PROJECT NARRATIVE: “King Arthur for Kids”
DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION
Loyola University is a private Liberal Arts university, enrolling 5,500
students, with two founding principles that are relevant to this particular
project. The first is that areas of knowledge do not exist independent
of each other. Thus we have a highly developed “Common Curriculum” designed
so that, for instance, Science majors must study Philosophy, literature
and languages. The second principle is that all knowledge is linked because
at its core is the study of the “human person.” These two precepts are
the bedrock assumptions of the Middle Ages and are, likewise, central to
understanding medieval culture in general and the legend of Arthur in particular.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The Loyola and LEH Summer Institute, “King Arthur for Kids" is a four
week intensive seminar for elementary and middle school teachers (K-8)
in the Greater New Orleans area. Its purpose is to explore the legend of
King Arthur to understand its origins and development so that teachers
might help students understand the way that legends grow and function in
our own society. Most important will be the exploration of why this story
endured, becoming a part not only of British or even Western Culture but
of world culture as well. This understanding will lead to a consideration
of several enduring themes: identity and destiny, discovery of self, and
the pledging of oneself to something greater than one’s self. Finally,
we will explore some of the more modern reworkings of the legend that have
become cultural staples in our own and, again, world culture. Such modern
accounts encompass the visual arts as well as music (both popular and classical)
and touch upon disciplines such as Literature, Philosophy, Art History,
Architecture, Mythology, History, and Sociology. An important part of the
Institute’s focus will be on developing pedagogical strategies to enhance
the learning experience and cross-cultural understanding of their students,
which will include developing craft projects and local field trips. Participants
will be asked to contribute to the web page generated last year for “Making
the Middle Ages Fun,” so that other area teachers might benefit from the
participants’ ideas and experiences.
Rationale:
Few stories are so widely known or as universal as that of King Arthur:
a young man discovers his
previously unknown heritage, raising the question of his true
identity; comes under the tutelage of a wise older counselor who teaches
both the ability to use magical weaponry and the responsibility that accompanies
such power; and eventually faces larger forces of evil in his world. It's
a story made over into the Star Wars movies and recently in the phenomenal
Harry Potter series. In short, it’s a story that continues to engage young
(as well as older) audiences in large part because the tale concerns the
enduring issues that matter: discovery of the self and the world around
us, an exploration of our relationship to the larger forces that shape
us and which we, in turn, shape. The story questions the idealism of the
sort that Arthur invokes as he asks knights to swear the great vows of
Camelot knight-errantry. Is this a good request that results in people
achieving more than they normally would, or is it a destructive one because
it automatically dooms everyone to failure since no one can achieve perfection?
This serious question should be asked not only by teachers like us who
pose such ideals to young people but by young people who even at an early
age are keenly aware of what (students, teachers, and other leaders) asks
of them. Paramount is the question of failure. Camelot does fall, but why?
One traditional answer is that the collapse of Arthurian society is not
due to the failure of Lancelot but, rather, is due to the society’s inability
to accept the flaws of its "first knight." In short, Camelot confuses the
practitioner of the code with the code itself, assuming that if Lancelot
cannot keep the code, the code must be an invalid fiction. It's the same
question that that we all face when people, especially authorities in whom
we have placed our faith, prove all too human. Little wonder then that
the story of Arthur has so consistently engaged us over the centuries.
Clearly Arthurian tales are an excellent means of introducing
even the youngest readers to such important questions. Not only are younger
students fascinated by the historical paraphernalia of the tales ---- kings,
queens, knights, armor, and castles -- but the fact that there are so many
age-appropriate versions of the Arthur story is particularly important
for an institute such as this one which targets teachers of grades K-8.
Along with T. H. White's The Once and Future King, which will be the base
text for the Summer Institute, there is Disney's Sword in the Stone, an
animated version of the first third of White's work. For pre-readers, there
is even a picture book based on the animated version of The Once and Future
King. This means that, despite the differences in pedagogical situations
and needs, we as a group will be able to discuss a common “text” appropriate
for pre-reading students as well as for more advanced middle-school readers.
My expectation is that this commonality of text will provide a unity that
is hard to achieve, given the radically different needs of kindergarteners
and fifth graders.
That the story of Arthur is so recognizably familiar in Luke
Skywalker or Harry Potter is also particularly important because it teaches
young readers the most fundamental aspect of education, the making of connections,
the relationship of what is introduced in the classroom to what they know
and are enthusiastic about from outside the classroom. Without such connections,
learning is reduced to rote memory of disconnected and irrelevant trivia,
for disconnected knowledge is inherently trivialized.
GOALS:
“King Arthur for Kids" is a Summer Institute for Teachers that will
1. ground teachers in the historical backgrounds of Arthur.
Of course background information on any subject is valuable in presentation.
Here, the background material will help teachers who as part of the fifth
grade curriculum are required to present historical information on The
Middle Ages. More importantly, this material will enable teachers to discuss
how we learn about the past, in particular the way that archeologists search
for the past and especially the logical, deductive processes by which we
arrive at conclusions based on the data archeologists produce. (This processes
the processes students learn in science experiments, as well).
2. explore myth-making processes to examine how stories grow.
An important part of the study of the origins and growth of the legend
of Arthur is an understanding of oral transmission, something that will
prove a valuable aid in linking this material to other cultures, even to
the rich oral traditions of our own state. As a parent and from my
work with local public schools, I know that “myth” is an important part
of 4th grade curriculum and that the “hero’s journey” is likewise a key
element for grades 4-8. Whether we are discussing Andrew Jackson, Jean
Lafitte, Marie Leveau, or even Elvis, it is essential to understand why
their legends are important to us, how such legends function in our society,
and how they develop and grow.
3. become familiar with the rich variety of themes which have been
an important factor in
the on-going popularity of the legend.
Many of these themes are about the human condition and include issues
of identity, destiny, free will and the ability to shape our own destinies,
responsibility (to ourselves, to others and to society as a whole), betrayal,
idealism, the price of standing up for principle, and, above all, the problem
of human fallibility and failure in a world that does not always live up
to our expectations. Obviously these lessons are important at any age,
but they are particularly to the development of a value system in critical
first years of education.
4. compare contemporary reworkings of the Arthur legend to
the original tale.
Teachers will discuss Star Wars and the four books of the Harry Potter
series in order to learn how these works rely both on the plots and most
especially the themes outlined in goal number 3. Certainly the Potter books
deserve attention in their own right, and, indeed, they are with increasing
frequency becoming part of the curriculum. However, the Institute will
capitalize on the excitement that students have for these books and to
show them how to make connections between seemingly disparate works.
Transference --that is, the application of what is learned in class to
material outside the classroom -- is, of course, a major goal of education.
This part of the Institute curriculum will help participants explore ways
to achieve that goal.
5. acquire or strengthen web page skills and other forms of electronic
information gathering and presentation.
In my past Institute, participants asked for more emphasis on these
skills, seeing the session as an opportunity to learn skills which they
recognized as important but which they felt they had not had sufficient
opportunity to master. I will ask that each participant produce a web page
containing resources – background, exercises, assignments, or teaching
modules – which will be attached to an Institute web page. That web page
will, in turn, be linked to the resource page constructed by the 2000 STI
(http:www.loyno.edu/~MidAges). The web site will continue to be maintained
by the Loyola University English Department and revised on an on-going
basis.
6. provide opportunities for further professional development.
One of the results of the 2000 STI was that two participants have been
included in panels on K-12 teaching at the upcoming International Congress
on Medieval Studies. Additionally, we are putting together a panel for
the 2001 meeting of the Southeastern Medieval Association which will be
meeting here in New Orleans. I am also currently working with one participant
on a grant to obtain computers for a “Canterbury-style” web pilgrimage.
My hope is that participants in “King Arthur for Kids” will likewise find
the seminar as a launching pad for other, post-STI activities
.
Project Format
The Institute will rely on a lecture/workshop format. Last year, I
taught my first STI, and there’s a definite learning curve involved in
offering this sort of seminar. As I indicated in my final report,
I was not completely satisfied with the organization of the STI.
On the one hand, I had initially created a highly structured day-by-day
syllabus covering a great deal of material each day. On the other hand,
I strongly believe that the purpose of the STI was to meet the needs and
demands of the teachers. This meant trying to maximize discussion and allowing
the seminar to follow the path of intellectual enquiry rather than my strict
lesson/lecture plan. My plan for a 2001 Institute would be to cover
fewer areas in greater detail in order to take advantage of the natural
enthusiasm of the teachers and in order to maximize discussion.
Based on my experience last summer, I have structured this seminar
into five basic units.
The first is web resources, web page building,
and electronic presentation (in particular “Power-Point”). My experience
last year was that while I had scheduled two sessions on web page making
simply as a means to get us going on the larger project, without exception,
every participant wanted more web classes and saw the acquiring of web
skill as an explicit goal of the Institute. (We ended up having extra classes,
one this past August, and others are scheduled.) Many of the participants
felt that they had been passed-by in the computer revolution, finding that
students often know more about these areas than they (and I) do. This time
I would like to make this area more than just a supplemental skill. Because
levels skill in this area will differ among participants, I have scheduled
a number of voluntary afternoon sessions devoted to web skills. Another
part of the “electronic format” that I would reinstitute is the Institute
listserve as a means of expanding discussion beyond the confines of
“seminar hours” and, in fact, beyond the seminar itself (The “midages”
listserve discussion group from last summer’s STI is still going strong).
I would also like participants to log on and participate in “Arthurnet,”
a world-wide resource and discussion group devoted to the study of Arthurian
legend. Such participation will expose participants to others teaching
the same material, and will give them access to many of the foremost experts
in the field.
Area Two: We will discuss the historical
backgrounds of the Arthur Legend addressing the always-asked question,
“Was there a real King Arthur?” We will tackle this perennial question
by discussing some of the earliest medieval accounts of the legend
and some of the archeological evidence uncovered by Geoffrey Ashe.
Area Three: We will explore how the legend
grew. For example, at what point did the Round Table enter the story, and
who added Merlin to the cast of characters? An important part of the curriculum
is the idea of the hero, the hero’s journey, and the myth-making process.
It will be particularly important to discuss the story of Arthur in terms
of how we make heroes and create legends, a process that students as well
as the rest of us participate in on a daily basis.
Area four: The core of the course will be
an in-depth analysis/study of T. H. White’s Once and Future King. This
is notably the most accessible text for students K-12. Kindergartners
can be introduced to the Disney version of White’s tale, the animated Sword
in the Stone. Fourth and Fifth Graders can read the text of
“The Sword in the Stone” which is the first part of White’s much longer
novel. Seventh and eighth graders might want to tackle the whole novel.
This means that everyone in the seminar will be able to discuss the same
text, albeit with different pedagogical aims. I believe that this will
be one of the very real strengths of this proposal, because few books can
appeal to and meet the needs of such a broad range of students. The primary
focus here will be on themes: identity, free will, and above all responsibility.
Kingship, as it appears in the White version of the legend, is clearly
not freedom to do what one wants with impunity (a la Henry VIII) but rather
an awesome responsibility for the welfare of the people, a responsibility
that requires Arthur to put himself last, not first. The final unit will
be the comparison of White’s tale to two modern makeovers of the legend,
Star-Wars and the Harry Potter Books. This unit will concentrate on ways
in which we as teachers can capitalize on what students find exciting as
a way of interesting them in more “traditional” humanistic studies. Most
importantly it will demonstrate the activity which is most fundamental
to the learning process: the making of connections. If we can get
students to see the connections between separate works, then we will go
a long way towards fulfilling the goals, the primary purpose of the LEH
which, in seeking projects which are themselves interdisciplinary, is insisting
that art, music, philosophy, mathematics, are connected, not separate entities.
Humanities Focus
By their nature, Medieval Studies are interdisciplinary, and that has
always been my approach to both the study and teaching of literature. Because
Literature is representational, it therefore must be connected to the visual
arts. The very presence of characters implies that we must delve
into psychology, philosophy, morality as we ask such basic questions as
how should such characters treat each other, why are they acting this way,
how “free” are they to act, what is right and wrong here? In the Arthur
legend, we have the additional advantage of being able to discuss how the
legend has been transferred and transformed in a number of humanistic disciplines
such as historical narrative, art, and film. This is particularly true
of White’s work which has been converted to visual media, in both the animated
film and picture books. Indeed, as humanists, we meditate on ourselves
and contemplate our own institutions, so at the heart of the legend of
Camelot are a number of themes central to Political Science or at least
political philosophy. (Indeed, my fifth grader yesterday came home saying
they had talked about governments and monarchy.) And the legend has often
been revived as political propaganda in every century since its origin,
including our own. There are also strong sociological concerns in the legend.
Archeology is important as we look at some of the historical evidence.
Certainly, the story of young Arthur as set out by White (as opposed to
Tennyson) is a story about a young man’s quest to understand his own humanity,
to understand who and what he is. In this, the story has as its theme the
very focus of the Humanities. Although it may sound like a tautology, the
Humanities are those disciplines that arise out of and define our “humanity.”
As such, they are by definition qualities that set us apart from the rest
of the creatures that inhabit the Earth. We consciously make art and music,
and above all else we are self-aware. And those qualities define the core
themes of the Arthur legend. Above all, there is Responsibility -- for
one’s own actions, to others, to society as a whole, for the power one
holds. This theme is doubly important to us as members of a democratic
society which places the individual at the heart of its values.
Project Activities
Integral to this Institute will be the discussions of teaching strategies.
Above all else, participants, including the director, must feel comfortable
enough to share their expertise, practical insights, and concerns. In order
to facilitate this process, all participants will be asked to attend an
introductory/organizational meeting. At that time, participants will also
receive a syllabus and the required texts. There will also be a brief tour
of the campus, including the computer lab in which we will be designing
our web site. Other activities will be visits to the rare book rooms of
Loyola and Tulane (time permitting) to see some rare Nineteenth Century
Kelmscott editions of Arthuriana. We are particularly fortunate in having
commitments from a scholar as eminent as Bonnie Wheeler an educator as
well versed in medieval classroom crafts as Susan Holman as guest lecturers.
Project Activities: Schedule
Jan.: Design brochures
Feb. 16: Mail brochures, Advertise in print and electronic media
March 2: Begin Tuesday/Thursday visits to individual schools/Pursue
contacts with schools in which
I have already been a guest lecturer
April 1: Deadline for applications
Apri1 15: Notify participants by phone/mail
May 19: Pre-Institute Orientation, introduction to group listserve
and Arthurnet
June 11-July 12: Institute classes (Note the break for July 4th)
July 29: Evaluator’s and participants’ evaluations submitted to LEH
Sept. 15: Post-Institute meeting at Loyola
Oct. 15: Post Institute evaluations and self-evaluations submitted
to LEH
Oct. 2001: Southeastern Medieval Association meeting in New Orleans
Schedule of Meetings
June M 11 Introduction
T 12 Institute project, web page design, listserve
W 13 Historical Backgrounds
TH 14 Historical Backgrounds (Bonnie Wheeler, guest lecturer)
F 15 Web page design
M 18 Activities/Art projects: Castles, knights, heraldry and dragons (Susan
Holman, guest lecturer)
T 19 Activities/Art projects: Castles, knights, heraldry and dragons (Susan
Holman, guest lecturer)
W 20 Computer/web page design
TH 21 Children’s Literature (Margaret Dermody, guest lecture)
F 22 Sword in the Stone/ web page design
M 25 T. H. White, The Once and Future King / Voluntary PM Web
page class
T 26 T. H. White, The Once and Future King / Voluntary PM Web
page class
W 27 T. H. White, The Once and Future King / Voluntary PM Web
page class
TH 28 T. H. White, The Once and Future King / Voluntary PM
Web page class
F 29 Excalibur/ Web Page
July M 2 Star Wars/ Harry Potter/ The
mythic structure
M 9 Star Wars/ Harry Potter/ Wizardry and Merlin
T 10 Star Wars/ Harry Potter/ Classic humanist themes
W 11 Star Wars/ Harry Potter
TH 12 Farewell reception
SHORT AND LONG-TERM EFFECTS:
As for short-term effects, my first hope is to instill within participants
an enthusiasm for the story of Arthur and for the possibilities that the
legend offers for the classroom. That is the surest way to enable
this material to be adopted into the classroom and effectively taught.
In particular, I would like to see participants leave with greater “electronic
skills” both in research and presentation. Participants will be encouraged
to become integral parts of the local, national and even international
network of teachers who regularly exchange ideas on the teaching of this
material. It’s particularly energizing to hear from others who are teaching
the same material in different ways. If this Institute is to have true
long term effects, teachers need to become aware of the available informational
and pedagogical support that is available, first locally through fellow
K-8 teachers and secondly through local university faculty who are willing
to give guest lectures and provide background. (The University of New Mexico
has a model program in this regard.) One long-term effect that I would
like to foster is the further professional development of participants
through attendance and presentations at some of the academic conferences
devoted to the teaching of Arthurian materials
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS:
A wealth of material exists on the subject of King Arthur. The following
represent a very small sampling. Exception for a contribution to our 2000
Institute web page, the one lack in the area of materials is, in fact,
specifically lesson plans and activities, for elementary school students.
We hope that materials in our proposed web page will help fill that gap.
Primary Texts:
The Romance of Arthur: An Anthology of Medieval Texts in Translation.
Ed. James J. Wilhelm.
New York: Garland, 1994.
The Romance of Merlin: An Anthology. Ed. Peter Goodrich. New York:
Garland, 1990.
Arthurian Legends: An Illustrated Anthology. Ed. Richard Barber.
Totowa, NJ: Littlefield and Adams, 1979.
"Arthur, the Greatest King": An Anthology of Modern Arthurian Poetry.
Ed. Alan Lupack. New York: Garland, 1988.
Modern Arthurian Literature: An Anthology of English and American Arthuriana
from the
Renaissance to the Present. Ed. Alan Lupack. New York: Garland,
1992.
Bibliographies:
The Arthurian Bibliography. 2 vols. (Vol. 1: Author Listing; vol. 2:
Subject Index). Arthurian Studies 3 & 6.
Ed. C. E. Pickford, R. W. Last & C. R. Barker. Cambridge: D. S. Brewer,
1981, 1983.
Harty, Kevin J. "A Bibliography on Arthurian Film" and "An Alphabetical
Filmography."
In Cinema Arthuriana: Essays on Arthurian Film. Ed. Kevin J. Harty.
New York: Garland, 1991. Pp. 203-43
and pp. 245-47.
Reiss, Edmund, Louis Horner Reiss and Beverly Taylor. Arthurian Legend
and Literature:
An Annotated Bibliography. Vol. I:The Middle Ages. New
York: Garland, 1984.
Wildman, Mary. "Twentieth Century Arthurian Literature: An Annotated
Bibliography." In
Arthurian Literature, vol. 2.
Films:
“Camelot.” (1995) Narrated by Kathleen Turner. A& E Ancient Mysteries
Series
Camelot. (1967) Directed by Joshua Logan.
Excalibur. (1981) Directed by John Boorman
“King Arthur & His Country.” Finley-Holiday Film Corp, Whittier,
CA
“Knights & Armor.” (1994) A& E Home Video.
“Le Morte D’Arthur: The Legend of the King.” The Learning Channel Great
Books Series.
Quest for Camelot. (1998) Animated. Disney Home Video.
The Sword in the Stone. (1963) Animated. Disney Home Video
Children’s Versions:
Excellent bibliographies of children’s’ versions of Arthurian tales
can be found in two locations of the 2000 Institute web page: Http://www.~MidAges/Jwass3,html
and http://www.~MidAges/kdelca.html
Encyclopedias and useful reference works:
The New Arthurian Encyclopedia. Ed. Norris Lacy et al. New York: Garland,
1991.
Lacy, Norris J. and Geoffrey Ashe. The Arthurian Handbook. New York:
Garland, 1988.
Medieval Arthurian Literature: A Guide to Recent Research. Ed. Norris
J. Lacy. New York:
Garland Publishing, 1996.
Secondary material:
Historical:
Alcock, Leslie. Was This Camelot: Excavations at Cadbury Castle, 1966-1970.
New York: Stein and Day, 1972.
Ashe, Geoffrey. A Guidebook to Arthurian Britain. London: Longman,
1980.
Ashe, Geoffrey. The Landscape of King Arthur. New York: Henry Holt,
1987.
Interpretive/criticism:
Whitaker, Muriel. The Legends of King Arthur in Art. Cambridge: D.
S. Brewer, 1990.
Loomis, Roger Sherman. Arthurian Legend in Medieval Art. London: Oxford
University Press, 1938.
Approaches to Teaching the Arthurian Tradition Ed. Maureen Fries and
Jeanie Watson. New York:
The Modern Language Association of America, 1992.
Arthurian Literature in the Middle Ages: A Collaborative History. Ed.
Roger Sherman Loomis.
Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1959.
King Arthur Through the Ages. 2 vols. Ed. Valerie M. Lagorio and Mildred
Leake Day. New York:
Garland Publishing, 1990.
Loomis, R. S. The Development of Arthurian Romance. London: Hutchinson
University Library, 1963.
Lupack, Alan, and Barbara Tepa Lupack. King Arthur in America. Cambridge:
D. S. Brewer, 1999.
Popular Arthurian Traditions. Ed. Sally K. Slocum. Bowling Green: Bowling
Green State University
Popular Press, 1992.
Starr, Nathan Comfort. King Arthur Today: The Arthurian Legend in English
and American
Literature 1901-1953. Gainesville: University of Florida Press,
1954.
Taylor, Beverly & Elisabeth Brewer. The Return of King Arthur:
British and American
Arthurian Literature Since 1800 Cambridge: D. S. Brewer, 1983.
Thompson, Raymond H. The Return from Avalon: A Study of the Arthurian
Legend in Modern Fiction.
Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1985.
Web Sites:
http://www.linkfinder.com/arthur.html –Includes links for Arthurian
related books, reviews and ads, movie
reviews and newsgroups.
* (* indicates annotation by Kathryne Delcarpio @ http://www.~MidAges/kdelca.html
)
http://dc.smu.edu/Arthuriana/ --The site for the Arthuriana
http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/cphome.stm-- University of Rochester
‘s Camelot project, a database of Arthurian texts,
images, bibliographies and basic
information.”*
http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/EDU/RSEblue/arthur/artidu.html –teaching materials
for educators.
FACULTY:
1. Dr. Bonnie Wheeler, Professor of English at Southern Methodist
University, is Editor-in-Chief of Arthuriana, the journal of the North
American branch of the International Arthurian Society. An internationally
recognized authority on the King Arthur, she has been featured in programs
on Arthur produced by PBS and the BBC. Particularly important for a teachers’
institute such as this one, she has been active both as a member and as
an officer and board member in TEAMS, the association for the advancement
for teaching of the Middle Ages at both the college and pre-college levels.
Professor Wheeler will present an overview of Arthurian studies and will
provide a number of classroom exercises and modules.
2. Susan Holman is an award- winning artist and
educator who has taught in the talented in Visual Arts program for 12 years
and has been the Art Director for The Center for Development and Learning
for 6 years. Licensed as a state evaluator for the Visual Arts, her work
as an educator (K-12) has been recognized by The National Endowment for
the Arts, The President's Committee on the Arts, The J. P. Getty Foundation,
The Arts and Entertainment Television Network, The Holocaust Museum of
Washington, D.C., The John F. Kennedy Education Foundation, and The National
Art Education Association. Her art projects have covered such medieval
topics as castle building, creating authentic medieval figures, heraldry,
and stained glass window making. Ms. Holman will discuss and demonstrate
in-class art projects.
3. Dr. Margaret Dermody is assistant professor
of education at Loyola University. She has been the recipient of a PT3
U.S. Department of Education Grant and two Louisiana Board of Regents Grant
for the development of preservice teacher training in technology.
Her college teaching courses are primarily field-based courses which are
often taught within actual school-based sites. Reading and Language
Arts Methods, Early Childhood Methods, Reading Practicum, Psychology of
the Exceptional Child, and Supervision of Student Teachers have been her
more recent courses. Dr. Dermody's research interest focuses on development
of literacy methodologies in the areas of metacognition, technology within
literacy instruction, reading emediation, authentic assessment, multi-intelligence
models and alternative methodologies for diverse learners, and family literacy.
4. Paulette Swartzfager shares a dual position in English
Information Technology at Loyola University. She has directed WRITE and
Project JUMPSTART, arts and technology programs which partnered Loyola
with local public schools such as Alcee Fortier High School, Warren Easton
High School, Live Oak Middle School, and McMain High School. The Keynote
speaker at the fall 2000 Technology and Teaching Conference, she has served
as technical consultant in 2 LEH grants and is Technical consultant to
and on the steering committee of the US Dept. of Education NOC-TiTTE grant
to Loyola and UNO. Ms. Swartzfager will lead the web page design workshops.
TARGET AUDIENCE:
Obviously, teachers would be selected whose courses include medieval
or Arthurian material as part of their mandated curricula, but the Institute
should also include those teachers, for whom such material is not mandated
to offer the possibility of its inclusion for students with a natural enthusiasm
for knights, castles, and wizards. Acting as a “resource,” I have and continue
to give lectures at local schools. Clearly, I have had far more contact
with schools that have what might be termed “stronger academic backgrounds.”
I hope to attract a diverse group of teachers from r schools in the region
whose academic histories have not been as strong as some of the schools
which I have been able to visit. I might add that as a direct result of
this past STI, I am now giving or am scheduled to give lectures/classes
at a number of additional schools.
PUBLICITY:
Last year’s STI taught me a great deal about brochures. Frankly, this
time around I would make mine glossier with more pictures. I now
have an extensive mailing list as a result of last year’s STI. In addition,
contacts from my previous guest lectures and work on projects in area schools
combined with active recruitment visits in other schools will supplement
efforts by Loyola’s Office of Institutional Advancement.
EVALUATION:
a. Information sought: We will assesses the quality and sufficiency
of the content provided in the Institute. We will also seek to measure
the educational impact of the developed course strategies and materials
in the teachers’ class activities during the following year.
b. Participants will be asked to submit anonymous written answers to
a series of questions concerning both the content and the presentation
of the material. Dr. Mary McCay, Professor at Loyola University, has agreed
to review course materials, attend lectures, and review participants’ evaluations
of the Institute. She has lectured written both on modern reinterpretations
of Arthurian literature and on Harry Potter. Her familiarity with these
subjects will greatly aid in her evaluation.
c. We will measure the impact of this Institute on actual classroom
activities and in-school curriculum, by surveying the teachers in January
2001, specifically asking how participants were able to use materials and/or
resources developed in the Institute. Participants will also be asked
respond to a series of questions, which should measure qualitatively, the
extent to which what they learned has influenced the design and efficacy
of their lesson plans/course design. The surveys will be reviewed,
summarized, and then forwarded by Dr. McCay to the Director, Prof. Julian
Wasserman.
SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT:
Applicants will be asked to submit a letter of interest, a brief CV,
and the names of two references. As previously stated, my hope is to have
teachers from a variety of institutions. A selection panel consisting
of the principal scholar, and Paulette Swarzfager will screen applications
on the basis of 1) Interest, 2) Present and potential use in classroom,
and 3) Internet experience, 4) Resources available, with under-resourced
schools receiving priority.