Arts In Education Residencies

The “TRIUMPH OVER TRAGEDY” Educational Program engaged 8th grade History classes in Middle Schools in North Louisiana involving hundreds of students. This program targeted the “reluctant readers” that are primarily male Middle School students living in rural communities and attending Title I schools where at least 75% of the students are eligible for the federal free lunch program. To engage these students, we produced an interdisciplinary and interactive eight week Arts in Education (AIE) residency program with the goal of moving “reluctant readers” to the role of “community leaders”. We provided the following motivational and educational programs:

THE GRAPES OF WRATH Abridged Edition: Each student participating received a FREE copy of this American Classic by John Steinbeck
Documentary Film: 8^th grade Arts in Education Residency for 7 schools/parishes with regionally renowned filmmaker Patrick Long (FOLK A.R.T. IS…) created a Documentary Film called “Hard Times Do People Good”
Script: 8^th grade Arts in Education Residency for 7 schools/parishes with nationally renowned screenwriter James V. Hart (HOOK, AUGUST RUSH, SAHARA…) produce a play called “Our Daily Bread”
Story writing: 8^th grade Arts in Education Residency for 7 schools/parishes with nationally respected story writer Dee Scallan created a new book called “The Great Depression Children of the Present Answer Whispers from the Past”
Story Circles: 10 week Artists’ Residency led by nationally renowned storyteller Jeannine Pasini Beekman created stories about the events that took place inside 50 important architectural sites during the New Deal Era in North Louisiana in a presentation called “Voices Of Witness: A Storytelling Tribute.”
Dr. Susan Shillinglaw Tour: Dr. Shillinglaw is one of the nation’s foremost – and most interesting – experts on John Steinbeck and is renowned for her ability to interest people of all ages…through her insights, students in the 8^th grade to adults were enthused in getting involved in reading THE GRAPES OF WRATH.
Professor Adrienne Hooker’s “Altered Books”: Professor of Graphic Arts at Louisiana Tech, Adrienne Hooker engaged 8^th grade students in the study and analysis of THE GRAPES OF WRATH by teaching them the elements of the “altered book” or the “comic” book.

Teachers representing schools across 14 Parishes of North Louisiana attended an Orientation and Training on September 1st in Ruston, Louisiana. Each was provided with a Teacher’s Guide and a binder of support materials, along with a Reader’s Guide for “The Grapes Of Wrath.”