FASTAP – Step 2
From A Space To A Place
Step 2: Team Building & The Power of Image and Language
During this phase, the visually-driven youth at Marshall Middle School learned different ways to approach photography with the formal elements of composition, such as close-ups, wide shots, medium shots, and various points of perspective. They also learned how to read and infer the context of photographs, ask questions about them, and use creative writing to expand upon the images at hand.
The youth at Change Happens were a more verbal group, so we taught them a creative writing technique called “Found Poetry” in which they analyzed several articles on social issues, selected words and phrases that resonated with them, and rearranged these excerpts to form powerful poems. The four poems that they created focused on the issues of gang violence, racism, teen pregnancy, and beautification. This exercise taught them the power of their words while revealing their inner creativity.
The students from each pilot program were asked to reflect, think critically, and work in small groups which, along with other creative group exercises, helped them learn the value of teamwork and successful collaboration. This activity served to broaden their viewpoints, both physically and mentally.