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Children’s Literature Illuminated at SUNY Canton

 Two discerning critics of children's literature viewed the class projects of students enrolled in SUNY Canton's ENGL216, a distance learning three-credit class that drew over 30 teacher's aids from around the North Country. Pictured are Emily Belile, 11, and her sister, Gabrielle, 8. Gabrielle and Emily were attending the class with their mother, Gloria of Ogdensburg.

 Current and future child educators pulled out all the stops to draw, build, or otherwise illustrate their interpretations of scenes from selected children's literature.

Approximately 33 students presented their final projects to SUNY Canton's Academic Development Instructor Susan M. Stone for Children's Literature (ENGL216). Children's Literature is one of SUNY Canton's distance learning offerings, which allows working professionals to take classes for self improvement, college credit, and New York State mandated professional development.

"It is really amazing what the teacher's aids and other students put together for this project," Stone said. "The great part is that they can turn around and use their projects in the classroom to help children develop a love of reading."

The early childhood educators, teacher's aids, and other students in the Children's Literature class displayed hand-made artwork from their class studies. They showed dioramas displaying the life of a young girl trapped on an island, bereft of her sibling, surrounded by wild dogs and struggling to escape. This diorama was from the book Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell. Mobiles were suspended from the ceiling with airplanes and rock-hewn hatchets illustrating the book Hatchet by Gary Paulson. A few teacher's aids even created their own books to share with the class.

Joyce James, a teacher's aid at Potsdam Central School said that Stone was the driving inspiration that led them to apply so much creativity to their final projects. "I am a returning student," James said. "It makes it a lot easier to come back to class when you have Susan as a teacher."

Area educators and other students who participated in the SUNY Canton Children's Literature class at the Canton site include Cindy Ames, Gloria Belile, Liza Clark, Penny Didas, Robin Gary, Lori Greene, Denise Hardy, Janet House, Joyce James, Tom LaBaff, Brenda LePage, Rona Mayette, Dawn Phippin, and Betsy Sokalski. Participants from the Gouverneur site include Debbie White, Jill White, Lynette Besaw, Christine Cornell, Kathy Fuller, Madge Hansen, Janice Herheim, Diana Hutton, Brenda Macaulay, Ginger Thomas, Becky VanOrnum, Vicki VanOrnum, and Linda Woodard. Students from the Heuvelton site include Diane Carr, Theresa Crowe, Lori Kelley, and Shirley Skelly.

Distance learning and summer education programs at SUNY Canton offer a way to fulfill State-mandated training and a great way to continue your education. For more information, contact the SUNY Canton Extended Studies Office at 315.386.7102. Or to register for part-time non-degree classes, visit www.canton.edu/onlinereg.

July 15, 2005

Media inquiries should be directed to Gregory Kie, Media Relations Coordinator, or call 315/386-7527.

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