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June 12, 2011 FACES OF YOUTH
DRAW A LINE How many of us who live in XXI century can proudly say that we have done something significant if not for the country or society then for ourselves? Unfortunately not many. Maybe we don’t look inside of ourselves, don’t give attention to our feelings anymore. Maybe we have forgotten how to see and understand what tell us the faces of the people around us and our own. Sometimes we can not answer to these questions because of faint-heartedness, false uneasiness, remorse and just lack of time. Mark Scheflen, artist, anthropologist, traveler, wise and patient teacher, helped our students to clear their mind of doubts, go against the monotonous flow of time and answer to the topical issues while looking at their faces. Herzen University students first participated in Mark Scheflen’s project “Faces of Youth” in December 2010. Students had to interpret the world around and express their point of view on vital problems of modern world through the masks they made by themselves. That made this project really special. Students made photo diaries and video films about their lives. The integral part of the project was dance therapy which helped participants not only to express their feelings and emotions, but also feel subtle moves of partner’s soul. We have to admit that at first time many students were rather skeptical about the project, especially its dance part. But little by little they became more and more relaxed and immersed into the new circumstances. Every new meeting and discussion of various issues had philosophical background and participants showed sincere interest in it. New phase of the project’s evolution were Skype conferences with Kenyan and New York students. These conferences are going on to the present time and students discuss their vital issues with each other. Medicine, education, social security of teenagers in different countries - these are the main issues which participants have discussed. And there are many essential issues onwards. THE CASE Our students are preparing to the new meeting with American and Kenyan students responsibly because they have a chance not only practice their English but also to transmit their ideas to other people. All materials of the mutual meetings and masks’ photos will be integrated in the book which will be not only visible result of students’ work but also object of art because of its illustrations and cover which are made in single copy. New experience of working with wayward children as part of the project “Faces of Youth” was especially valuable and highly-emotional for both students and teachers. Three meetings in Center of Social Protection and Psychological Aid of Vyborgsky District deeply affected all the participants and made all to have a different look on the problem of children’s and teenagers’ social estrangement. The difficult moment was simultaneous interpretation from English to Russian and vice versa, but our students perfectly dealt with it. The project is being implemented on the base of Linguistic Center under the supervision of teachers of English department for Natural Sciences faculties. Students of Physics, Chemistry and Social Sciences faculties are actively participating in this project and students of other faculties are looking forward for new meetings. N. Madorskaya, Professor of English language department for Natural Sciences faculties; |