Students in Josh Bachrach’s 8th grade English class recently learned about iteration and the importance of using time, experimentation, and adaptation to open up all kinds of possibilities.

 

In the class, Josh explained how the notion of an iteration started as an idea in mathematics but has gained widespread usage in technology, business, and art. By taking a concept and building upon it, we can create new meaning or add depth to the original. Josh then used different examples of iteration in music, film, literature, and other pop culture references to help students gain a deeper understanding of the iterative process. For example, the ways that William Shakespeare’s original plays have been widely performed, updated, and adapted for film and other media outlets to generate an entirely new outcome.

"I love this assignment because it not only teaches students about an important concept, but it also gives them a chance to gain greater understanding on their own terms,” commented Mr. Bachrach. “They can engage with iterations on a creative or analytical level and really have control over how they interact with the assignment.”

 

Over multiple classes, 8th graders were tasked with creating a presentation about their favorite artistic iteration or creating their own personal iteration. Daphne Leibowitz ’25 used this opportunity to turn a song, Birthday Suit by Cosmo Sheldrake, into a new piece of art, using a timelapse video to demonstrate her iterative process.



"Digital art and music are two of my interests, so combining them for this project was a fun challenge," commented Daphne. "I think the video is an important part of my project because it shows the numerous times I redid a part of my drawing. In a way, it's like I made countless iterations of my iteration before I was satisfied with the result."

 

“Daphne's work was a great example of a student putting her own spin on this in an unexpected and absolutely delightful way,” said Josh.