Outreach Opportunities
2011-2012 The Year of Afro-Latin America: Historical, Cultural and Artistic Representations
In recognition of the UNESCO 2011 International Year of Afrodescendants, CLAS is sponsoring a series of events in 2011-2012 focused on the historical, cultural and artistic representations of Afro-Latin America. During the year we will host lectures, teacher workshops and ,art exhibits, and conferences on this theme. In the fall, in collaboration with the Frist Center for the Visual Arts, CLAS will welcome as Visiting Resource Professor María Magdalena Campos-Pons, whose work symbolically follows the African Diaspora from her family’s origin in Nigeria to Cuba, where they worked in the sugar industry, to present day Boston, where Campos-Pons now lives and teaches art. The work of Campos-Pons will be featured in exhibits both at the Frist and the VU Fine Arts Gallery.
CLAS Teacher Workshops- Spring 2012
Connecting Cultures: Childrens’ Stories From Latin America
Tuesday, January 24 OR Saturday, January 28
9am- 3pm; Frist Center for the Visual Arts
The workshop will celebrate Latin America through in-depth investigations of two Latin American stories: “The Woman Who Outshone the Sun” and “The Lovers.” During this full-day program, educators will examine original works of art, participate in studio activities, and discuss classroom teaching ideas. Register here through the Frist Center for the Visual Arts.
Black History Month Film Screening and Teacher Workshop in Tuskegee, Alabama
In recognition of the United Nations Resolution of the Year of Afro-Latin America, Vanderbilt University Center for Latin American Studies/ Center for Second Language Studies and Tuskegee University will collaborate to offer a free film screening of Favela Rising and a teacher workshop (grades 7 – 12) on February 24-25, 2012. Favela Rising is a film which documents the life of Anderson Sa, a former drug-trafficker who turns social revolutionary in Rio de Janeiro’s most feared slum. Through hip-hop music, the rhythms of the street, and Afro-Brazilian dance he rallies his community to counteract the violent oppression enforced by teenage drug armies and sustained by corrupt police. The film screening on Friday, February 24 (6pm) will be held on Tuskegee’s campus and will be free and open to the public. A reception, hosted by CLAS, will follow the film screening. The next day, there will be a teacher workshop, “Favela Rising: A Window into the History and Culture of Brazil” (9am-12pm), for area educators on the Tuskegee campus. Faculty from Vanderbilt and Tuskegee will share cultural and historical insights into those aspects of Brazilian society depicted in the film and some tips on incorporating this information into the classroom. Rhonda Collier (Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Vanderbilt), Associate Professor of English at Tuskegee, will present to teachers at the workshop and will help to coordinate the visit. The workshop is open to teachers across all disciplines and curriculum materials will be provided.
Read more here.
Latin America 101
9am-3pm; VU Campus
At this workshop educators will hear a broad overview of the region and will place selected themes from Latin America and the Caribbean within their proper historical and global contexts. Teachers will also have an opportunity to work together to develop ideas for incorporating these themes into their classrooms and schools. Spring 2012 Teacher Workshops Registration.
CLAS Summer 2012 Institutes
Maya 2012:History, Culture and Language; VU Campus; June 4-June 8
Maya people and culture have been featured prominently in popular culture over the last few years as the media have played up ancient Maya prophecies that supposedly predict an apocalyptic end of the world in December of this year (2012). What exactly did the Ancient Maya say about this event? How do modern Maya live today? This institute introduces teachers to Maya culture from ancient to modern times. Guest faculty from Vanderbilt and Tulane, world leaders in Maya studies, will be invited to introduce topics ranging from archaeology and hieroglyphic writing systems to modern Maya languages and political economies in Guatemala. During the institute teachers will create a curriculum project to take back to their schools. Registration form here.
Teaching Latin America Through Film; VU Campus July 16- July 20
Vanderbilt University (Center for Latin American Studies and Center for Second Language Studies) will offer a week-long institute on Latin America for high school teachers. At this multi-disciplinary institute, teachers will learn about the diversity of Latin America through feature films and documentaries with specialized faculty from Vanderbilt and other universities. Film scholars and Latin Americanists have selected key films that highlight the diverse regions and critical issues within Latin America and educators will work in teams to develop a curriculum based on the films. During the week teachers will develop a curriculum project in teams to take back to their classrooms. Registration form here.
CLAS Storytelling with the Downtown Public Library
Center for Latin American Studies at Vanderbilt and the Nashville Downtown Public Library are collaborating to offer storytime at the library. We invite you to participate, collaborate, and learn about Latin America at the library.
Latin American Book Clubs at Your School
Teachers will choose a book on Latin America- with support from CLAS . One teacher from the school should apply as the lead teacher, although CLAS staff and graduate students can help facilitate the groups. CLAS Book Clubs will take place for a period of one academic year.
Here is how you can start your own teacher book club at your school:
1. Choose a book related to Latin America or the Caribbean. CLAS can help with ideas for book choices.
2. Contact CLAS Outreach Coordinator Claire González at claire.p.gonzalez@vanderbilt.edu
3. Submit a 1-page description of what you want to do in your book club to Claire González at the email listed above.
4. CLAS may be able to provide supplemental materials and a graduate student or faculty member to facilitate the book club.
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