On November 29th, ten women, led by our Founder and Executive Director Michele Kotler, traveled to the heart of the Bronx to visit classes of 4th and 5th graders at PS 47 John Randolph and find out what exactly they were learning in their Community-Word Project classes.
These women are known as CWP SuperMoms, a diverse group of moms who have something simple and profound in common: They care. Through SuperMoms Collective, these women come together to socialize and help the arts-in-education organization CWP keep up its critical work of bringing creative resources to the children who need it most.
These students, working with CWP Teaching Artists Jehan Roberson and Rachael Schefrin, have been working with movement and writing to collaborate on a unique culminating event and final anthology of their work. Their residency has focused largely around two questions: How can we use movement and writing to contribute to/create a socially just world? How can we use sensory detail in our work to deepen vocabulary and critical thinking skills?
“It was yet another amazing, inspiring, touching classroom visit. Each time I have the opportunity to witness the Community-Word Project in action, it becomes more evident how valuable the program is to the children. They clearly enjoy the hour each week devoted to ensuring that their voices are heard, acknowledged and respected.”
“When we entered the room, the students were working in groups, animatedly brainstorming commonalities in what they love, make, see, dream, fear, live, believe, learn and survive. The resulting lists were then presented at the front of the room to nods of acknowledgement, some laughter and both cheers and boos. The recent election results were listed under both “we fear” and “we survive”; it struck me that these fourth graders, who shouldn’t have to worry about their safety or security at school, were so aware of the potential impact on their lives and those of their loved ones. Ultimately the students will use some of today’s work to formulate their community poem. I can’t wait to see what they come up with!“
-SuperMom Lindsay Bennun
