[ Originally shared Aug 2016 ]
Beyond Words

It feels like the English language is in a state of flux – emojis popping up in place of words; 140 character limits tossing grammar out the window; initialism sneaking into our messages… LMK if you agree. And what’s up with multiple vowels trend? Seems a little excessive, riiiiight? How many times have you heard a kid say the letters LOL or BTW as if they were actual full-fledged words rather than acronyms. It’s enough to drive a tried-and-true word-lover ‘round the bend. If you’re suffering from FOMO in this ever-changing language landscape, you’re not alone. Sometimes it feels like we’ve fallen into the rabbit hole. There must be something more to all this nonsense – some hidden meaning that we’ve yet to understand. After all, the English language has been evolving for as long as it’s been alive. We can’t blame Twitter or texting for the shrinking communication trend – we’ve been tossing around ASAP, RSVP and OK for as long as we can remember. It’s just happening at a higher velocity. The trifecta of technology-access-immediacy is prompting this generation to communicate beyond words, both online and IRL. 

Imagine how lucky we are to be living in this pivotal moment in the time-space continuum – the world literally in the palm of our hands. The power to galvanize whole nations with a single photograph – or word, or symbol. The power to rework a famous masterpiece, or tear down a hero with a simple meme. The power to discourage or encourage; to build or destroy. How we choose to use this intoxicating communication tool shapes our reality. And somehow we think it all hinges on how early we teach our children to read, write, and navigate the digital terrain. We’re pretty sure there’s more to it than that. Literacy is about how well we read the world. Not just the written world but the spaces between and beyond words – the unspoken, unwritten, unheard, undiscovered, unshared pieces of nature and humanity. Are we giving kids the tools they need to read those worlds? 

What would happen if we unstructured language and communication – if we taught children to scan for new meaning beyond our own beliefs and assumptions. Would we accuse them of butchering ‘our’ language or would we recognize the wisdom of communicating on a more emojional level? If we have the courage to walk beside children on the same path we’ve always taken, we might just discover things we’ve never notice before. We might just discover that when we step back and entrust children with the job of decoding their world, they might just move us beyond words.

​See you at the exhibit!

​Simone and Aviva

[ Originally shared March 2016 ]
Why Moving Parts?

Ever since Material World, we've been thinkin' a lot about things that move. First, Simone moved to a new house and new neighbourhood. Then, our materials moved to a new space when we leased a studio for our growing Cornerstore. At first the magnitude of all this moving escaped us, as we filled our days setting up shop in both places. Meanwhile, we were also developing an Engineer's Toolkit which we new would need to include some moving pieces. And we were engaged in a friendly debate – to glue or not to glue – with an educator in New Jersey – which led to the idea of 'un-gluing' our thinking. As the moving vs. not moving paradox swirled around us, the idea of a Moving Parts exhibit began to take shape.

And then, one freakishly warm Winter day, Aviva and I went for a walk and passed the house where I used to live. We noticed how sad and empty it looked since my family had moved out. When we lived there, it was bursting with energy and activity – kids spilling out the door, bikes zipping up the driveway, friends, family, visiting pets. So what changed? The house, once very much alive and in motion, was now devoid of motion – static, lonely, almost lifeless. That's when we realized the value of moving parts goes well beyond math, science, and engineering. The concept of moving parts goes to the very core of our existence!

Think about it. Toddlers lives are filled with moving parts – they touch, move, and investigate all kinds of interesting stuff, both indoors and out. They're constantly on the move and so are the people around them. Then they get to school. SIT STILL. Don't touch! Don't fidget, don't fiddle, don't poke, don't pull, don't jump, don't climb, don't hang upside down. All the movement that once guided their learning comes to a grinding halt – and with it, their spirit of curiosity, and their ability to think creatively.

So how can we inject life back into our schools, homes and communities? Well, the same way the new owners can breathe life into my old home. Fill them with moving parts! Imagine if we could build shareable libraries of materials that move between classrooms. Or move teachers around so they feel less isolated. We could move kids, too. They're the ultimate moving part! We already know they thrive in the outdoors, in risky play environments, and interactive multi-age settings. Their bodies are built to seek movement. It's how they learn. So let's get past all the stuff that's grinding us to a halt and set our thinking in motion. It's our job to manage, synchronize and remix all the moving parts in our lives – to create balance. Because when we get all the parts moving together, we create the power to move our world.

See you at the exhibit! 
Simone and Aviva