"Speak to Us of Houses" at Al-Bustan Virtual Camp 2020
Speak to Us of Houses -- حدثنا عن البيوتY
our house is your larger body.
It grows in the sun and sleeps in the stillness of night; and it is not dreamless. Does not your house dream? And dreaming, leave the city for a grove or hill-top? —Kahlil Gibranإن بيتك هو جسدك الأكبرينمو في حرارةالشمس وينام في سكينة الليل وكثيرا ترافق نومه الأحلام أفلا يحلم بيتك وهل يترك الحلم المدينة ويسير إلى الغابة أم إلى رأس التلة؟ -- جبران خليل جبران
In his most famous work The Prophet, Lebanese poet/artist Kahlil Gibran wrote “Speak to us of Houses...” — inviting us to consider our homes in all of their complexity and meanings.
This summer, Al-Bustan Camp embraces all things “bayt” or “home.” Arabic instruction will focus on the common objects, relationships, daily activities, and themes within the home. Visual art, music, and storytelling sessions will invite campers to explore their relationships with home and create new artworks, rhythms, and stories that build on these insights and tie into their Arabic instruction.
Al-Bustan's flagship program running every summer since 2002, provides a fun, welcoming, and enriching environment that brings together campers, artists, educators, and families, while fostering curiosity andcreativity. In light of the coronavirus pandemic, our team has made the decision to hold our camp virtually this summer. While this is an unprecedented change to the way we offer camp, we’re excited about the possibilities an online camp holds--including more opportunities for self-directed and project-based learning, individualized Arabic instruction, and connecting with Arabic-speaking peers in Palestine. We’ve enlisted a terrific group of educators and artists to realize our vision of engaging youth with Arab arts and culture through a variety of activities, including music, visual art, storytelling, and the Arabic language.*
1st Session (7 days) : July 10 to 20, 2020
Divided into Two Groups: Group 1 for 4th to 6th graders | Group 2 for 7th to 9th graders
Friday July 10: Morning meet & greet, orientation, and supplies pick-up at outdoor location in West Philly (for those who cannot attend, we will mail a supplies packet)
Monday-Friday July 13-17: 10am - 4pm with a mix of live instruction and off-screen learning (not consecutive hours of screen time)
Monday July 20: 10am - 2pm with wrap-up and culminating projects
2nd Session (7 days) : July 24 - August 3, 2020 —cancelled
Note: We have decided to merge this age group with the 1st session
Daily camp schedule includes:
Camp Schedule
Live Arabic Instruction: In groups of no more than ten, campers will receive live Arabic instruction, with additional time for paired instruction for those who want more Arabic learning.
Live Cross-Cultural Exchange: In small groups of two or three, campers will engage in live cross-cultural exchange with Arabic-speaking peers at Ramallah Friends School in Palestine.
Live Art Instruction:Campers will receive live art instruction, then log off to make art on their own at home and log back on to share their work.
Mix of Pre-Recorded and Live Percussion & Storytelling: Because teaching music live over video has its limitations and storytelling is better taught through collaborative and independent work, we will provide a mix of pre-recorded and live instruction.
Off-screen Learning: We will mix live instruction with off-screen learning. Campers will be given directions and materials to practice music, storytelling, Arabic, and make art at home. We feel it is important for campers' well-being to have a mix of self-directed, off-screen learning and teacher-led, on-screen learning.
Hafez Kotain: Percussion
Nashid Ali: Storytelling
Lisa Volta:Visual Art
Moez Ben Mansour: Arabic
Madeline Conley: Camp Coordinator
plus Counselors
Camp Fee: $150/session | Need-based scholarships available, please contact us.
*Please Note:
We decided to not offer virtual camp for K to 3rd graders. While we will very much miss working with this age group, we believe that a virtual camp asks too much of our youngest campers and their parents in terms of self-motivation and technological know-how.