My family and I are recently back from a trip to Orlando. A theme park trip is definitely a trip, and not a vacation. But we had an amazing time. Four theme parks and beach days on both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, all in seven days—whew! But what an amazing experience for us.
I have been thinking a lot about Disney, and the way the House of the Mouse creates magical experiences. You might think that I’m going to advocate for a theme-park inspired teaching practice, or an overwhelming, magical pedagogy. (Honestly, that was my first go as I was writing this!) But that’s not where I’m headed.
Instead, my Disney trip got me thinking about immersion in a world of imagination, and the opportunities we have as educators to do something like this.
I am a huge Star Wars nerd. So when we visited Galaxy’s Edge in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, I was absolutely in my element. For Star Wars fans, the immersive nature of that whole corner of the park is incredibly delightful. Forgive me for a photo dump, but if you’ve never been, this might give you a glimpse into what it’s like…
It was such an immersive experience, and that is a testimony to the millions of small details that the Disney Imagineers put into designing and implementing Galaxy’s Edge. From the rides, to the costuming, to the “lived-in” feeling of the buildings, streets, and shops, to the blue milk you can get (which is delicious, by the way)…the whole thing is designed to make you feel like you aren’t quite on Earth anymore. Even the little things like the cashiers giving you a receipt and saying, “Don’t forget your cargo manifest to keep track of your credits”…the whole thing is an exercise in imagination and immersion.
I would like to make some kind of “you should pay attention to the millions of small details in your teaching practice” comment, but that misses the point.
The real point, for me, is that I came away with a feeling of delight, joy, and magic. And it wasn’t any one particular thing that made it feel that way. It was the sum total—the experience of my immersion in this imaginary world.
That’s my encouragement that I want to carry with me and make application to my own teaching practice this fall: how does my classroom feel? What is the sum total? Will students have the opportunity to experience delight, joy, and something “magical” that will capture their imagination, and help them see a different world?
I hope so. Because that’s the opportunity we have as educators: expanding our students’ imagination, and helping them see the world a little differently!
Dave’s Faves
Here are three things I’m absolutely loving right now that I hope you might love too…
Dave’s Fave #1: The National Parks
Okay, while I love visiting national parks, I’m actually thinking about the band The National Parks, and not Yosemite, Olympic, Badlands, etc. :-) The quartet known as The National Parks have been around for a decade or so, but I really only learned about them in the past year or so in my acoustic folk-rock explorations. They have fast become one of my favorites. Their music makes me feel like going out and taking a hike to take in a beautiful vista! Guitar, fiddle, tight vocal harmonies, great musicianship, poetic lyrics…they have it all.
I recommend starting with their 2013 album, Young. The song “Wind & Anchor” is a favorite for me! Give ‘em a listen; I’d love to hear what you think too.
Dave’s Fave #2: The Rocketeer
Last week was Dordt Discovery Days, our annual summer camp for middle schoolers. The past 5 years or so I’ve taught a class called “Movie Date” (yeah, that’s a little tongue-in-cheek) which is all about learning how filmmakers are manipulating us, but in the best way. We explore how different kinds of shots help tell the story visually, how music and sound effects matter for creating a mood, how editing impacts the “feel” of a film, some of the conventions for different genres, and even a bit of the history of film.
We also watch and critique several films. I try to choose films that are high-interest for young adolescents, but also films that they probably haven’t seen before. One of my favorites to show them is an “old” Disney film (okay, it's from the early 1990s…so it’s pretty old, I guess) called The Rocketeer. It’s a straight-up action/adventure film set in the 1930’s. It tells the story of an impetuous test pilot who comes across a prototype jetpack created by real-life aviation pioneer, Howard Hughes. Soon he is being chased by the mob, the FBI, and a group of actual Nazis, all trying to get their hands on this amazing device. It’s a swashbuckler with a PG love story, tons of action, fun special effects, and a couple of great surprises. The middle schoolers generally love it…and I think you will too. It’s streaming on Disney+, and I encourage you to give it a whirl!
Dave’s Fave #3: Representative Jeff Jackson
I have an Instagram account to recommend to you all: U.S. Congressman, Jeff Jackson, of North Carolina. He does not represent me, but I deeply respect him and his approach to representing his constituents. He uses his Instagram account very effectively to communicate directly with voters and explain the nuance behind the issues without devolving into partisan posturing. How refreshing to see a politician who seems far more intent on the actual work of lawmaking as opposed to political theater! Here’s an example of one of his videos:
I don’t know him at all, but he seems to be the real deal: honest, hardworking, thoughtful, principled, and a bridge-builder. You can follow him at @jeffjacksonnc. If you’re exhausted by the political theater that is so prevalent on so much of social media, I think you’ll find him to be a breath of fresh air.
The Last Word!
A final thought about my immersive experience at Disney…
This isn’t high-minded or anything. It’s just an encouragement to be a geek, because EVERYONE is a geek about something.
And what that looks like for me? Well, I’ll just say that having the chance to meet Din Djarin and Grogu in person was one of the most exciting things that has happened to me. (Waving my geek flag proudly here, because the magic doesn’t always have to be subtle!)