Dodge Grant Schools to Work in Conjunction with Smithsonian Learning Lab Team on a New Grant Project

This year the four Geraldine R. Dodge-funded Arts Integration schools in Paterson have also received a grant from the Smithsonian Learning Lab.

A team of William Paterson University (WP) and Rutgers University have begun meeting with a team from the Smithsonian Learning Lab and with faculty and staff from WP before the 2020-2021 school year gets underway to plan the scope and implementation of this project. Future meetings will include administrators and/or teachers from the Paterson Schools. 

This new grant funding aims to increase awareness of the Asian Pacific countries and their cultures.  The focus will include: social and emotional learning, cultural diversity, arts integration and culturally responsive teaching pedagogy.

Stay tuned as this for coming developments!

WP Online Arts Integration Workshops 2020

This week, several online Arts Integration Workshops were offered to Paterson Public School and neighboring teachers in all grades/content areas.  Funded by the Dodge Grant for Arts Integration, the WP COE served over 60 teachers using Zoom and other educational technology.  Art PIR'S Triada Samaras and Simone Sandler presented four Arts Integration Workshops for the teachers over two days.  

Below are images from one online workshop entitled: "Revisiting The Artist Workshop" presented by WP Art PIR Simone Sandler. Teachers worked on artworks at home while they attended the workshop online.  Simone Sandler captured images of artworks created by the teachers who later presented their drawings to others on Zoom.

The examples below are taken from the online workshop, "Storytelling, Literacy, and Making Books, presented by WP Art PIR Triada Samaras.  Professor Samaras used an interactive Padlet for this workshop. On Padlet, teachers first learned about making "Squash/Explosion" books using the solar system as inspiration. Next, teachers sent in comments, photos, and videos of their ideas and artworks to the Padlet using its interactive and collaborative technology features. 

Below is the Padlet created by Professor Samaras featured in her workshops. The "Squash/Explosion Book" bookmaking activity was done live in Don Bosco Technical Academy and School 21 in March of this year with both teachers and students participating in this Art Integration lesson. See LINK and LINK