Living Histories helps students find their own voice and create positive change within their own communities through the use of innovative curriculum and programming.
Our goal is for our students to become experienced creators of community based initiatives with an understanding of their ability to be a force for change and service.
Living Histories’ program model combines technology, art, and literacy to teach youth how to reach out in their community. In addition to becoming community change agents, youth gain critical thinking, literacy and artistic skills,
Specific curriculum topics vary but the goals are always the same:
Students seek out their VOICE
Students LEARN to use that VOICE as well as new skills
Students use their VOICE to TRANSFORM their community through a service project or some form of community action
While curriculum topics and educational settings vary, all programs are defined by the following cornerstones:
1. Use of project based models
2. Consistent end goals:
*Discovery and recognition of voice
*Youth led community service initiatives
*On going projects long after ‘class’ ends, with LH support
3. Class integration with the local community
4. Classes ideally taught by local instructors, with LH support and training, or co-taught locally with LH instructors
The specific set up, theme and over all nature of a given class will vary by community, but each Living Histories class features the following standards:
1. Structuring class and every component of it around the idea of being a community
*Instruction, discussions, discipline et.al are based from this concept, with each student having an important role as an individual
2. Curriculum all focused on same end results, even though topic and projects vary
*discovering voice (Who am I? and What is this Place?)
*youth led community projects
3. Utilization of technology and web based publishing such as blogs
4. Emphasis on art, literacy and cultural and global awareness
5. Frequent use of journals/personal space for students
We are rooted in the idea that education is one piece in a much larger social puzzle. To that end, our model is based entirely on partnerships. We collaborate with agencies that serve youth to provide our life changing programming. We implement our programs in after school settings, community centers, public libraries, and even refugee camps and homeless shelters.
Our model is one based on sustainability. Although we implement and teach the initital programs, our ultimate goal is to offer our curriculum and resources, and train or assist local teachers within the community to provide the actual programming to ensure a long lasting, sustainable presence.
We like to think of ourselves as acting as a resource, taking our expertise and experience and using it to link people and ideas together to better serve youth.
For most of our projects, this is the Living History process:
1. Identify communities in need of our programming
2. Form partnerships in that community to provide the programming, including sites, teachers, and resources
3. Seek funding and resources to provide programming
4. Train teachers and staff on implementing programming, or implement the programming with LH staff until such community resources are available
5. Help oversee the program, providing assistance, on going training’s, evaluations and feedback
Specific lesson themes are varied and all fit into the Cornerstones and Curriculum Standards.
All examine the history of the subject area they are focused on, and how different cultures approach the topic. Most curriculum provide guidance on the service project component, but leave it open ended to reflect the needs of the community at hand and/or the interests of the students and instructor.
We believe that our curriculum should adhere to the Cornerstones and Standards, but allow students and communities to adapt it to their own purposes.
For specific examples of our lesson themes, visit our curriculum page.