2009 – La scuola
About This Project
In September of 2008 I had a chance to be a “teacher” (will be a good laugh for my former teachers…:-)). At the school where my good friend Roberta worked in Arcugnano, near Vicenza, I got the chance to give a course in Venetian mask making with a teenager class. And in the afternoon I had classes with a dozen of teachers from a Vicenza group of schools, kindergarten, elementary and middle schools, with whom I made an 18th century couple costume. The theme was quickly found: La Scuola! The kids made masks with the subjects and, some weeks before we had the classes, the teachers collected stuff used at school to put on the costumes. I tried my Italian on them, the kids’ English was very useful, and somehow with a lot of fun we created a very special costume.
Then I suggested that it would be a nice idea for the kids to go to Venice for the carnival with the teachers as a group, they all said: “Yes”.
Luckily the principal, the staff and the parents also liked the idea and supported it. So a very big group from Vicenza made its way to Venice for carnival. I was so happy with the teaching, proud of the great masks and costumes the groups made and also very happy that it inspired them all + the parents to have a great event all together. And I was so proud to see the Scuola in the final of the contest, too!
It was a very special experience for me, too. And I am impressed by the Italian schools, teachers and parents to be so open to “extracurricular stuff”.
