Testimonials
Students | Teaching Artists | Classroom Teachers

What Students are Saying:
Branson School
“You really have to look into the text to know what’s going on/the deeper meaning.”

“I was skeptical to how our audience would react to what we did, but by having confidence in what we had really helped.”

Mill Valley Middle School
“The instructors guided us, making sure we learned as much as possible from each activity.  Each of these games built up the skills necessary for the final performance.”

“As I look back upon this experience, I realize how valuable it was.  Never have I participated in something that demanded so much teamwork and cooperation.  Never has so much practice resulted in so much success.  Never have I had an experience like Word for Word.”

“Once we’ve done Word for Word, we can work together much more efficiently in our book groups.”

“The main thing that struck me about Word for Word is the impact it had on students’ personalities.  Everyone seemed happy like they had just won a million dollars.”

“I think both verbal and non-verbal ways of communicating are important.  Word for Word is a great way to bring these two important skills together in an acting experience based on the written word, not in the form of a script, but in the form of a paragraph or a poem.”

East Bay Arts High School
“We looked deep into the text and asked questions to better develop our characters.”

Aptos Middle School
“TOTALLY AWESOME SAUCE!”

What Teaching Artists are Saying
They were all engaged in the conversation about what these three poetry pieces mean both literally and metaphorically.  They all really got in to line division and all the creative possibilities for how the poems could be delivered. 
-- Carlos Aguirre, 11th grade workshop, East Bay Arts High School

When it came time to buckle down and do it, even unmotivated students were pulled into being invested in the group and the challenge of hitting all of their marks together.  Some students that were not naturally expressive were able to explore that and be supported.  Motivated students were able to showcase their talents for the group and receive validation.
-- Matt Bernarding, 8th grade workshop, Mill Valley Middle School

Some students were very shy and reserved at the beginning.  By the end these three students were making big vocal and physical choices as well as helping other students to focus and work.
-- Marilet Martinez, 4th grade workshop, Ulloa Elementary

I could tell the students were thinking about the process
during the time in between classes.  They would come in the next day with ideas
that they had hatched the night before, or that morning before class. 
-- Laura Marlin, 5th grade workshop, Marshall Elementary

I had two of the “really quiet” girls from this 5th grade class and one of them
started really projecting! They both began to show more interest and confidence in trying out performing! 
-- Tessa Koning-Martinez, 4th grade bilingual Spanish workshop, Marshall Elementary

What Classroom Teachers are Saying
My students have much more confidence, and a new way of thinking about stories and text. I think it means a lot to them to have so many different people coming in and working with them, it shows that someone thinks they are important, that they are able to have a set and costumes and two artists coming every week. I think it may cause them to look at stories in an entirely new way.  
-- Jennifer Ruskin, 6th grade, Aptos Middle School

Students who often are passive in class took more of a leadership role when they were cast in a bigger part in the performance.  The class was becoming ragged before Word for Word—many new students, lower motivation, less focus in class.  Since pulling themselves together for the performance, I think they are a little more willing to focus and work in the classroom. 
-- Cathy Personius, 8th grade, Francisco Middle School           

Students have better feelings about each other – respect for those who are not in their “social” groups.
-- Judy Gruzinsky, 8th grade, Mill Valley Middle School

Students learn best when they are engaged and Word for Word has that in abundance.  Of particular note were the vocabulary activities the Word for Word teachers did with the students as a part of comprehending the piece of literature.  When I first read the stories, I was a little concerned because the vocabulary and language in some of them were extremely advanced and would be difficult for native English speakers of a higher grade to comprehend, let alone English language learners in 4th grade.  But through the vocabulary and theater activities, the students were able to understand the stories well.           
-- Sandra Camp, 4th grade, Bryant Elementary School

"What I noticed about the experience was that my students were able to approach literature and language in new and interesting ways. I've noticed, in general the power of drama and movement in language arts and use reader's theater in my own class. The kids respond so well to this medium that I don't know why it isn't used more often. Especially for reluctant readers, this approach gets kids to use language they may never use out loud other than parroting in the classroom."
-- Sunny Harker, 5th grade, Flynn Elementary

“It’s unfortunate, but outside agencies are often not ready for the reality of discouraged high school youth.  I was surprised how effectively Vanessa and Carlos were able to command the respect and participation of my students.  I was able to hand the reigns of the class over to them with complete confidence, and allowed myself to have fun participating alongside my students.”
-- Eric Cuneo,11th grade, Ida B Wells High School