It's Not Just Mud!
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College of Education Assistant Professor Elizabeth Willis
from the Department of Educational Theory, Policy, and
Practice and Elementary Holmes Interns Anna Badon and
Lauren Walker molded art, language arts, science, and social
studies into one unique experience in Joanna Sherburne’s
fourth-grade classroom.
Armed with pounds of clay, Willis
and the two interns entertained the Broadmoor Elementary
students while providing a truly hands-on learning experience
about the Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shi Huang,
the First Emperor of China. “The students were eager to get their hands dirty literally” said Willis, recalling how one student insisted he was going to
recreate his entire football team lineup with clay sculptures
and the Terracotta Warrior themes.
“It’s not just mud,” insisted Willis. She continued, “It’s a
vehicle to stimulate young minds and get them interested
in ancient history. Clay is an excellent medium because you
can integrate earth science concepts while teaching social
sciences.”
Sherburne and Broadmoor Elementary Principal Larry
Harris have been long-time collaborators with the College
of Education’s field-based programs. In 2005, Harris joined
Professor Emeritus William Doll in welcoming thirty
Chinese educators for a school tour. Sherburne, along with
five Broadmoor
Elementary
teachers, serves as
a mentor teacher
for ElementaryHolmes interns and as a teacher
consultant with the LSU Writing
Project.
Willis serves as Director of the LSU
Writing Project, which was established
in 1985.
The LSU Writing Project is
a professional development program
designed to help teachers in all subject
areas and at all grade levels learn new
strategies for helping their students
become accomplished writers and
learners. This collaborative university school
partnership is dedicated to
improving the quality of student writing
in the schools through its approach
of “teachers teaching teachers.” This
means identifying successful teachers
of writing, bringing these teachers
together in invitational Summer
Writing Institutes, and preparing them
to lead workshops for other teachers.
Participants join a network of teacher
consultants who actively provide
ongoing professional development for
schools and districts.
Angela Owings Broussard | College of Education
Highlights
