Williams Family Multicultural Children's Literacy Collaborative

In 2021 the family donated funds to create a space at Winthrop for all generations and all ethnicities to enjoy together through the College of Education at Winthrop.  After celebrating the grand opening in 2022 we got the first annual review of all that is happening in the space.  I am excited to watch the space create more connections for teachers and the community!  Alice

Design Thinking: The Most Magnificent Extraordinary Things- October 2022

Dr. Richard Cox hosted an event for approximately 20 third, fourth, and fifth grade students from Ebenezer Avenue’s Challenger program. The event focused on design thinking and was based on the children’s book, The Most Magnificent Extraordinary Things. 

Design Thinking: The Most Magnificent Extraordinary Things II

February 2023

Dr. Cox’s event with the Ebenezer Avenue students in October was such a success that the director of the Challenger program requested a second event for the kindergarten, first and second grade children. Approximately 15 students attended the event. 

ECED 395 Collaboration: Using Multicultural Literature in Early Childhood Classrooms- November 2022

Under the direction of instructors Melanie Sanders and Erin Hamel, ECED 395 students utilized the library to make practical applications of theories discussed in class. Students commented in course evaluations that this type of meaningful application enabled them to have a deeper understanding of course concepts.

READ 290: Mirrors and Windows- March 2023

Students in READ 290 explored the multicultural children’s library to find books that were mirrors (saw themselves in the characters/experiences), windows (learned something outside their lived experiences), and sliding glass doors (invited them to step into the story world and feel like they were part of the narrative). Our focus for the class was the importance of providing diverse reading materials for readers.  

Diversity in Education Conference: All Because You Matter: Creating a Sense of Belonging through Children's Picturebooks - March 2023

This state-wide conference was hosted by the College of Education at Winthrop University. The conference theme was: Towards Belonging: Moving Beyond Diversity Buzzwords. Drs. Barger and Hamel presented a session in the WLC space titled, All Because You Matter: Creating a Sense of Belonging through Children's Picturebooks. The session was standing room only. Participants learned guidelines for evaluating picture books that create a sense of belonging and applied their understandings to the books in the literacy collaborative space.

Camp Somos - May-June 2023

This year, the space served as the classroom for nineteen campers who are bi/multilingual. The camp ran from May 31-June 8^th. The second and third graders read books and engaged in a variety of literacy engagements based on the books (i.e. written responses, art work). The space provided the needed resources and materials to support the mission of the camp.

Project-Based Learning Summer Camp: Exploring the World Around Us - June 2023

Over the course of a week-long nature-focused camp hosted at Winthrop, you will prepare experiences for, and support the work of, 2nd-5th grade campers as they embark on a project-based learning journey, delving into the intersecting themes of environmental and multicultural education through a variety of hands-on and minds-on activities rooted in our individual and collective stories.