That’s Not Drippy Droppy!

At our second meeting, before snack, we always play our Face Game.

For those of you who haven’t seen this yet, we have cards with all of the children’s names and faces, as well as the faces of other important people in our community, such as Nancy and Emily, our museum liaison. As we meet new people in our community, we may add a picture of their face into our Face Game, fostering a sense of familiarity and belonging as members of the larger community at deCordova

We have also added the faces of several sculptures around the park.

The work by Aaron Curry, BLUBAT, UGLY MESS and HOMEWRECKER (2013), located to the left as you drive in to deCordova, has intrigued the children.  

UGLY MESS Curry
HOMEWRECKER, Curry
BLUBAT, 2013

Pictures of both Blubat and Ugly Mess are included in our game.

We, as teachers in Studio Blue, typically do not name the sculptures. We are more interested in what the children have to say about the art as they experience it.

One day, Luca shared with us that he calls this sculpture “Drippy Droppy” and quickly, all of the children latched onto this name, everyone lovingly referring to this as Drippy Droppy. 

This week, something interesting happened while playing this game…

When this card is held up, somebody shouts out, 

“Drippy droppy!”

Amelia: No drippy droppy…that’s not drippy droppy.

That’s not drippy droppy, you think Amelia?

Travers: Yea it is!

Amelia: No!

Travers: Yea it is!

Many children join in, shouting out yes!or no!

It gets very loud with lots of children expressing their opinions.

Amelia thinks it’s not so let’s have a conversation and find out why, because we all have our own idea and that’s okay. So let’s have a discussion about it. When everyone is talking at once, I can’t hear what you’re saying. We are going to share our ideas but we have to do it one at a time. Let’s hear Amelia first.

Amelia, you think this is not drippy droppy…do you want to tell us why?

Amelia: Because the other one is drippy droppy.

Are you thinking about the other one? (Ugly Mess, Curry) 

 

Amelia: Yea.

Ruthie: The yellow one?

Amelia: Yea, with the water dripping down.

You think that one is drippy droppy?

Amelia: It is.

Travers: No Luca telled drippy droppy duloooo….fall down the statue.

Caroline: If you would hang on it…

Thomas: Sculptures don’t move…sculptures don’t fall….sculptures don’t move.

Is this drippy droppy to you, Thomas?

Thomas: Nope.

Caroline: That is not drippy droppy.

Kaya: That is drippy droppy.

Thomas: No it’s not.

Travers: Yea it is.

Ah, so some people think it is and some people think it’s not. Ruthie, do you want to say something? Is this drippy droppy?

Ruthie: Yea.

Travers?

Travers: Yes. It is drippy droppy.

Thomas: No, the yellow one is drippy droppy…that goes drrooodooodoodoodoo.

Travers: No, the other one is drippy droppy.

Thomas: The yellow one is drippy droppy.

So you guys disagree

Caroline: No!

Cal: It’s not drippy droppy.

We go around to each child, asking if they would like to add something to our discussion. Once all of the children have been offered a turn to speak, we move on with our game. 

Will the children bring this up again?

Will some children continue to agree and some children disagree? 

Is that even ok? 

Can we both be right? 

Will the children remember this experience the next time a disagreement occurs? 

While disagreements have occurred between two or three children before, this is the first time that something like this has happened with everyone together at meeting time. We are curious what will happen next…