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Lories Nye-Slockbower MEd ‘13, an English teacher in the School of Education and Training (SET) at John F. Kennedy High School in Paterson, NJ, is helping her students develop their global awareness by connecting with children in orphanages and refugee camps in Syria through art and picture books.
The SET students, in an art class taught by Christine Keppel and a literature class taught by Nye-Slockbower, drew portraits based on photographs of 20 individual Syrian children. They were participants in a global awareness initiative called Imaging Children of the World. The portraits were included in colorful picture books that were distributed through the non-profit Memory Project.
Students studied the plight of Syrian children in several lessons before brainstorming ideas of how their books, written in English, could bring happiness, explains Nye-Slockbower.
“While my students developed their understanding of a global issue, as well as their story-writing skills, they were gratified at the thought of bringing joy to these children who suffer from the trauma of war. Themes included friendship, helping others, playing fair, and informational books about sports, U.S. landmarks, and even a student's native country. Students of every level, regular education, special education, and English language learners, collaborated to make these books. As a teacher, it was rewarding to see students take ownership of the project and work hard to complete their books by the deadline,” says Nye-Slockbower. A video was made capturing the joy and excitement of the exchange.
“Every once in a while we see something that makes us stop and take notice – a teacher’s project that is so inspiring it speaks for itself,” says Candace Burns, dean of the College of Education at William Paterson University. “This is one of those projects.”
This is the second year that SET has participated in The Memory Project. Last year the school made portraits and books for children in Madagascar. Project advisor Nye-Slockbower says she gained a keen understanding of developing global awareness through Hilary Wilder, professor of educational leadership and professional studies, while pursuing her master’s degree in curriculum and learning at William Paterson.
“I credit Dr. Wilder's class, in which we collaborated with teachers in Namibia, Africa, for giving me a global interest in education that I never had before. After my graduation, I continued the connection with Dr. Wilder and SET's Professor in Residence, Carole Bruzzano, which has expanded our global outreach to include the Global Nomads Group and the Malala Fund. The William Paterson relationship is key to our success,” Nye-Slockbower explains.
William Paterson University is a Professional Development School partner with John F. Kennedy High School in Paterson.
