Maria A. Ceprano & Nancy A. ChicolaBuffalo State College

…things gain meaning by being used in a shared experience or joint action

John Dewey, 1916

Impact on Children Writing messages as a regular part of children’s

lives Providing authentic opportunities for written

communication Creating intrinsic motivation for writing

Impact on Teacher Candidates Focus on aspects of the writing process Genuine assessment of children’s writing needs Awareness of individual differences

Impact on Mentoring Teachers Extends and refines writing workshop model Supports meeting individual differences Creates a productive learning environment

Focus on reading and writingChildren’s literature connectionHolistic content

Contributes to long-lasting appreciation of books and reading

Promotes reading and literature conversation

Provides a common bond

Learning connection 21st Century skills Habits of mind Emotional connector

Connecting to the arts Creating and participating Knowing and using arts materials Analyzing works of arts Understanding cultural connections

Connecting to Socio-cultural experiencesDeveloping an awareness of similarities and

differencesUnderstanding diverse practices and

perceptions

The Setting Enterprise Charterhttp://enterprisecharter.org/ High Poverty/Urbanhttp://www.ci.buffalo.ny.us/

Participants 5th & 6th grade children identified at-risk Graduate-level teacher candidates

Methodology Assignment

Letter exchange Modeling Common literature prompt Conversation about art

Action Research Questions Design project Presentation

Going beyond the “sloppy copy”

Focusing on Visual Artshttp://www.bryancollier.com/

Making Cross-cultural connections

Addressing cognitive dissonance

Improving Writing Instruction and Performance

Developing Responsive Literacy

Making Artful Connections

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Art is a shadow of what a person is thinking... a small glimpse of what they hold inside. Little secrets, regrets, joys... every line has its own meaning. ~Sarah, Los Cerros Middle School, 1999