Zero Degrees of Separation

kevin kudlaImagine my reaction when I dropped by my colleague Kevin Kudla’s English classroom the other day while he was conducting a writing workshop with his students on a topic from The Great Gatsby. When I asked him about the origins of the assignment, he said that the idea originated at my dinner table.

While we hosted author Debra Munroe as part of the Writers’ Workshop Series, Mr. Kudla ate dinner with Ms. Munroe and the discussion touched on the importance of setting in works of fiction. After their first meeting, Mr. Kudla began an email correspondence with Ms. Munroe, and their conversation found its way into his classroom as a creative assignment for his eager students. He shared this story with his class, giving voice to the very kinds of collaborations that we urge our students to consider as they pursue their Williston educations. It is our aim to help our students cultivate such integrative skills and use them throughout their lives.

If we think of learning opportunities at every nexus point in our community, at every scheduled or chance meeting, then the possibilities of building a truly collaborative learning environment are limitless.

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