GEAR
UP Makes College Real
Success
Stories - #2005 - 004
"I
looked to GEAR UP for assistance,” says teacher
Gwynne Ryan when she decided she wanted to try some techniques
in her African-American history class that she had learned
at a professional development workshop.
In the
arts integration workshop at the GEAR UP Inquiry & Design
Institute, teachers learn to help students
develop authentic questions and pursue answers in innovative
ways. She learned that integrating art into the curriculum
helps students create a visual picture which helps them form
questions.
"In
doing something like inquiry based learning, you come to lots
of stumbling blocks. [GEAR UP] encourages
you to continue to work with the educational method to develop
as an educator."
Professional development doesn’t end with the workshop.
GEAR UP staff provide follow up support for classroom teachers.
“Kate came in and taught me different methods about integrating
art. We created a visual piece that went with the research.”
The students created masks, learned drumming techniques and
put it all together into a performance.
"The thing that GEAR UP does is, they try to make teachers
better teachers. As they help you develop professionally,
then you can help other educators develop professionally.
It is really truly the ripple effect."
See the
video of her story.
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