Happy Monday, MTDubberz! This week's Mover Monday features three great PeaceMovers and their classroom experiences. Take a snapshot look into three different classrooms spread out across the east coast! Enjoy!
PeaceMover Paula Olson has a successful Share Out with her third and fourth graders at Center City PCS, Shaw Campus!
Before the Share Out, my students came to me very nervous to perform in front of their peers and families. A normally seemingly overconfident group, I was taken aback by their sudden display of vulnerability. My students normally take any opportunity in class to "rush their youth" by expressing actualities or opinions beyond their years. This reminded me that indeed they were all still children, going through periods in which they question their self-confidence. It also reminded me why I choose to do this, reinforcing the importance of Move This World and the need to foster this sense of self-efficacy and self-esteem in children while creating opportunities for kids to be kids. Before the performance began, I was able to speak to my students and encourage them to be confident in themselves. They decided they were able to do their speaking parts, and they ended up performing amazingly. I was really proud of the students and ended the semester on a great note.
PeaceMover Alejandra Paucar reflects on her experiences working with seventh and eighth graders at New World Prep Charter School in New York.
The boys were really killing it today with the dances! We were going over the hub dances and after a while of running those dances, they asked if we could do some free-style dancing. When I put on a favorite song, they all got in a circle and started to take turns dancing. Some of the boys were incredible, and all boys were confident in their abilities. All of them cheered on and laughed with each other, regardless of skill level. It was a really great session.
PeaceMover Tim Webster finds a way to make an impact on his students' everyday actions. Check out these kindergarteners and first graders of Staten Island Community Charter School applying MTW concepts beyond their MTW sessions!
Several weeks ago I introduced a "time-out" gesture as a way for one student to stop another from talking to him or her at an inappropriate time. It is a way of saying, "I'm not ignoring you, but let's talk later." The teacher of this class said the students were using the gesture last week during their state testing. It's nice to hear that what we do is branching out beyond our sessions.
Showing posts with label MTW. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MTW. Show all posts
Thumpin' Thursday | We Are Young
Hey MTDubberz! Hope everyone has been having a wonderful week! Here's a few songs that keep us upbeat all week long! Hopefully these bumpin' tunes brighten your day :) What songs make you smile? We would love to hear what songs you groove to and add them to our playlist!
Fall Out Boy - Save Rock and Roll
PUT3SKA - Manila Girl
Fun. - We Are Young
Mover Monday | Creating a Common Vision
Earlier this month, PeaceMover Amanda Munroe attended the 3rd International Forum on Sport for Peace and Development at the UN headquarters in New York. “Creating a Common Vision” was the theme of the forum, and it was co-organized by the United Nations Office on Sport for Development and Peace (UNOSDP) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This week’s Mover Monday features Amanda’s great experiences while in attendance at this forum! Enjoy!
I jumped at the opportunity to attend the conference, what with the prospect of rubbing shoulders with former Olympic athletes, royalty, politicians, and other celebrity figures in attendance (UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon shared opening remarks), but if you’ll believe me, I was even more interested in learning from other practitioners and academics in the field of sport for peace and development (or SDP). I’ve grown deeply interested in the field since becoming a PeaceMover with Move This World over three years ago, and through my graduate research on sport and peace education in 2011 and 2012.
Panel presentations over the course of the two day forum covered themes such as “creating a culture of peace through sport,” “sport and social inclusion,” and “sport and social development legacies,” woven together by persistent inquiry and speculation about how to integrate physical activity into sustainable development initiatives as they relate to health, education, and post-conflict reconstruction.
By this point, some of you may be wondering what this blog post really has to do with Mover Monday, and I can imagine others of you protesting, “But I thought MTW was a creative arts endeavor…what’s all this talk about sport?!”
Bear with me. MTW has been present in the SDP community for a few years now – MTW was shortlisted in 2011 at the Beyond Sport Awards for Best New Project and again in 2012 for Best Project for Conflict Resolution. Not to mention the fact that the program satisfies physical education requirements in its U.S. locations. (If you’re a PeaceMover like me, you understand there is good reason to wear the black stretchy pants that have become our standard uniform – some of the moves our participants develop bring out more of the athlete in me than the dancer).
MTW sits at a unique intersection between the world of sport and the world of art. Think of a Venn diagram. MTW would be right at the sweet spot where the two circles intersect, to put it simply, or to complicate things, not only at the intersection of those two spheres but blending also with education, social inclusion, creative and critical thinking, peacebuilding, sustainable economic development, leadership development, and…you get the point.
It was clear from conference attendees and presenters at the forum that sport and physical activity initiatives are being increasingly valued throughout the world for their contributions to social welfare. Formal and informal discussions revolved around how sport can be integrated more deeply into or better complement other fields of practice. This particular audience was especially interested in sport’s potential to further achievement of the 2015 Millennium Development Goals.
Leaving the conference, I felt proud to contribute to Move This World for a number of reasons. Among them: Forum attendees and presenters voiced a deep respect for organizations like MTW working “in the trenches” of sport for social change. Those who have committed themselves to the practice (rather than just the promotion) of SPD are viewed as pioneers exploring a frontier fraught with conceptual and very practical challenges.
Also, my experience is that MTW is highly conversant, if not in fact taking the lead, on many of the lessons learned and new ideas and discussed at the conference, including social inclusion (at this forum, the term referred to cultural diversity, gender, and inclusion of persons with disabilities); a culture of peace as the outcome of playing together; the creation of sustainable funding structures for social profit organizations; and the primacy of effective program design, measurement, and evaluation.
One particular example of how MTW is blazing the trail in this field is the recent name change from Dance 4 Peace to Move This World. In her letter introducing the organization’s rebranding, MTW Founder and CEO Sara Potler LaHayne made clear that the change did not signify a shift in identity, but rather a widening of the family: “We feel as though we have grown beyond the Dance 4 Peace name to an organization that truly has a global impact,” said Sara. Moving away from preconceptions associated with “dance” and “peace” feels consistent with the organization’s mission to increase inclusion, diversity, and international connections. Practically, it avoids causing misconceptions before a PeaceMover or MTW supporter has a chance to explain what we do.
Consistency – across hubs and in MTW’s identity – feels reinforced by the name change, which communicates an honest and reflective awareness of MTW’s mission, vision, and real impact. To me the name change represents MTW’s leadership in the emerging field of sport for development and peace, demonstrating the organization’s consistent use of monitoring and evaluation structures in every aspect of program planning and implementation. It represents an awareness of purpose, a clearly articulated theory of change and follow-up on that theory.
Coming back round to our starting point, I was pleased to represent MTW at the 3rd International Forum on Sport for Peace and Development despite needing to introduce the organization as “the artist formerly known as Dance 4 Peace.” I have come to the conclusion that the transformation reflects those hallmarks in program design and growth that set MTW apart, and my hunches were confirmed by practitioners and academics alike. MTW possesses organizational awareness and flexibility, a considered theory of change, strong and consistent structures for monitoring and evaluation that effectively impact organizational growth, and finally, a mission-consistent value for inclusion echoed in the vision to move not just one corner of, but this whole world.
Thumpin' Thursday | Bella Luna
Happy Thursday, MTDubberz! Hope everyone's week is going well. Who's looking forward to the weekend!? Here's what we've been listening to to keep us going! How about you? What songs get you thumpin' in the office?
SBTRKT- Wildfire
Jason Mraz - Bella Luna
Thundercat - Walkin'
Justin Bieber - All Around The World
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis - Same Love
Wham - The Edge of Heaven
Thumpin' Thursday | By Your Side
Hey MTDubberz! Check out what we've been thumpin' to this week! How about you? We would love to hear what you're listening to to get in the groove! Hope everyone is having a wonderful week and hopefully these trendy tunes brighten your day :)
Sade - By Your Side
Ed Sheeran - Kiss me
Breakbot - Baby I'm Yours
Love of the Brave - Le Champs de L'Amour
Calvin Harris - I Need Your Love
Mover Monday | Exceeding Expectations
Hey MTDubberz! Today's Mover Monday features a testimonial from Victoria Bradford, a Spring 2013 intern in New York City. Victoria talks about her experience at Move This World and how it exceeded her expectations. Enjoy!
My first day as the Executive Intern for Move This World was great. When Sara first opened the door, I was stunned. Not only was she young, but also so welcoming. (I had recently heard some horror stories about my friends’ bosses, so I guess that’s why I was so terrified when I first arrived.) As I had my first conversation with her, I only just began to grasp how amazing Sara and MTW really were.
After my first day, I was hooked. The MTW staff’s energy is as indescribable as it is palpable. As the days turned into weeks, I began to feel like part of the MTW family. Between all of the stresses and chaos that came with every week, there was still time for fun, even if it was as small as a celebratory dance in the office.
The first site visit I went on was definitely eye opening and inspiring. Even though the class was tiny, I was still able to see the MTW curriculum in action. I was even able to participate alongside the 9th grade girls, which allowed me to understand how the curriculum worked. At the end of the session, when Greg, the PeaceMover, and the girls were discussing what had just transpired in the past hour, one of the girls commented that it felt really good to choreograph for others and have them listen to you. She also said she should probably listen to her mom more, so her mom could experience the same feeling. DING DING DING DING DING: Empathy in action. This comment, although small, was proof of MTW’s ability to teach empathy.
Although being the only intern in the NYC office was tough at times, it really paid off in the end. Not only was I able to get closer to Katherine and Anya, but I was also able to see firsthand their contributions to MTW and fully understand all that this organization stands for.
All in all, this experience was so much more than I was expecting. I find myself constantly talking about MTW and the need for more empathy in the world. I even wrote a paper on the lack of empathy being at the core of bullying and violence in America. This internship was an incredible learning experience, and I would not have traded it for the world. I can’t wait to see the organization grow even more and look forward to being part of the MTW family for years to come.
Thumpin' Thursday | You Gotta Be
Hey MTDubberz! How has your week been?! We hope it's been great and you're looking forward to an even better weekend! Here's what we've been thumpin' this week! Let us know what you've been playing in the comments!
Des'ree - You Gotta Be
Dario G - Sunchyme
Sublime - Santeria
Mover Monday | A Message for the Summer Interns
Hey MTDubberz! At Move This World, we celebrate all our milestones with movement. Our Spring 2013 interns developed movement to celebrate new followers on our various social media. Here they are showing the movement accompanied with a message for the new Summer 2013 interns! Enjoy!
Give the summer interns something to celebrate! You can follow us on Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, subscribe to us on YouTube, and like us on Facebook! You can also follow this blog by clicking "Join this site" on our sidebar!
Give the summer interns something to celebrate! You can follow us on Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, subscribe to us on YouTube, and like us on Facebook! You can also follow this blog by clicking "Join this site" on our sidebar!
Thumpin' Thursday | Dance with Somebody
Hey MTDubberz! What song have you been thumpin' this week? We hope you had a great week! Today's Thumpin' Thursday features a song picked by the MTW European office! Enjoy!
Don't forget that you can follow this blog by clicking the "Join this site" button on the sidebar! Have a great weekend and don't forget to Move This World!
Mover Monday | Move This World-Pilipinas, Inc. Makes History
Happy Monday, MTDubberz! We hope you had a great Mother's Day weekend! Today's Mover Monday comes from Diana Grace P. Ragandang, one of the pioneer PeaceMovers of Move This World in the Philippines. Prime, the Philippines Director of MTW, says that MTW Philippines is "so fortunate to have her as the big sister of MTW Philippines." Diana writes about MTW Philippines' first international conference in Cagayan! Enjoy!
Nothing is impossible! What’s IMPOSSIBLE? Well, it is truly a corrupted word which means I’M-POSSIBLE! It is the exact adjective for the successful endeavour of the Move This World-Pilipinas, Inc.’s brilliant team on their huge accomplishment for having been able to host their 1st ever International Conference: A Training Workshop on Peace Education and Stress Management last April 22, 23, and 24, 2013 at Capitol University, Cagayan de Oro City, The Philippineswhich was attended by both local and international respected persons.
The 3-day conference was officially launched mid-February of 2013. Invitations where sent everywhere, either via personal visitations or emails. Cost, benefit, and pre-eminence made it difficult to get people to join. But above all, it is never easy to be closing a deal with people known to have high credibility in their chosen professions, especially for individuals who are not familiar with Move This World. It is nerve-rocking yet we are left with the choice of doing it after all. Rejections and disappointment happen, causing everyone to lose enthusiasm. Everyone knows how it feels to be rejected; it hurts, right? It’s easy to feel like a big failure. But despite the the lions in the way, the team worked hard with support from the members and the guidance of their Philippine Country Director, Mr. Primitivo “Prime” Cabanes Ragandang III who always gives words of encouragement and presents good examples. Indeed, teamwork and good camaraderie did help each member work through their given tasks. Working on tasks was easy compared to starting because MTW-Pilipinas uses no other means of resources for all their expenses. They basically rely on their participants payments. They don’t even have any clear idea of how many participants will join aside from those few who already committed or were 100% sure. Just imagine, the dilemma they have every meeting. They said everyone were just assuming about everything to able to come up with good plans, plan A and B. Amazing right?
So on the day of the conference, many participants from different places showed up. The team, who were a little anxious and excited at the same time, started the day as scheduled. It went smooth and the team’s effort paid off. Everyone was really enjoying the conference and gave so much positive feedback. One person commented, “good activity facilitation and superb team management.”
Just imagine, big names or highly respected individuals with different expectations and personalities gathered in one place and all were total strangers to each other. Overwhelming? It is especially for newbies or young professionals, which mostly comprises the MTW-Pilipinas team. This conference made everyone equal. They all enthusiastically participated and cooperated in every activity. The participants’ willingness in moving to promote social change through the art of movement was very commendable. No words can express the team’s gratitude for the success of the conference.
Participants ranged from all walks of life: from managers of online business to deans and owners of schools in Mindanao; also present in the team is a priest from Cebu City, a youth development worker from Bukidnon province, TV personalities, teachers of Cotabato province, a Development advocate from Nepal, and a student from Kyoto, Japan. Speakers include a German national working for peace in Mindanao, local professors, and the awesome live-stream presence of MTW Global team. Also in the delegation are the MTW’s parents in the Philippines: the awesome Southern Christian College delegation.
The team made history. Group effort with good governance, trust, and faith really makes the impossible, possible. Surely without the people who answered the call for invitation; the Capitol University’s generous part for giving the venue; and all the people behind it; they will not make it far. I for one am very proud to be part of the team and be under our Country Director’s supervision. So in behalf of the team and the whole Move This World Philippine team, “Maraming Salamat for Moving with us.”
Thumpin' Thursday | Anywhere Is
Hey MTDubberz! How was your week? What were you thumpin' this week? Here's what we've been playing in our offices! Hope you enjoy!
Horse Feathers - Like Lavender
Fruko y sus Tesos - Los Charcos
Enya - Anywhere Is
ChocQuibTown - Hasta El Techo Remix feat. Buxxi
Cultura Profética - Sin Ti
You can find our playlist on our Spotify here. Don't forget you can follow this blog by clicking the "Join this site" button on our sidebar. And most of all, don't forget to Move This World!
Mover Monday | A Journey to Self-Worth
How were your weekends MTDubberz?! We hope they were great! Today's Mover Monday comes from Courtney Deal, the Social Media Intern this past Spring semester. Enjoy!
I started my internship with Move This World not knowing what to expect. My interview had gone well, and I was really excited to be starting something new. My first semester as a senior at Marymount University had been one of the most stressful times of my life and I was ready to move onto something new to try and something that would be more enjoyable than the first half of the school year. Not only did I get to try something new, but I also ended up having one of the most valuable experiences that I’ve had to date.
I’m not going to lie, when I started as Social Media Intern, I was overwhelmed. There was so much to keep track of and seemingly not enough time. My first few days were rough. I was constantly second-guessing my instincts and myself. I was so afraid to mess up and basically single-handedly take down the entire organization.
However, the MTW team was encouraging and willing to help me learn. The support and love that I received from everyone—including the international team—helped me grow more confident in my ability and assured me that I wasn’t going to destroy everything with one blog post. They made me see that it was okay to fail, as long as you come back stronger than before. And even more than it being okay to fail, it’s also okay to recognize that you’re good at something. I learned that having self-worth wasn’t cocky or arrogant. It’s okay for me to be proud of my accomplishments (and one of those accomplishments include this blog!).
I walk away from this internship being proud of the job that I did and incredibly happy with the connections that I’ve made with people that I admire. The MTW team has taught me so much about myself and the things I can do when I really put my mind to it. I am incredibly grateful for this internship experience and I will take the things I’ve learned from these incredibly inspiring people and apply it for the rest of my life. I will continue to Move This World forever.
Thumpin' Thursday | My Generation
Happy Thursday, MTDubberz! We hope your week has been awesome! Here's what we've been thumpin' in our offices! What have you been playing all week? Let us know in the comments!
Zedd - Clarity (featuring Foxes)
NaS & Damian Marley - My Generation
Bon Iver - Re: Stacks
Gipsy Kings - Volare
Dead Prez - Summer Time
Aaron Carter - Aaron's Party (Come Get It)
Union J - Carry You
Mat Kearney - Ships in the Night
Destiny's Child - Survivor
Don't forget, you can keep up to date on the latest blog posts by clicking the "Join this site" button on our sidebar! Have a great weekend and make sure to Move This World!
Mover Monday | Different Kind of Education
Happy Monday, MTDubberz! Today's post is going to be a short one for all of you on the go! When asked "Why do you Move This World?" here's what Katie McFarland, our U.S. Programs Manager, had to say!
"I move this world because I believe in a different kind of education, where learning is dynamic, participant-centric, and physical!"
"I move this world because I believe in a different kind of education, where learning is dynamic, participant-centric, and physical!"
Why do you Move This World, MTDubberz? What is your perfect educational environment? Leave your answers in the comments! And don't forget, you can be the first to know about blog updates by clicking "Join this site" on our sidebar! Have a great day and a great week!
Thumpin' Thursday | Wonderful Life
Welcome back, MTDubberz! We hope your week has been great and your weekend will continue to be great. Here are the songs we've been thumpin' in the MTW offices around the world. What have you been playing?
Hurts - Wonderful Life
Macaco - Moving
Mando Diao - Dance with Somebody
P!nk - Perfect
Charlie Winston - Like A Hobo
Fischerspooner - Emerge
Mika - Lollipop
Jason Mraz - If It Kills Me
Monsiur Periné - Suin Romanticon
*NSYNC - It Makes Me Ill
Stevie Wonder - Uptight
Rihanna - Diamonds
The Neighbourhood - Sweater Weather
Orito Cantora - No Mas
Beyonce - I Was Here
You can find our playlist on Spotify here! Don't forget that you can keep up to date with our posts by clicking "Join this site" on the sidebar and most importantly, don't forget to Move This World!
Mover Monday | Finding Their Own Movement
Hey MTDubberz! We're back for another Mover Monday! And it's another German one... get psyched. Today's post comes from Pia Brodtrager, a PeaceMover in Europe. Pia recently facilitated a kids' workshop and these are her thoughts! (There's an English translation after the cut for those of you who don't read German)
Obwohl der Workshop kürzer als geplant war, war es wunderschön den Workshop mit den Kindern zu gestalten und sofort zu erkennen wie sie unsere Botschaft erreicht. Die Kinder waren voller Enthusiasmus. Ich habe festgestellt, dass Kinder genau das selbe von mir erwarten was ich von ihnen erfrage. Bei der Endentspannung zum Beispiel war nichts zu machen, bis ich nicht selbst flach am Boden lag. Weiters durfte ich erkennen, dass es mehr bringt auf die Bewegungen der Kinder einzugehen, anstatt ihnen alles vorzumachen. Der Workshop mit den kiddies war interessant und spannend für mich, und ich freue mich schon auf mehr Einheiten mit den Kleinen.
Thumpin' Thursday | Patience
Happy Thursday, MTDubberz! As you all know, this week has been a really difficult one. Hopefully this week's playlist will brighten your day. What are the songs that make your day better every time you listen to them?
Macaco - Moving
Freddie Aguilar - Mindanao
Matt Nathanson - Weight Of It All
Richard Bona - Eyala
Carl Douglas - Kung Fu Fighting
Technotronic - Pump Up The Jam
Glee Cast - Safety Dance
Michael Jackson - Will You Be There
Mover Monday | What does it mean to be different?
Hey MTDubberz! Today's Mover Monday comes from Gwendolyn Kelbly after a session at Brightwood Campus. Gwen's story features responses to the question: "What does it mean to be different?" As always, the kids came up with great answers:
One girl said, "Being different means that you have something that makes you special, and everybody else is special in their own way, and you can be special together."
Another student said, "You can like a person even if they are not the same as you."
Later on, a boy said to me (we all were supposed to jump when we liked one of my questions), "I like red. You don't. Maybe you can start liking red, and I can start liking pink and we can learn about each other."
What makes you different, MTDubberz? Let us know in the comments! And don't forget you can follow the blog by clicking "Join this site" on the sidebar. Thanks for stopping by and reading. Have an awesome week!
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)
