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U N I V E R S I T Y O F P I T T S B U R G H |
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| Vol. XII, No.1 | A newsletter devoted to the support of teaching and learning at the University of Pittsburgh |
Sept. 2006
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U N I V E R S I T Y O F P I T T S B U R G H |
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| Vol. XII, No.1 | A newsletter devoted to the support of teaching and learning at the University of Pittsburgh |
Sept. 2006
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Hill House Center for CreativityFiona Cheong, English, “had long wondered how to open up experiences for students that would take them outside the classroom.” The ACIE project Hill House Center for Creativity will achieve this by developing a research service learning component for the University of Pittsburgh’s MFA in Creative Writing Program’s curriculum. At the same time it will provide an artistic resource to the Hill House Association and adopt the modes of participant engagement modeled within the “Find the Rivers!” project, a neighborhood revitalization initiative that uses the natural beauty and strategic location of the Hill District as assets in its renewal. Students in the course will explore aesthetic questions relevant to their craft, as they do in other graduate creative writing courses. However, in this course, they will pursue their exploration in an environment with the attendant social realities confronting aspiring writers in economically under-resourced communities. Specifically, students will become familiar with written and oral histories of the Hill District so that they can think rigorously and broadly about how a writing center might support the lived experiences and dreams of neighborhood residents, with special attention to desires expressed by women and girls. Students will attend community meetings, facilitate writing workshops for Hill District residents and the wider public, and help organize other artistic events. One of these is the literary and musical performance series, “Confluence: Song & Spoken Word,” which itself originated from the collaborative efforts of Pitt graduate students and “Find the Rivers!” representatives. Classes will meet at Hill House in the Hill District, and workshops led by students will be offered either at Hill House or other community-based organizations, such as churches and schools. These workshops and events will be available free to the public and will aim to be attractive to youth. As part of the Center’s initial phase, interested Pitt faculty from the Writing Program, School of Social Work, and other disciplines will be invited to explore with one another, with students, and with community partners ways for expanding or adapting emerging skills, ideas, and activities to other settings. A Web site will be set up to showcase the work of the project, publicize the Center’s activities, and keep the University and public community informed as to the Center’s progress and unfolding developments. Pending further funding, the next phase of the project will be to establish it as an ongoing course in the Writing Program curriculum, as well as develop an undergraduate component for the Center and links to other youth-oriented organizations.
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A newsletter devoted to the support of teaching and learning at the University of Pittsburgh |
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