If
it looks like a pile, it is because it is a pile. Actually, it's a pile of technological literacies for the 21st century.
All the
supplies for the 2014-2015 LRNG Innovation Challenge Award granted to
Connecticut Writing Project-Fairfield have finally arrived and yesterday I
spent the day organizing the teacher tools to be delivered to the six
high school teachers who applied for the grant: copies of Matt de
la Peña's We Were Here, digital recording
devices, wireless mics, USB drives, IPad audio
systems, etc. The project will involve Darien, Joel Barlow, Central, Staples, Global Studies at Brien McMahon, and Bassick High Schools (and over 150 Connecticut youth).
The teachers have been working with students on composing
pieces to celebrate student voice. The goal is to provide a platform for them to tell their
story, share their concerns, and make their case about
being a teenager in Connecticut. They, too, have something to contribute because they, too, are here!
In a month Robert Galinsky will lend his
expertise to two of the schools and in less than two weeks, several of our teacher leaders will
congregate at Joel Barlow High School to learn of their exceptional portfolio
program and support of student writers.
I always feel like Santa Claus putting gifts together for
teachers such as this - unusual locations where I am able to invest
in the excellence of Connecticut teachers under the umbrella of the National WritingProject. Today, I will drive the 90 miles to reach the teachers at varying
schools so that they have the supplies they need to support the young people they believe in.
A fourteen-hour day doesn't seem exhausting when a majority of
it is spent carrying forth the creativity and vision of investing 'out of
the box' thinking with students and teachers in southern Connecticut. It's a win-win scenario for all and I hope the LRNG Innovation Challenge Awards become a national model for investors wanting to push against the current state of
instruction in our schools. There's so much tremendous work that can be
done when classroom teachers are given permission to be the intelligent, professional individuals they were trained to be.
Go, Us!
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