Connections:

“It gives the kids so much background knowledge for the book; they truly understand so much more as we are reading it. We constantly refer back to activities from the program as we read.” — 4th grade teacher, Ellington

“The students were so excited for the artist to come back.”

“The dramatic engagement got them excited to read more about the topic, which they might not have chosen independently.” — 3rd grade teacher, Manchester

“The student engagement was very high and provided active scenes that brought the characters and story to life. Every year we have had excellent actors come to our classooms.” — 4th grade teacher, Region 10

“It helped engage them in a narrative biography while learning about important history that greatly impacts their own stories in the classroom.” — 3rd grade teacher, Manchester

“This program engaged students in a different way than they are used to. It’s kind of like they look at a book from inside out. All the activities helped develop the characters and events which leads to more excitement about reading the book itself. I love the variety of activities and the opportunities for all kids to participate. I often see kids who are generally very withdrawn open up quite a bit during the program.” — 3rd grade teacher, East Hartford

“This program is great for my students to help them build both their listening and speaking skills…An interactive read aloud is a great way for students, especially multi-lingual learners, to build comprehension.” — 3rd grade teacher, Hartford

“It gave them multiple perspectives about the characters, and background knowledge about the time period.” — 4th grade teacher, Simsbury

“[The teaching artist] instantly gained the trust of my students and had them engaged immediately…she is a ROCK STAR with the students!” — 3rd grade teacher, Manchester

“[The teaching artist] introduced aspects of theatre, performed scenes, and created some of the most engaging sessions I have seen in my 8 years of teaching. Students were pushed out of their comfort zones and interacted with a text in a way that built connections and empathy.” — 7th grade teacher, East Hartford