Interdisciplinary EmPOWERment
Dr Farriba Schulz (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)
Following the concepts of identity formation (Piaget 1972), transformative learning Mezirow 2000, Illeris 2014, Cranton 2016) and Dewey’s concept of learning (2009), Seen & Heard offers primary students in Berlin the opportunity to gain aesthetic experiences with different art forms and media. Beyond that it opens up the classroom to recognizing and negotiating different concepts of identity and reality, with a practice that Paulo Freire defines as ‘‘reflection and action upon the world in order to transform it’’ (2000: 51). Children as producers and co-producers of social discourses (2016) can thus be integrated in a dialogue-oriented manner (Darder et al. 2009) in order to place them at the center as ‘politics of voice’ (Darder et al. 2003). And as the project focuses in particular on the aspect of ‘freedom of expression’ we opt for giving young people the opportunity to raise their voices with creative forms of protest anchored in children’s and youth culture.
In many other projects with students and pupils, I have already experienced how central aesthetic experience is for those kind of learning processes (vgl. Schulz 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2023). Participating in projects that place art at the center myself I always welcome those kind of learning experiences. And we seized this opportunity with great pleasure at our first transnational meeting in Berlin and opted for several of those learning experiences. Implemented by our different guests and institutional partners, be it in the museum, theatre or at the university, we encountered different art forms and familiarized ourselves with various strategies in order to help children to be Seen and Heard.
It is precisely the diversity of the project partners, from different countries (Malta, Poland, Germany, UK) and with different professional perspectives (as researchers, as activists, as educators, and artists), that unites so much strength in its interdisciplinary composition. Our network also ensures that we master the challenges of such a complex project with flying colors and will continue to do so in the future. As the project aims to respect and promote the self-determination and participation skills of children and young people, implementing performative interactions between productive and reflective experiences (Karlsen/Haeggstroem 2020) is key. Realizing this project in Berlin we are supported by great experts.
Co-operating with the Fichtelgebirge Grundschule and Wedding Schule, both responsible teachers and contacts at this school, Bojka Bogdanovic and Angelika Maier, are their own advocates of children’s rights, every day. GRIPS Theater, at Hansaplatz, is one of our institutional partners. GRIPS is not just an innovative theatre for children and young people that has stimulated critical thinking beyond Berlin and Germany. It is a piece of (West) Berlin cultural history and the founder of emancipatory theatre for children and young people. Anna-Sophia Fritsche is our contact person here. Together with Fabian Schrader, who himself has a lot of experience with emancipatory educational work and process support, they are in charge of the theatre pedagogy. Like the Grips Theater, The Hamburger Bahnhof– Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart is an important cultural partner in mobilizing young people’s engagement in creative protest through a comprehensive collection of contemporary art focusing key global issues in Berlin, where Claudia Ehgartner is responsible for art education and in this project. Tanasgol Sabbagh @tanasgold is a Berlin based poet and performer, co-founder of the artists’ collective @parallelgesellschaft, and will represent the art of spoken word in this project. Last but not least, in Uli Decker @ulllises, founder of ulises films, camera woman, filmmaker, and board member of Pro Quote Film @proquotefilm we have a strong partner at our side.
With partners like we are, Berlin-wide but also internationally, I am sure that this project will not only draw attention to children’s rights, but will also expand and deepen the existing network and allow us all to grow together.
