It might not surprise you that our English Language Arts teachers love books. They love reading them, recommending them, discussing them, and, most importantly, deploying them as centerpieces for critical and relevant learning. If you've met our staff, you'd know that the love for book extends beyond our English department. And we have students who take care of our classroom libraries and little school library, and some some students who write books of their own. That's some serious book love right there.
IDEAS Academy's English Language Arts teachers, Addie Degenhardt and Heather Sheets, along with their students, have been selected to participate in the University of Wisconsin - Madison Center for the Humanities program called Great World Texts in Wisconsin. According to the website, this program connects scholars with a diverse group teachers and students across the state through the shared project of reading and discussing a classic piece of world literature. Drawing from world literature throughout the ages, the program’s selection of texts reflects a capacious understanding of the idea of the “literary classic.” The program includes workshops in which participating teachers work with UW faculty members on interpreting and understanding each text, extensive supporting curriculum materials, and an Annual Student Conference in which students from all participating schools come together to share their work and hear from distinguished speakers. Now in its eleventh year, Great World Texts has reached hundreds of students and teachers in dozens of school districts throughout the state of Wisconsin.
William Shakespeare's The Tempest is this year's Great World Text in Wisconsin. Today, Addie and Heather are in Madison are at a workshop with UW scholars and other teachers. For people who love books, this is a very exciting experience. Not only do our teachers get to "nerd out" with their peers, they are always energized by the opportunity to share our unique project-based practices with other teachers.
The Center for the Humanities touts that when students read The Tempest this year, they will join worldwide celebrations of Shakespeare’s 400-year legacy. At UW-Madison will include an exhibit of Shakespeare’s original First Folio, arguably the most treasured book to date. The Tempest is the last play Shakespeare wrote and one of its most enigmatic and inspiring, anticipating contemporary debates around colonialism, imperialism, racism, indigeneity, gender, and disability. As they read the play and explore its hundreds of adaptations (including sci-fi movies, prison dramas, and classic opera, and an adaptation by Margaret Atwood), students and educators will engage with a historical background of transatlantic travel, conquest, and slavery throughout the 16th and 17th centuries.
Students look forward to this study and sharing their exhibitions at the Great World Texts in Wisconsin Annual Student Conference will take place on Monday, April 3, 2017. Booker Prize-winning novelist Margaret Atwood, will give the keynote address at the conference. (Yes, you read that correctly, Margaret Atwood.) We can't think of a better way to continue the contemplation of the super natural, which began with our mini-project week and observing the exhibition at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center this fall.
There's even more book love happening right now!
One of our Étude Sessions Season 4 artists, Peter Mulvey, is closing out his Kickstarter campaign for his innovative book "Vlad the Astrophysicist - An Illustrated Book for Old Souls." Support him if you can!
Finally, the Sheboygan Children's Book Festival is this coming weekend, October 7-9th. With so many opportunities to engage with stories, authors, and illustrators, there is too much to list here.
As we enter the research phase for IDEAS Project Block, it’s important to use many different types of sources in order to get well rounded research. While many students rely on the Internet as their most important source, we have a library in our school that could assist with many different projects.
Juniors at IDEAS Academy excitedly hopped onto the bus to visit Lakeland University for the Wisconsin Education Fair on Wednesday, September 28. The students were given a list of the nearly 100 colleges at the Fair and set loose to talk to representatives from and learn about colleges and other post-high school education opportunities in the Midwest area. The Fair helped students move farther along their path to college readiness and career plans. Students with no clue of what the future holds were granted inspiration that drove them to consider things they never had.
IDEAS Academy will host its next American Red Cross Blood Drive on Friday, October 7! Donations will be scheduled from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. and take place in the IDEAS cafeteria. We are looking for around 48 donors. Those looking to donate may either contact Karen Robison at krobison@etudegroup.org[mailto:krobison@sasd.net] or can find information on the Red Cross website.[http://www.redcrossblood.org/rcbmobile/drive/chooseDonationTime.jsp]
What began as a student project last winter with the design of a “tiny home” has grown into a completed portable shelter project that will impact the life of a homeless veteran.
IDEAS Academy's portable shelter will soon have a new home.
Greetings from Camp Anokijig! The weather is beautiful, and the students are active. Our intention with starting school off campus was to give the students authentic bonding experiences to carry throughout the year. From the staff point of view, it seems to have been a success. In the morning, students met their peers in advisory and then constructed reflection journals together. These journals will hold their thoughts so that we can look back on our time here, and build upon the lessons we’ve learned.
Each year begins with a focus on intentionally building our community atIDEAS Academy. We do this by devoting time to getting to know one another as people with stories, as learners with goals, and as supporters we need to take on the challenges of an academic program that values creativity and innovation. As we did at the beginning of the 2014 - 2015 school year, we will be spending the first two days of school at Camp Anokijig. We will use this space to get know advisory groups, reflecting on individual growth and needs, and experiencing the creative process. The schedule is as follows:
MAKER Break, the creative makerspace program developed by The Étude Group’s IDEAS Academy and The ARTery of the John Michael Kohler Art Center, was a featured program at the August 11th Levitt Amp Sheboygan Summer Music Series.
We are excited to announce a free summer makerspace program developed by IDEAS Academy[ideas/] and The ARTery of The John Michael Kohler Arts Center. MAKER BREAK is a series of summer workshops and sessions that explore a wide range of making practices and activities. Participants can explore everything from circuitry and mic building at IDEAS Academy to knotsmanship and screenprinting in The ARTery.