CENTER FOR THE PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION OF TEACHERS
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ABOUT  ​ |   VIDEO LIBRARY   |   RESOURCES
RSVP: 2020 watch party
 
Arts-infused instruction
Predicated on a belief in the power of play in the classroom, Literacy Unbound seeks to unbind traditional approaches to the teaching of reading and writing, troubling the divide between critical and creative thinking, demonstrating that intellectual rigor ultimately requires both.  

Our approach brings teachers and students together as creative collaborators to re-imagine challenging, classic texts through multiple modalities. We r
einvigorate classroom communities using arts-infused, project-based, collaborative curricula developed around a shared text, increasing student engagement and building community in the process. While many arts-integrated organizations work primarily with students, we believe that by positioning this work as teacher education, we can create enduring practices with sustainable impact.
 

Literacy Unbound in action

Brian Veprek, lead facilitator of the 2018 Summer Institute, talks through the process of the 2018 Literacy Unbound Institute, where players created an immersive performance based on Upton Sinclair's The Jungle
Brian Veprek, one of the lead facilitators of the 2017 Summer Institute, helps bring together teachers and students to create an original piece of performance art based on a novel. For the first time this past summer 2017, Literacy Unbound took place in Teachers College's Learning Theater, a versatile learning space where nothing, from the walls to the lighting, is fixed.
The Literacy Unbound 2017 Summer Institute: remixing Heart of Darkness
Award-winning quintuple threat Lisa Strum shows students unconventional ways to harness their creativity during the Literacy Unbound summer institute at the Smith Learning Theater
Dr. Adele Bruni Ashley gives an overview of the Literacy Unbound pedagogy and experience during the 2017 Summer Institute
Christine Slingerland, a longtime teacher in NYC, brought her teaching experience to the 2017 Summer Institute held in the Teachers College Learning Theater, where she led a workshop in music and vocalization
Jennine Willet takes her experiences as a co-director of Third Rail Projects and leads a workshop on immersive theater experiences at the 2017 Summer Institute
Donna Costello encourages students to use movement to delve into literature for an entirely new artistic experience during the Literacy Unbound's study of The Heart of Darkness in Teachers College's Smith Learning Theater
The 2014 Summer Institute comes to life as players remix Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
 
RSVP: 2020 Watch Party
 
Resources
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DON'T JUST READ LITERATURE, EXPERIENCE IT
​Rich meaning-making happens when we find ways to experience literature together. 
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INVITATIONS TO CREATE
​Engaging multimedia prompts designed to support students in their reading and understanding of a shared piece of literature; free to download. 
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2020 INSTITUTE WATCH PARTY
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Our culminating event — an original, collaboratively generated film inspired by Jhumpa Lahiri's Pulitzer Prize winning collection of short stories, Interpreter of Maladies. This event requires a reservation; however, there is no cost to attend. RSVP here. 
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The Center for Professional Education of Teachers (CPET) at Teachers College, Columbia University is committed to making excellent and equitable education accessible worldwide. ​CPET unites theory and practice to promote transformational change. We design innovative projects, cultivate sustainable partnerships, and conduct research through direct and online services to youth and educators. Grounded in adult learning theories, our six core principles structure our customized approach and expand the capacities of educators around the world.

ABOUT US

525 West 120th Street, Box 182
New York, NY 10027
​416 Zankel

Ph: (212) 678-3161
[email protected]

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  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • Our Team
    • Our Partnerships
    • Our Authors
    • Principles of Practice
    • Job Opportunities
  • What We Do
    • Services
    • Equity in Action
    • Literacy Unbound Summer Institute
    • Signature Initiatives >
      • Literacy Unbound
      • New Teacher Network
      • Student Press Initiative
  • Educator Essentials
    • Book of the month
    • Online Courses
    • Professional Articles
    • Ready-to-use Resources
    • Teaching Today Podcast
  • Support CPET