Class 4 (Sept 25) Exit Slip

On Thursday, we learned how to make rope. I had so much fun with the process that I couldn’t stop making it throughout class. By the end, I had a rope so long that it would be used as a jump rope! We made the rope with long grass. I was fascinated by how simply twisting the grass in specific ways can turn the thin, fragile strands of grass into something strong enough to hold a person’s weight. I was also surprised by the variety of materials that can be used for rope making: bulrush, waterlily leaves, corn husk, and so many more materials that we can see in our everyday life. 

Looking at the rope I made, I noticed the thickness was very uneven, especially the sections I did while also trying to pay attention to what Susan was sharing. It reminded me of what I learned in EPSE 308 about how multitasking can make work harder and lower our performance in the quality of work. I realized that my rope looked the most even when I was fully immersed in the process, concentrating and enjoying the moment. 

When exploring other types of weaving, I experimented with plain weave using bulrushes, and Elsa tried rope making. I was able to show her how to extend her strands, and she was able to use her past weaving experience to help me finish my piece. I liked how we were able to exchange our knowledge: Susan sharing her knowledge of string making with the class, I passed some of Susan’s knowledge to Elsa, and Elsa sharing her knowledge of weaving with me. Together, we were able to build on each other’s knowledge to create a result that everyone was proud of.

This experience reminded me of teaching. Everyone comes from a different backgrounds, so everyone can add different strengths to the class, and by sharing what we know while learning from others, the classroom can become a more engaging, inclusive, and fun place for everyone.

During sit spots, we walked around with some color swatches to match the color to what is around us. I found out that even though many of the colors were named after natural things, such as creeping vine, buckwheat yellow, oat bran, dew drops, and dark forest green, a lot of them didn’t seem to match the actual tones I saw in nature. They were a lot brighter and vivid in general, so instead, many of them matched with the clothes of my classmates more closely. This really surprised me, and it made me wonder how the colors were named. Overall, I had a lot of fun with this activity! :)