Elizabethtown College Department of Education students collaborated with the High Library to create a StoryWalk, an enjoyable and innovative way for children and families to read books, for the surrounding community. The StoryWalk first welcomed visitors during Etown’s Homecoming & Family Weekend in October, while students from the Elizabethtown Child Care Center were also among the first to participate in the exhibit.
Blue Jay students from the ED 360 Integrated Strategies for Creative Expression in Early Childhood class designed the StoryWalk around the children’s book, “Big Dance” and constructed activities for children to participate in while following the path of the story.
“As a class, were given free rein of the entire project,” Early Childhood Education major Valeria Ferrarelli ’22 said. “We decided where the walk would occur, what the set up would be, what the activities would be, and what supplies we needed to provide.”
The students worked under the guidance of Assistant Professor of Education, PK-12 New Literacies Dr. Kathryn Caprino, and Director of the High Library Sarah Penniman to make the exhibit a fun and interactive learning experience for young children.
“This experience has impacted my future teaching in a positive way,” Early Childhood Education Major and Dual ESL Certification student Madeleine Hower ’24 said. “I have learned how creativity can be implemented in picture books as a way of engaging the reader, how to create a meaningful activity for early education students, and how to work and collaborate with a team of equally-minded teachers.”
“The whole class contributed greatly to each activity, and we all bounced ideas off each other to come to our final product,” Early Childhood Education major Emily Wilkes ‘24 said. “Without the entire class, this wouldn’t have been possible and I’m so glad to have worked with a great group of pre-service teachers.”
Members of the campus community can visit the StoryWalk, which will remain available in the High Library’s IDEA lab through Dec. 9.