“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Hey everyone! Just a handful of  weeks left in the year, and learners are having a pretty chill time of it. Last week, they decided on the last few dragons they’d like to slay this year (or tame, as the case may be). As they slay/tame these dragons, they get a chance to spin the wheel of fortune, a wheel filled with different spontaneous options, from “drop everything and have a dance party” to “drop everything and eat popsicles.” Let’s just say we’ve been having a lot of fun this week as they reach their goals! 

The pride parade is coming up next weekend, and learners have been putting the final touches on their plans. They’ve also been working on creating some really cool comics for our writer’s workshop project this session. With all of this going on and auditioners wandering through, it’s been a really full and exciting session! 

Questions We’ve Explored This Week  

• How much time each day do you spend in your learning zone, and how much time do you spend in your performance zone? What would happen if you lived always in your performance zone? (Check out a really great video on these concepts here.) 
• How much control do you believe you have over your own happiness? How do you find your purpose in the world? 

Upcoming Events

• As part of our quest this session, we will be marching in the pride parade next Saturday, June 10! More details to come. 
• Our final exhibition will be held Thursday, June 15, at 10:00 a.m. 
• Our end-of-year camping trip in Pagosa Springs will be June 16-18!

“Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.”

Welcome to the last session of our founding year, wolf pack families!

Big changes this week! As you likely know, The Gaudreault family has moved on to other adventures, so we’re ending the year just as we began it–all one studio. The transition has been bumpy, exciting, and powerful this week as learners have tackled crafting the kind of studio they want to be a part of. One of the biggest ways they have done this is by taking charge of their own schedules! Navigating the creation of a new culture with many different opinions, needs, and talents involved can be a herculean task, but the learners are really stepping up and taking ownership! 

This session, our quest is to design and create an entry for the pride parade. Next week, we’ll vote on the winning design, then spend our third week getting ready to march in the parade! This week, learners have been studying heroes who have stood up against injustice in the past. Some of the favorite heroes they’ve shared have been Rosa Parks, Fannie Lou Hamer, Belva Ann Lockwood, and Harvey Milk. 

Overheard in the Studios This Week

• “We could make the sign happy.” J, on how to tweak the studio’s new name, The Pit of Forgotten Souls, to make it more befitting of a growth mindset. 
• “Your conscience isn’t free.” S, in response to “Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.” 

Questions We’ve Explored This Week  

• Why is it important to incorporate play into your daily life? What does play look like for you? What is the relationship between play and work? 
• When is a time you have stood up for something you thought was unfair? What makes it hardest for you to do this: risking damaging relationships, risking your own personal safety, worrying your effort will be useless, or something else? 
• What does it mean to be free in a society? 

Upcoming Events

• As part of our quest this session, we will be marching in the pride parade on Saturday, June 10! More details to come. 
• Our final exhibition will be held Thursday, June 15, at 10:00 a.m.

More Fun Pictures From This Week

“Mysteries abound where most we seek for answers.” 

Hi everyone! Happy Week 4! 

Detectives have been wrapping up their training this week by solving their biggest mystery yet–Ms. Amanda was kidnapped and the other guides were all suspects! Learners had to practice their fingerprint, footprint, and handwriting analysis skills as they studied the crime scene and tried to crack the case. They also got a chance to try out witness interviews. Most of them were successful in identifying the culprit, but it wasn’t without its challenges.

In other areas of school life, the Mai-coh Studio held a sleepover at the church this week, which turned out to be a big source of anticipation and bonding. Movies, hide and seek in the dark, and dance parties ensued. 

The school year is astoundingly close to winding down!  Next week we’ll invite you to our Session 6 exhibition, where you’ll be the ones solving the case with a crime scene written and created by the learners. After our week off, we’ll come back for a quick four-week session to finish up the year!

Overheard in the Studios This Week

C, while grilling Gabe, who was a suspect in this week’s case: What size are your fingers?

Gabe: Normal sized.

C: WHAT ARE YOU HIDING?!

“That’s my right amount of pain.” J, describing a trip to the hospital for stitches after a game of floor is lava. 

“Fun comes with the cost.” – W

“Once upon a time, there was a platypus that ate a bus.” -H

Questions We’ve Explored This Week  

• What role does pain play in life? 
• Would you rather focus on the end result of a journey or the present moment? 

Upcoming Events

• Our Session 6 exhibition will be held Thursday, May 11, at 10:00! Come ready to solve a mystery! 

More Fun Pictures From This Week

To acquire knowledge one must study, but to acquire wisdom one must observe.

Marilyn Vos Savant

Hey everybody! Happy Friday! 

Did you know bugs can help us solve crimes? Learners have been exploring forensic entomology this week to try to help them solve the case of a missing chicken! They’ve also been sharpening their observation and analysis skills through a series of experiments involving decomposition and microbial science.  

In addition to detective-skills-sharpening, learners have been reflecting on (and recovering from) their business fair experiences, trying to tackle their remaining badges, and enjoying the sunshine!

Overheard in the Studios This Week

As we welcome our new guide, Ryan, into the pack, he’s been a valuable set of fresh eyes observing the dynamics of the studio. As part of his guiding process, he’s been taking careful notes about the interesting and insightful and hilarious things the learners say. Here are a few of his recorded quotes from the week: 

“All you have to do is not answer any of our questions.” C’s advice to Ryan on his role as guide

“More knickernoodle nookie.” -J (translation: More snickerdoodle cookie.)

“Wait wait, I want to talk… ah I forgot.” -Just about everybody during discussions

Character creations characteristics:

“He shoots rock magic balls… and his least favorite food is cardboard.” -C

“Whatever it touches turns magic.” -J describing the powers of Snowy the Phoenix

Questions We’ve Explored This Week  

• Would you rather be in a studio where everyone is a leader or a studio where there are no leaders? What does a good leader look like to you? 
• Would you rather have all the power but lots of responsibility or little power but also little responsibility? 

Upcoming Events

• Our Session 6 exhibition will be held Thursday, May 11, at 10:00! Come ready to solve a mystery! 

More Fun Photos from This Week

Nothing has such power to broaden the mind as the ability to investigate systematically and truly all that comes under thy observation in life.

Marcus Aurelius

Happy Friday, wolf pack families!  

This week has been an exciting one as learners cracked the case of the missing files and (mostly) correctly identified Debbie Peabody as the perpetrator of the crime based on their footprint, fingerprint, and handwriting analysis. They have now moved on to a case of a stolen cat and spent time this week examining hair samples under a microscope to identify the guilty party. The quest so far has been engaging for some and a bit overwhelming for others–Detectives have to understand a lot of forensic science and also do a lot of paperwork! 

Learners have also spent time this week getting ready for the big day tomorrow, practicing their pitches, perfecting their displays, and finishing up products. Tomorrow promises to be a really cool/valuable experience for all. 

Questions We’ve Explored This Week 

• In what areas is our tribe performing at a high level? What areas do we need to focus our attention on to work together better as a tribe? 
• What do you think is the most important character trait for a detective to have?

More Fun Recent Photos

Each time dawn appears, the mystery is there in its entirety.”

Renee Daumal 

Hey everyone! Welcome to Session 6! 

This session, learners are sharpening their observation and deduction skills by going through detective training. Detective training got started off with a bang when someone broke into the chief detective’s office and stole an important file. Luckily, there were fingerprints, footprints, and a handwriting sample left at the scene. Now, learners just have to figure out how to analyze them!

As we near the end of the year, learners are hard at work trying to finish the badge plans they set for themselves at the beginning of the year. For some, this will be a bigger job than others, but valuable real-world lessons are happening under our noses.  

Questions we’ve explored this week 

• Does other people’s behavior change more quickly when we give them positive reinforcement or negative feedback? Which is easier for you to give? 
• What comes more naturally to you: noticing what people do right or noticing what people do wrong? Is this a skill we can change with practice? 

Upcoming Events

• The Children’s Business Fair is coming right up! It will be held at Acton ABQ on April 22.

More Fun Recent Photos

“Nature alone is antique, and the oldest art a mushroom.”

Thomas Carlyle

Welcome to Week 5 of Session 5! As we reach the culmination of our quest to grow mushrooms and write in tandem with A.I, here are some happenings in the studio this week:

The harvesting of golden oysters, reishi, and lion’s mane mushrooms has begun! Next task: figure out how to make them deliciously edible. (Good luck with the reishi, S and T!)

The Los Lobos studio’s focus on ST Math this session has begun to bear fruit, as both H and C finished their ST Math levels last week! Others are making huge strides and are set to finish up before the end of the year. 

This week and next week, learners have time during school to work on their business fair products if they bring their supplies to school. Some of them have their products well underway. 

Having an auditioner, D, in the studios has been a prime time to talk about what we want our values to be, how we want to represent ourselves to the world, and what it takes to succeed in this environment. 

We look forward to seeing you all at the exhibition next week! 

Badges earned this week

Congratulations to…

W for earning an ST Math badge, 

J for earning two reading badges, 

H for earning the Gold Reading Badge, 

H for finishing all his ST Math badges for the year, and

Cfor finishing all his ST Math badges for the year! 

Questions we’ve explored this week 

• What is the most helpful kind of feedback: hearing all the things you did wrong at once or hearing just a couple things you did wrong at a time? 
• Is it more important to be right or to be curious? How about when it comes to people? 

Upcoming Events

• Our Session 5 exhibition will be held on Thursday, March 30, at 10:00 a.m. 
• The Children’s Business Fair will be held at Acton ABQ on April 22.

More Fun Recent Photos

“Nature is not mute. It is man who is deaf.”

Terence McKenna

Welcome to Week 3! The quest to grow mushrooms and create stories in tandem with A.I. carries on. This week, learners began growing their mushrooms, and we have a variety from yellow oysters to lion’s mane to reishi sprouting up in the grow room.   

One of the most interesting parts of this writer’s workshop has been watching the way in which learners are interacting with A.I. as they write their stories. A handful of learners have rejected A.I.’s help altogether and are writing stories on their own, almost on principle. Another handful are figuring out how to ask the right questions of A.I. and then take what it gives them and make it their own. It’s a glimpse of the future of writing right here in the studio! 

As far as prep for the business fair goes, this week, learners have been working on business plans: estimating startup costs, playing around with gross and net profit, and making pricing decisions. Next week, we’ll begin to have time in the studios to work on creating products, so if it’s something that can be done at school, learners are planning to bring their supplies and get busy! 

Badges earned this week

Congratulations to…

J, C, and H for earning ST Math badges!

Questions we’ve explored this week 

• What is the most important skill to hone when you are tackling a hard challenge: courage to fail or persistence to try again? 
• What is the difference between the life of a jungle tiger and a zoo tiger? Which would you rather be? (Check out a cool video here.) 

Upcoming Events

• Our Session 5 exhibition will be held on Thursday, March 30, at 10:00 a.m. 
• The Children’s Business Fair will be held at Acton ABQ on April 22.

More Fun Recent Photos

In some native languages, the term for plants translates to ‘those who take care of us.’

Welcome to Week 2 of this sprint! What a buzzing week it’s been! Learners kicked off the week with a field trip to NM fungi, where they asked every question they ever had about mushroom growing and selling. Afterward we tagged along as NM Fungi delivered their mushrooms to Los Poblanos. It was a bit magical for the learners to be a part of the whole process from harvest to delivery, and NM Fungi were excellent hosts! 

To get ready for the business fair, learners have been doing market research to discover what customers are most interested in buying at a business fair. Perhaps you have been a part of this research! Next week, we’ll begin making a business plan and creating a prototype.  

In the Los Lobos studio this week, learners started a new challenge with mystery incentives daily and weekly. As a studio, they decided this challenge should be based around their work in ST Math (and reading for J). This week, every single learner reached their daily goals, and we celebrated by spending our morning in the woods with magnifying glasses. It was quite an adventure!

In the Mai-Coh studio this week, energy is high around quest and writer’s workshop. Learners are lost in writing their stories, getting ready to grow mushrooms, and having discussions around what trust looks like in an Acton studio. 

Questions we’ve explored this week 

• What does it look like to leave places and people better than you found them? 
• Is it hardest to have a growth mindset when you are succeeding or when you are failing? 

Upcoming Events

• Our Session 5 exhibition will be held on Thursday, March 30, at 10:00 a.m. 
• The Children’s Business Fair will be held at Acton ABQ on April 22. More information coming soon!

“The World is a Skyscraper. Don’t stay on the same floor. Go upstairs. Go downstairs. Visit the lives of other tenants. Visit eagles. Visit mushrooms.”

We are happy to be back in session and back together again. This session is full of exciting challenges including growing mushrooms, writing stories with the help of artificial intelligence, chipping away at badge plans, and preparing for the Children’s Business Fair. Energy and engagement are high in both studios around all of these challenges!

At this time of year, the social dynamics between different learners in the studio can start to feel a little like sibling dynamics. It’s an ideal time to revisit conflict resolution and the peace table process. This has been a focus of both studios this week, and it’s led to some really beautiful discussions. My favorite learner quote today: “When we’re having more peace tables, that’s a good thing because it shows we are not holding anything in. We’re trying to solve our problems. It shows we trust each other.”  

Questions we’ve explored this week 

• What peace table is it time for you to have today? 
• Which is harder to say: “I’m sorry” or “I forgive you”? 
• Does having a lot of peace tables mean we are struggling or succeeding as a school? 

Upcoming Events

• Our Session 5 exhibition will be held on Thursday, March 30, at 10:00 a.m. 
• The Children’s Business Fair will be held at Acton ABQ on April 22. More information coming soon! 

Fun Recent Photos