. We will look at alternative dates for a 'celebration' of the work achieved in September.

The Olympic Torch Celebrations on Weymouth Beach will go ahead, all the children and parents who (already) have wristbands will be encouraged to come. I've been in constant touch with the LOCOG stage production team and we have also agreed that due to the inclement weather, the community content will now consist of two stage shows, but without both the Moving Tides and the community drumming elements. Total fallback position.

Tough call, but one that we had to make today due to complexities of arrangements with all parties."

This is very disappointing to everyone involved. We have all worked so hard and this only makes it worse. However, these things do happen and though this will not soften the blow it is one of the pitfalls of doing outdoor performance. As you can see from the email there is an intention to have a celebration in September and we must look forward to this. I will keep you posted on this event over the summer via email and I hope that you will be able to attend. 

As for tomorrow – Sadly there is no carnival but the torch celebrations (though greatly reduced) will still go on and we still want to offer you the chance to be part of this and see the torch arrive in Weymouth. Therefore we will still be running a coach leaving from the AUCB at 3pm, It will be wet and it will be raining so please make sure you bring your wet weather gear. The coach will leave Weymouth at 8.30pm from the park and ride. If you would like to still attend this event then please email before 9am tomorrow (12th July).

We will let you know about the DVDs next week and organise a refund as necessary. 

Those students who are working on this project as part of unit for assessment will get a separate email to guide you on what you need to do. 

Regards,

Adele, Alison and Sara.

Visits after my lessons

I have done two further visits to Radipole school after my lessons the one was to finish tying on the straps to the back packs this needed to be done because the children needed to practice there dance with them on. But I also went on the 10th of july to make sure the costumes were all ready for the carnival and if anything needed changing or fixing also I dropped off the three dance leader costumes as well for the school to take down the following day.

I was so please with the costumes and so existed to see them on a child as I still have not yet seen the costumes on yet. this was not possible on either visits as the children were unavailable both days which was such a shame.