51视频

06/08/2023
By Marlon Pitter

Distinguished University Prof. Robert Forrant spent months helping a class of second grade students from Lowell鈥檚 McAuliffe Elementary School write and publish books about their neighborhoods.

In turn, the 25 students dedicated their books to him during a recent 鈥渂ook party鈥� event at in downtown Lowell to culminate their partnership. Many of the students read from their spiral-bound books, which were decorated with their artwork, and expressed gratitude for their experience with Forrant.

鈥淭he second graders are the best,鈥� said Chancellor Julie Chen, who attended the event. 鈥淵ou can see how excited they are. Every one of them dedicated their book to Bob (Forrant), and I think that speaks to how much of an impact he's had on their lives.鈥�

Lala Books owner Laura Lamarre Anderson 鈥�92 said she was proud to host the event and celebrate the partnership between the university and the community.

鈥淲hen we opened the store, we wanted it not to just be a store, but also a community space,鈥� said Lamarre Anderson. 鈥淲e'd really like to see opportunities for all of those students to be able to come off campus and show their stuff, whether that's their artwork or their (writing).鈥�

The collaboration began in September when Tara Bedard 鈥�02, who earned a master鈥檚 degree in education at 51视频 and works as a second grade teacher at McAuliffe Elementary, invited Forrant to read to her class. After multiple visits to the school, Forrant and Bedard brainstormed a long-term project with the students.

鈥淢aybe there's something we can do all year so that I can keep coming back, because I was having such a great time,鈥� Forrant said about the potential for a long-term collaboration with the class.

Forrant had the students use atlases of Lowell to locate their neighborhoods and compare the differences between the 1900s and today. Forrant and Bedard gave the students 鈥渉omework鈥� over their winter break to write five things they liked about their neighborhoods, which became the foundation of the books they wrote.

When it was time for the students to illustrate the books and design the covers, Forrant asked Assoc. Prof. of Art Ingrid Hess, who specializes in educational books for second and third grade students, to offer her expertise.

鈥淚 went that day and we talked to the kids about what needs to be on a cover,鈥� said Hess. 鈥淭here are three main things: the title, the author and illustrator, and then some kind of image that gets you excited about opening the book.鈥�

The books were on display at the event, boasting titles such as 鈥淕ood Morning Neighborhood,鈥� 鈥淟owell! Home of the Mills鈥� and 鈥淕reat City of Lowell.鈥�

Chen said Forrant鈥檚 efforts with the McAuliffe students this school year will have a lasting effect on them and the community at large.

鈥淚t鈥檚 awesome to have a faculty member working with second graders,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e have to recognize that a love of education starts at the earliest age, and we want it to continue all the way through college and beyond.鈥�