On August 26th, and 27th, Renee Watson, author, actress, and teaching artist for Community Word Project, led a a series of workshops with the theme, Talking Back to the World: Empowering Students to Define Themselves through Writing and Visual Art.
High points of the training were a dramatization of The Emotional Bus (have you ridden on it before?) and a revision lesson using music from the Fugees. The WITS orientation is designed to inspire and prepare WITS writers for the new school year.
Community Word Mural by 7th graders at PS/MS 279, Bronx
Each Writers in the Schools (WITS) program is unique. Community Word Project in New York City is a great example. All of the WITS programs do culminating events to celebrate what students have learned over the past year. Community Word is the only group to transalate the groups writing into art. Here is one example of a community mural. It was written and created by 7th grade students at PS/MS 279 in the Bronx. Community Word is led by the Founding Director, Michele Kotler.
