Zoomhaven


Due to rising COVID rates we have gone back to being fully virtual on our Zoom platform until cases go back down. Even when we were operating under our hybrid model, I had been on Zoom a lot, doing 4 out of the 5 “Good Morning Fairhaven” sessions per week along with some Virtual Kid Nooks, Doodle Brunches, Reading, and Art History. There are many reasons I enjoy the platform, such as meeting students’ pets and even their visiting family members, drawing together on the Zoom whiteboard option and creating stories together, playing games and watching others play games (I’ve learned a lot more about Minecraft in the past few months than in the last 7 years on campus), and mostly getting to know some students that I otherwise might have just had more casual conversations with.

Here are some things I’ve had the privilege to be a part of on “Zoomhaven” so far this year:

Doodle Brunch

 

In the virtual Kid Nook, sometimes we play word games like on the chalkboard in the brick and mortar Kid Nook. Sometimes the students help each other with their spelling.

 

In Reading we’ve been sharing books, sounding out rhyming words on the whiteboard, and drawing pictures (their favorite part).

 

This is Pipsqueek, we designed him a house.

 

Students sometimes share their screens with us, here one of them is showing us the video game world they created.

 

On nice days sometimes people hang out on Zoom in their backyards!

 

One student comes to Doodle Brunch most days that it happens, every time they draw Gigantic Levitating Bob and his tales of destruction. On this day we met his arch enemy, Shape Shifting Joe with his jar of elements (top middle of the picture). Bob needed some help with this one so Sunny Jim came, followed by Tornado Fred and Cloudy Mike. As I remember, shortly after this screen shot was taken Sunny Jim Jr. arrived.

 

A student got a new 3D pen and asked for suggestions on what to make with it. Another student suggested Shrek (it’s still a WIP, but you can see the finished pieces they were able to create by the end of the session) which led to a lengthy discussion about Shrek and the election. We decided he should run for president next time and we even came up with a platform and slogan for him!

This is in addition to all sorts of other sessions held throughout the week that other students and staff are a part of, including group discussions on history, philosophy, creative writing, and so much more. Since we have switched back to being fully virtual for the time being, things like Nurture Nature (environmentalism) have sprouted on the schedule, as well as almost daily gaming sessions of all sorts, DJ dance parties and collaborative science projects, among other fun things! The Theatre Corp is recording a radio drama of Frankenstein, the Willowstone group is recording a podcast, and our various committees continue to meet throughout the week, conducting the business of the school.

 

Beth Williams

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