Along the Tapajós - Day 3 - Week 4 (Mark Day School)

Setting the tone for the day, our morning circle was a full one. First, we spent some time talking about what it means to use tools as tools and share them effectively. We laughed together as Anna tried to claim all the drills were hers so she would have one when she needed it, then we corrected Tatian as he played with a tape measure during the circle — the tape measure is a tool, not a fidget, Tatian! Gentle reminders like this help us all stay on track. Next, we heard from Jayson as he showed how to (and how not to) use screws, cross braces and gussets. He did an informative demonstration called “If two screws are good, ten MUST be better!” Ten isn’t better. Everyone laughed with glee as his joint filled with ten screws splintered at the slightest pressure!

After our informative meeting, we got to work in a big way! The boat team finished their first boat, the house team recruited new helpers and started making major progress on the (well braced) dock sections, house walls, slide and ladder. It felt like a well oiled machine, and tinkerers seemed to feel that way too. At the end of the day we had lots of examples of trying harder than usual. One tinkerer said “last time I tried this I thought I tried hard before I gave up and asked an adult for help, but today I decided to try a little harder and I did it myself.”

Tomorrow we do it again!