Heroic Pokémon
Every Pokémon has special powers that help them win battles and evolve into their future self! You could say that Pokémon have gifts and talents that they share with the world just like heroes, just like our Acton learners.
As we planned our January Pokémon camp we kept realizing the hero’s journey parallel. So, naturally Pokémon camp developed into Pokémon/Hero camp. Learners dived deeper into the hero’s journey process full of mentors (trainers), fellow travelers (fellow Pokémon), challenges (team Rocket), and the journey home as a changed hero (evolved Pokémon). Every Pokémon is on a hero’s journey and as they grow and change Pokémon evolve much like the journey of growing up. One way to discover who you want to be is to look to history, so in tandem we explored Pokémon and historical heroes. What obstacles did they have to overcome? What gifts and passions did a Pokémon/hero develop that made them great? How did they evolve into someone we now remember? These were just a few of the questions Guides asked on our two week journey.
As learners practiced and battled with Pokémon trading cards we realized that just like Pokémon, heroes need cards too and so the finale of camp included the creation of the Acton Hero Trading Card deck! Included are historical heroes (Rosa Parks, Mahatma Gandhi, Maria Montessori), Acton Guides (Dr. Sharon), and learners (Sophia, Andrew). Every card represents a hero with unique character traits that equal HP, hero points. The best part of the deck is learner cards because learners have evolution stages! Baby (Basic)—Child (Stage 1) —Teen (Stage 2) —Adult (Stage 3). We had great fun using filters to change learners into a baby, teen, and gray haired adult but the best part of the experience was learners sharing the traits that make them special and their imagination for who they wish to become.
The interest in Pokémon has been a connector for heroes, math, reading, and character qualities. Learners weaved all these components together when asked to reflect on their camp evolution. “I’m evolving in my math, I thought it was really hard but it’s easy and now math is my passion!” “Cards are fun to read, and my reading is evolving” “I’m a better listener, I want to be responsible so I can be someone my team can count on”
As a parent how are you evolving, how are you a heroic Pokémon?