WHY ARE WE PLAYING SCRABBLE AT SCHOOL??
During the 2014-15 school year, Communities in Schools of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Inc. launched Scrabble Clubs in some of the schools it serves. The goal of Scrabble Clubs is to engage students in a co-curricular activity that is fun and that builds important academics such as vocabulary, language and math skills.
Here in Charlotte, North Carolina, 12 schools, all Communities in Schools (CIS) schools, pulled students aside to play scrabble for a short 40 minutes a week. The students played in teams, 2 vs. 2. As Ms. Thompson, a CIS Site Coordinator, explained, the students developed leadership skills, dealt with frustrations as a team, and gained a sense of family.
During the Summer 2015, UNC Charlotte students Kierra Boyd and Katrina Buchanan worked with a faculty mentor to create instructional tools and program evaluation tools to enhance the Scrabble Club experience for students and provide important data about the program for CIS. Katrina and Kierra, part of the Charlotte Community Scholars program which supports undergraduate community-based research, developed this website in support of the CIS Scrabble Clubs.
Here in Charlotte, North Carolina, 12 schools, all Communities in Schools (CIS) schools, pulled students aside to play scrabble for a short 40 minutes a week. The students played in teams, 2 vs. 2. As Ms. Thompson, a CIS Site Coordinator, explained, the students developed leadership skills, dealt with frustrations as a team, and gained a sense of family.
During the Summer 2015, UNC Charlotte students Kierra Boyd and Katrina Buchanan worked with a faculty mentor to create instructional tools and program evaluation tools to enhance the Scrabble Club experience for students and provide important data about the program for CIS. Katrina and Kierra, part of the Charlotte Community Scholars program which supports undergraduate community-based research, developed this website in support of the CIS Scrabble Clubs.
The Goal of CIS:
"By determining students’ needs and surrounding them with a community of support through relationships established with local businesses, social services agencies, health care providers, faith communities, and civic and other volunteer organizations, CIS makes it possible for many of Charlotte’s most vulnerable students to focus on their education; chart their course through elementary, middle, and high school; and ultimately make plans for college, a vocation, and/or a career." -Communities in Schools website
For more information about Communities in Schools, click here.
"By determining students’ needs and surrounding them with a community of support through relationships established with local businesses, social services agencies, health care providers, faith communities, and civic and other volunteer organizations, CIS makes it possible for many of Charlotte’s most vulnerable students to focus on their education; chart their course through elementary, middle, and high school; and ultimately make plans for college, a vocation, and/or a career." -Communities in Schools website
For more information about Communities in Schools, click here.
"Kids don't realize they're learning, because they're having fun!" - Ms. Crawford, Communities in Schools site coordinator.
View Katrina and Kierra's video overview of the Scrabble Project Website
This project and website were developed in partnership with the Center for Adolescent Literacies at UNC Charlotte. For more information please visit our website or email Dr. Bruce Taylor.
**This club is in no way affiliated with Hasbro's School Scrabble.