Inspiration images presented to students at the first session

Picture this. You place on the school digital noticeboard an idea for all year levels to see. The idea was to come together one lunchtime a week to learn how to resin cast and make resin pieces. It's part of a school based Inspire Program where students and staff can run opt-in activities that interest them and enrich the experience of being at school. They are not assessed, open to all and promote a sense of community. 

Thinking you would only have about 10 students max you go ahead and order some basic molds, resin mixtures some basic colours and stick a few sheets of sandpaper to the table so we can file down our creations. 

Cue the 140 students who turn up, complete with lunches, masks and an eagerness to resin cast that if truth be told I was unprepared for. 

So I had to think differently -  aside form the fact we could not physically fit in the space, my 3 pieces of sandpaper looked like they needed some backup. I made this first session a sign up session - students could sign up to a 3 week course and I would run them over and over until everyone had attended and had a crack at resin casting. But I made it so only a few from each year level could attend each session thinking this may reduce my numbers- there were  6 spaces for Year 7's, 4 for Year 8's, 10 for VCE students in the first session.

Out of the 140 students present, 140 signed up. It was time to increase my supplies and to get resin casting! 

Reflecting using the STOP - LOOK - LISTEN reflection tool
Adapted form Project Zero

Being halfway through the program now (2 groups have completed the 3 week workshop) the benefits are inspiring, which is apt since this is part of the Inspire program.

When I stopped I saw;

• Year 7 + 8 students  having role models in creative fields
• VCE students critically thinking about their choices when challenged by younger learners 
• True peer learning happening where learners coached each other based on prior experiences 

When I looked I saw 

• Positive, engaged learners 
• A safe, meaningful project where learners could explore creative practices 
• Collaboration between students as they tried new methods, embedded new materials and shared left over resins 

​When I listened I heard 

• students conversations move from being process driven to inquiry about individuals and school experiences 
  
•  experience from senior students being shared with junior learners
• new connections being made despite cohort, gender and age differences