FOLKWRITING FINAL REPORT

GEORGIA HUMANITIES COUNCIL GRANT 2000-013G

Original Project Title            Connecting Homes, Schools, and Communities: A Collaborative

Teacher Enrichment Project Using Folklife and Writing

Grantee                  Valdosta State  University

Project Director            Name             Diane W. Howard

Address                     Valdosta State  University

                                    1500 North Patterson Street

                                    Valdosta, Georgia 31698

Approved Budget                                                GHC Grant $12,210.00                         

Project Summary

“The inclusion of folklife studies in the curriculum is important, not only to help students appreciate the importance of previous societies and cultures, but also to help them recognize the relevance of their culture.  Integrating folklife into the curriculum is a perfect opportunity to take a more interdisciplinary approach to education.  The students will learn to draw connections, better understand the incredibly diverse nature of society, and gain a better “sense of place.” This “sense of place” seems to be eluding many of the students of today’s generation, and is leading to a lack of identity. The stronger a young person’s identity becomes, the more responsibly that person will function in society” J.M. Chamberlain, Traditions and Treasures: Kentucky Folklife, 1999

This pilot project was a collaboration between the South Georgia Writing Project, the South Georgia Folklife Project (both housed at Valdosta State University),  and the Cook County Public School System to enhance writing skills across levels using the humanities discipline of folklife as the subject matter. The project created a  teacher-tested, self-contained teaching unit, in workbook format with web-based technology links, which was piloted in Cook County during Fall term 2001.  The workbook was developed for elementary, middle school, and high school levels and serves as a model for a multi-genre folklife writing  curriculum, especially designed for (rural) Georgia educators,  which links  the school with community folklife and a sense of place. At the end of the grant period, participating students in Cook County planned and presented a“Celebrating Cook County” event for the community which showcased their work. 

AUDIENCE INFORMATION

1. Total number in attendance at all session                                                      5,819

If the figure above represents a cumulative total in which one person may be counted several

times, please estimate as accurately as possible the actual number of individuals who attended

 the program, and rewrite here.                                                                                      4,819

September 2001 Adel Kiwanis Club lunch. (19 attendance)

October 2001 Cook County Exchange Club Fair. (200 attendance)

November 2001NCTE Conference Demonstrations. (52 attendance)

November 2001NWP Rural Sites Network Demonstrations. (7 attendance

November 2001 Exhibit Lean-Ox Festival a record crowd of “as many as 5,000 folk.”  (5,000 attendance)

January 2002 “Celebrating Cook County” Presentation (500 attendance)

February 2002 Georgia Council of Teachers Conference Presentations. (41 attendance)

1. Estimate the audience profile with reference to sex, age, ethic representation and educational level.

SEX                        EDUCATIONAL LEVEL

            Male        40%                                           Elementary                   35%

            Female     60%                                          High School                  50%

                      AGE                                                  College                          10%                                                

            Under 12      35%                                      Graduate Work                2%

            12 – 18         25%                                     Professional/Tech            8%

                                                                                  Training

            18 – 25           5%

            25 – 35          10%                                     ETHINIC REPRESENTATION

            35 –55           20%                                     Causian                           55%

            55 & up            5%                                    African/Amer.                 40%

                                                                                 Latino                               4%                                                                                                                                                         

                                                                                 Asian                                1%

1. Was the audience primarily made up of representatives of any specialized type of group, such as clubs, civic organizations, professional associations?

Most of those who attended the events were adults in Cook County who had children or grandchildren in the schools.  Many teachers and administrators attended the events.

1. Briefly evaluate the project’s success in reaching its target audience. Include your observations concerning reasons for the success or failure.

The folklorist and the project director were disappointed more teachers did not step forth and pilot the lesson plans that the six teachers wrote in Summer 2001.  However, having spent several days a week in the schools September through December, the project director became aware of the workload and difficulties facing the classroom teachers.  The September 11 events added to the troubled atmosphere in many of the classrooms. 

PUBLICITY

1. How were the media (newspapers, TV and radio) involved in the promotion of the program?  If so, how?  Which stations/networks and/or publications were used?

The local newspaper, The Adel News Tribute, was supportive of the project.  The editor, Ann Knight, and the project director have become friends as a result of the project.  The Valdosta Daily Times also published several stories.  (See attached news articles.)

2. How did you inform your local elected representatives (federal and state) of your program?  Please attach copies of letters sent.

The project director phoned the offices of the Cook County officials and told them about the project.  She was invited to attend two local events where local and state elected officials were honored guests.  At this events the project director shared the work and progress of the project with the officials.   See attached 10 January 2002 letter to “Friends” also.  This letter was mailed to local and state representatives.

EVALUATIVE NARRATIVE

The project was proposed in order to enhance writing skills across levels using the humanities discipline of folklife as the subject matter.  Since folklife is an instructional tool that can be used at any grade level and with all types of learners, the project was well-received and easy to “sell” to the administrators, teachers, students, and members of the community.  In addition, as Georgia becomes increasingly diverse, the folklife subject provides a vehicle for developing local multi-cultural resources that reflect the traditions of all members of the community, which it did.

The development of a model for a multi-genre folklife writing curriculum, especially designed for Georgia educators,  proved to be challenging yet rewarding.  This model links the school with community folklife and a sense of place.  Making the model easy-to-use and tailoring it to Georgia materials, resources, and quality core curriculum proved to be very time-consuming.

               Program Events and Sessions:

1. February 24, 2001—Laurie Sommers, South Georgia Folklife Director, and Bobbie Warren, South Georgia Writing Project Co-Director, lead a 6-hour workshop--“What Is Folklife and How Can It Be the Subject in a Writing Classroom”-- for the Folkwriting Project team of 7 teachers. 
2. February-May—Diane Howard, with the help of Linda Meadows (local teacher and historian), Bobbie Warren, and Laurie Sommers, compiled a list of local resources—people, places, and events—for the teachers in consider in the lesson plans.
3. April 21, 2001—Sandra Worsham, 1992 Georgia’s Teacher of the Year. 1992 Milken National Educator Awardee, and  1999 Georgia’s inductee into the Teacher Hall of Fame, lead a 6-hours workshop for team of 7 teachers and 3 VSU faculty.
4. June 16, 2001—Diane Howard lead a 6-hour workshop, introducing the format for the lesson plans and models for lesson plans.  Templates of the lesson plan units were given to the team member—6 teachers and 1 VSU faculty.
5. July 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, 2001—Advanced Summer Institute was lead by Laurie Sommers and Diane Howard.  Sommers gave demonstrations for team (6 teachers) to begin fieldwork.  Howard directed the writing of the lesson plans.
6. July 27, 30, and 31, 2001—Diane Howard assembled the first draft of the lesson plan book and worked with the university print shop to print the books.
7. August 8, 2001—Teachers were given lesson plan books.  Teachers recruited and trained 6 other teachers in their schools to pilot some of the lesson plans.
8. September 2001—Diane Howard was the guest speaker at the Adel Kiwanis Club lunch with 19 community leaders present. (19 attendance)
9. September-October, 2001—review of lesson plan book by three outside sources; revision of lesson plans by teachers.
10. October 2001—Four Cook County Exchange Club Fair exhibits displayed by 1) 37 Elementary School students—first place, 2) 112 Middle School students—third place, 3) 28 High School Students—second place, 4) 2 VSU Faculty Team members.  Exhibits viewed by several hundred parents and community members. (200 attendance)
11. November 2001—NCTE Conference Presentations in Baltimore, MD, led by 2 teachers and 2 VSU faculty and attended by 52 teachers. (52 attendance)
12. November 2001—NWP Rural Sites Network Demonstrations in Baltimore, MD, led by 2 teachers and 2 VSU faculty and attended by 7 fellow writing project directors and teacher consultants. (7 attendance)
13. November 2001—Exhibit at the Lean-Ox Festival in Lenox, GA, presented by 6 teachers and their students.  Adel News Tribune reported the Lean-Ox Festival drew a record crowd of “as many as 5,000 folk.”  (5,000 attendance)
14. November 2001—Diane Howard taught a writing lesson for 19 second grade students and a writing lesson for 53 eight grade students.
15. December 2001—Sponsored Writing Contest for Friends of Reed Bingham with 39 entries from adults and students.
16. January 2002—Diane Howard gave a presentation for middle school faculty about the Folkwriting Project-- 40 teachers present.
17. January 2002—Held “Celebrating Cook County” Presentation at Cook Middle School for the grand finale.  Eight exhibits with about 250 students writing on display.  Presentations or reading given by 15 students with 6 teachers introduces their students.  Janice Daugharty spoke and presented a writing award.  Presentation (Viewing exhibits and program combined) was attended by 500 students, teachers, administrators, and community members.

Kindergarten                        20

1^st Grade                               5

2^nd Grade                              8

3^rd Grade                              9

4^th Grade                             15

5^th Grade                             5

6^th Grade                             45

7^th Grade                             62

8^th Grade                             90

9^th Grade                             52

10^th Grade                          51

11^th Grade                           48

12^th Grade                          35

Collegiate                           5

Other Adults                        75

                                                (500 attendance)

18. February 2002—Georgia Council of Teachers of English 3 presentations given by 4 of the teachers and Diane Howard.  Total teachers attending presentations:  Folkwriting: 11, Middle School Writing: 7, and High School Writing: 23. (41 attendance)

Planned events:     November 2002—One-day workshop at National Council of Teachers of English

                          February 2003—two-day workshop at Georgia Council of Teachers of English

AUDIENCES’ EVALUATION OF PROGRAMS

October 2001—Four Cook County Exchange Club Fair exhibits displayed by 1) 37 Elementary School students—first place, 2) 112 Middle School students—third place, 3) 28 High School Students—second place, 4) 2 VSU Faculty Team members were very well received by the members of the community.  Local adults were very interested in the project and the students’ writing on display.

November 2001—NCTE Conference Presentations in Baltimore, MD, led by 2 teachers and 2 VSU faculty and attended by 52 teachers.  Teachers from throughout the country attended the classroom demonstration and interacted readily with the teacher-presenters.  Many teachers asked for copies of the lesson plan book when completed.  Several teachers left addresses, etc. for future contacts.

November 2001—NWP Rural Sites Network Demonstrations in Baltimore, MD, led by 2 teachers and 2 VSU faculty and attended by 7 fellow writing project directors and teacher consultants.  The low attendance at this session was due to the lateness of the day and conference for National Writing Project.  Those who attended were very interested and gave positive evaluations.

November 2001—Exhibit at the Lean-Ox Festival in Lenox, GA, presented by 6 teachers and their students.  Adel News Tribune reported the Lean-Ox Festival drew a record crowd of “as many as 5,000 folk.”  This event or program was very well attended—much to everyone’s surprise.  The parents and members of the community delighted in reading the poems, essays, plays, and memoirs written by the students.  The photos in the exhibit were of special interest to a number of adults.

January 2002—Held “Celebrating Cook County” Presentation at Cook Middle School for the grand finale.  Eight exhibits with about 250 students writing on display.  Presentations or reading given by 15 students with 6 teachers introduces their students.  Janice Daugharty spoke and presented a writing award.  Presentation (Viewing exhibits and program combined) was attended by 500 students, teachers, administrators, and community members.  This program were most successful!  Holding our grand finale in conjunction with the Teen Expo and the Folklife Exhibit drew a larger crowd.  Many of the people who attended the “Celebrating Cook County” Presentation and visited the exhibits were students and their parents who were not directly part of the lessons and the classes which piloted the lessons.  Truly, this final program was a success.

HUMANITIES PROFESSIONALS

Included in the programs for the project were the following:

1. Sandra Worsham, 1992 Georgia’s Teacher of the Year. 1992 Milken National Educator Awardee, and  1999 Georgia’s inductee into the Teacher Hall of Fame, led a 6-hours workshop.
2. Reviewers of lesson plan book
1. Helen Bennett, Staff Development Coordinator, Regional Educational Service Agency (Coastal Plains RESA).
2. Alisia Daniels, 1^st Grade Teacher at Sevens County Elementary School and Co-Director of Georgia Southern Writing Project at Georgia Southern University.
3. Teresa Hollingsworth, Southern Arts Federation, folklorist
3. Janice Daughtarty, South Georgia author and writer-in-residence at Valdosta State University, presented writing awards to students at the “Celebrating Cook County” Presentation.  These awarded were for the writing contest “Memoirs of Reed Bingham State Park.”