Jorge Luis Morejon was invited by Christina Akrong, director of TheatrePeace of Toronto, a peace promoting theatre for children group, to be part of the Higher 5 Program at York University. Jorge Luis Morejon was responsible for introducing the visiting Elementary School children to the Performing Arts throuhg his drama/movement workshop. Bellow, there is a thank you letter from Jackie Robinson, the Westview Partnership Coordinator in the Faculty of Education at York University.
Higher 5:
TheatrePeace: http://www.theatrepeace.ca/
_______________________________________________
16 July 2007
Jorge Morejon
Theatre Studies
Faculty of Fine Arts
Dear Jorge
Thank you very much for your drama workshop on for the Higher 5 Program, part of the Westview Partnership. The mandate of the Partnership is to increase access to post secondary education and training for students living in the Jane-Finch community, many of whom experience systemic barriers to continuing in school.
Thirteen grade 5 classes from local elementary schools each participated in a full day of activities related to Ministry of Education curriculum expectations. Seventeen faculties and departments offered the teachers a choice from thirty five different lectures, tours and workshops, and every student received a tangible reminder of their visit -a lunch bag, piggy bank, pen, pencil, carabiner or lanyard donated by various faculties and departments.
Feedback from students, teachers and principals has been overwhelmingly positive. Many students wrote that they knew little or nothing about university before the Higher 5 visit and most were not aware they could study theatre. However, the post visit questionnaires have indicated a great deal of learning about post-secondary:
"I learned you can become many things in college and university."
"I got to learn what you do in university."
"I liked everything about [the visit] because it was interesting and fun... and it is a great place to learn."
Most students said the presentations they attended were interesting and that the only improvement to the experience would be to make it longer so they could see everything! The program appears to have increased both the students' knowledge of post secondary pursuits and, in the short term, their motivation to continue their education.
If you have comments or suggestions for improving Higher 5, please give me a telephone call or send me a note. Thank you again for participating this year and I look forward to working with you next spring. Building on what we have learned it should be possible to begin earlier and include even more children.
Sincerely
Jackie Robinson
Westview Partnership Coordinator
Faculty of Education
(416) 736-2100
Jorge Morejon
Theatre Studies
Faculty of Fine Arts
Dear Jorge
Thank you very much for your drama workshop on for the Higher 5 Program, part of the Westview Partnership. The mandate of the Partnership is to increase access to post secondary education and training for students living in the Jane-Finch community, many of whom experience systemic barriers to continuing in school.
Thirteen grade 5 classes from local elementary schools each participated in a full day of activities related to Ministry of Education curriculum expectations. Seventeen faculties and departments offered the teachers a choice from thirty five different lectures, tours and workshops, and every student received a tangible reminder of their visit -a lunch bag, piggy bank, pen, pencil, carabiner or lanyard donated by various faculties and departments.
Feedback from students, teachers and principals has been overwhelmingly positive. Many students wrote that they knew little or nothing about university before the Higher 5 visit and most were not aware they could study theatre. However, the post visit questionnaires have indicated a great deal of learning about post-secondary:
"I learned you can become many things in college and university."
"I got to learn what you do in university."
"I liked everything about [the visit] because it was interesting and fun... and it is a great place to learn."
Most students said the presentations they attended were interesting and that the only improvement to the experience would be to make it longer so they could see everything! The program appears to have increased both the students' knowledge of post secondary pursuits and, in the short term, their motivation to continue their education.
If you have comments or suggestions for improving Higher 5, please give me a telephone call or send me a note. Thank you again for participating this year and I look forward to working with you next spring. Building on what we have learned it should be possible to begin earlier and include even more children.
Sincerely
Jackie Robinson
Westview Partnership Coordinator
Faculty of Education
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