Grant Abstract
WE MAKE MOUSE CALLS has been a successful interdistrict grant program which adapts segments from the school-based character education program “Don’t Laugh at Me.” This character education program, established by the singer Peter Yarrow in an effort to help teachers bring respect and compassion to children in all schools, serves as an introduction and enrichment of continuous efforts to nurture emotional, social and ethical awareness in young students. Students share learning experiences aimed at instilling caring, compassion and respect for one another and others while focusing on reducing racial isolation and enhancing educational experiences.
Students from Waterford, Norwich, New London, Preston and Montville were invited to participate in the program to break down regional, racial, gender, socioeconomic and cultural barriers. Students are partnered for the compendium of activities that emphasize the celebration of diversity, caring, cooperation, compassion, and creatively resolving conflict. This grant offers 108 students the opportunity to meet face-to-face on 9 occasions during the academic year to learn about physical and emotional challenges and work on projects which include role-playing strategies they develop to overcome real-life situations.
A strong component of this program is the infusion of technology into the lessons including emerging 21st century technology skills such as blogging and podcasting. NCLB, Part D, Section 2402, b.2.B, proposes,
To assist every student in crossing the digital divide by ensuring that every student is technologically literate by the time the student finishes the eighth grade, regardless of the student’s race, ethnicity, gender, family income, geographic location, or disability (NCLB, 2001).
While the focus of the program is to reduce racial isolation and enhance educational experiences, WE MAKE MOUSE CALLS addresses these concepts through a multidisciplinary, differentiated instruction approach. Language arts skills improve as a result of writing activities as student teams develop a script for a production and collaborate throughout the year on a monitored collaborative site devoted to this project. Character education is addressed on a continuous basis throughout the numerous team-building, cooperative learning, and problem-solving activities. Students also improve technology skills through the use of computers and related equipment that provide the vehicle for communicating their strategies. Parents and guardians are invited to attend any or all of the sessions and a celebratory event showcasing the students’ projects is scheduled for the end of the year.
Students from Waterford, Norwich, New London, Preston and Montville were invited to participate in the program to break down regional, racial, gender, socioeconomic and cultural barriers. Students are partnered for the compendium of activities that emphasize the celebration of diversity, caring, cooperation, compassion, and creatively resolving conflict. This grant offers 108 students the opportunity to meet face-to-face on 9 occasions during the academic year to learn about physical and emotional challenges and work on projects which include role-playing strategies they develop to overcome real-life situations.
A strong component of this program is the infusion of technology into the lessons including emerging 21st century technology skills such as blogging and podcasting. NCLB, Part D, Section 2402, b.2.B, proposes,
To assist every student in crossing the digital divide by ensuring that every student is technologically literate by the time the student finishes the eighth grade, regardless of the student’s race, ethnicity, gender, family income, geographic location, or disability (NCLB, 2001).
While the focus of the program is to reduce racial isolation and enhance educational experiences, WE MAKE MOUSE CALLS addresses these concepts through a multidisciplinary, differentiated instruction approach. Language arts skills improve as a result of writing activities as student teams develop a script for a production and collaborate throughout the year on a monitored collaborative site devoted to this project. Character education is addressed on a continuous basis throughout the numerous team-building, cooperative learning, and problem-solving activities. Students also improve technology skills through the use of computers and related equipment that provide the vehicle for communicating their strategies. Parents and guardians are invited to attend any or all of the sessions and a celebratory event showcasing the students’ projects is scheduled for the end of the year.
