Application: District #1 and District #625
Application: Districts outside District #1 and District #625
Neighborhood Bridges is a nationally recognized literacy program that utilizes storytelling, theatre and creative writing to empower students to become animators of their own lives. Our skilled teaching artists animate learning and transform classrooms into communities where students think independently and work collectively. Recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as an arts model, Neighborhood Bridges meets state and national education standards.
Impact & Outcomes
The impact of the Bridges program is assessed by formal student and teacher evaluations conducted by the University of Minnesota's Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI)*.
- 37% of English language learners in Neighborhood Bridges classrooms met or exceeded state standards compared to 22% of the students in the comparison group on the 2007 Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment test in reading.
- Exceeding goal, 95% of students who participated in Bridges in 2007-2008 met the benchmark for student achievement in writing.
- More than 94% of classroom teachers who participated in Bridges in 2007-2008 indicated that students' acting, storytelling, oral communication skills, attitude towards writing, and use of imagination and descriptive details in writing improved during the course of the program.
* Full reports are available at CAREI website: http://cehd.umn.edu/carei/Reports/Bridges/
Neighborhood Bridges Opportunities
31-Week Core Bridges Program
- Two-hour weekly sessions for 31 weeks
- Each session includes creative writing, storytelling, theatre games, student created scenes, and group discussions that inspire critical thinking
- Curriculum planning with teachers
- Students perform original plays on CTC UnitedHealth Group, produce a book of original stories, and attend performances at CTC
- Currently, we serve more than 500 students in 20 classrooms in the Twin Cites
10-Session Abridged Program
- 10 two-hour sessions
- Each session includes creative writing, storytelling, theater games, student created scenes, and group discussions to inspire critical thinking
- Curriculum planning with teachers
- Day of sharing with classroom and school community
- After school option: While most of our work is partnered with a classroom teacher during the regular school day, we welcome opportunities to conduct Neighborhood Bridges programming in an after school setting.
For questions, contact John Sessler at jsessler@childrenstheatre.org or 612-872-5306
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