Residencies are a new offering of Deep Center’s Youth Literacy Programs, and they are a complete game-changer.
“Residencies give us a chance to meet the youth where they are instead of waiting for them to come to us,” Jezmin Daniels, Youth Literacy Programs Coordinator.
Deep Residencies are 6–8-week partnerships designed to increase student discourse, engagement, and literacy development in fun, creative, and “deep” ways in middle and high school classrooms across the Savannah Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS). Through this program, Deep Center pairs a teaching artist with a classroom teacher to support learning goals through creative writing, discussion-based activities, and targeted literacy exercises. During the recently completed spring semester residencies were held at Woodville Tompkins High School, Oglethorpe Charter School and Charles Ellis Montessori Academy.
Residencies are designed to complement classroom instruction and align with Georgia Standards of Excellence. What makes the experience unique is that the lessons are co-planned by SCCPSS classroom teacher and the Deep teaching artist, creating an engaging, student-centered learning experience. Residencies are also opportunities for educators to get support, an outside perspective, and explore new ways of instruction.
Praise from participating SCCPSS teachers included:
“I really valued her perspective as a non-traditional teacher (not in a public school classroom). It helped me see my instruction in a new light.”
“[She] used her poetic expertise to plan, instruct, and guide the lesson. Students really enjoyed her energy and she allowed them to truly express their feelings.”
“Student response, and collaboration made the residency a great experience for both the students and myself.”
Jezmin Daniels and Brandy Simpkin, from Deep’s Youth Literacy Team, serve as teaching artists for the residencies. Partnering with teachers to facilitate creative writing workshops centered on Deep Center pedagogy, that also supports the curriculum goals for the semester.
“We are able to connect with teachers who have a real passion for the young people’s education and well-being. Actually, my favorite part was admiring the interactions between the youth and their teacher.” Jezmin Daniels, Youth Literacy Programs Coordinator.
SCCPSS teachers have remarked that Deep staff provided a warm and inviting space for students to write from the heart, and to be themselves. The benefits shared by our teaching artists is the mutual respect, collaborative learning, and support we receive from each other.
Every week, the students developed new creative writing skills that helped them tell their stories, which many found both educational and enlightening. With the success of this pilot residency, the Youth Literacy Programs team hopes to enter more classrooms in the coming school year to support literacy goals and contribute to the positive environment teachers create in their classrooms for self expression and youth skill development.