Local Teachers Inspired to Create Award-Winning Curriculum While Participating in U of A Program

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Heather Hooks and Julie Griggs

Two local high school teachers who won a national award for their unique educational program were inspired while participating in the University of Arkansas' ARTeacher Fellowship.

Their project shows teachers how to bring art and empathy together in the English language arts classroom.

Julie Griggs from Bentonville High School and Heather Hooks from Bentonville West High School won the 2020 Media Literacy Award from the prestigious National Council of Teachers of English.

The ARTeacher Fellowship is part of the U of A's Center for Children and Youth in partnership with Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the Walton Arts Center. It's a professional development program in the College of Education and Health Professions that helps secondary teachers integrate the arts into their classrooms.

Each year, the U of A center selects ten secondary school teachers to participate. Teachers with three or more years of teaching experience in English, science, social studies or foreign language and an interest in high-quality arts integration strategies are encouraged to apply.

"The ARTeacher Fellowship was the beginning of our journey with arts integration and empathy," said Griggs, who earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and Master of Arts in Teaching for Secondary English/Language Arts from the U of A. "Some of the strategies and activities came from our experiences through the program."

Hooks was an ARTeacher fellow from 2014-2017, and Griggs participated from 2015-2018. The award is based on the curriculum and resources they developed for engaging art and empathy in the English language arts classroom. 

The two educators were honored at a virtual event Oct. 21.

"Not only does it reflect how they've taken what they've learned through the ARTeacher Fellowship and made it blossom, but it also speaks to the importance CCY has placed on teachers seeking out opportunities within the profession and adding their voice to the educational conversation more broadly," said Hung Pham, director of the Center for Children and Youth.

Griggs and Hooks share their research and tools on a website called EngagingEmpathy.org. The site provides teacher's guides, lesson plans and additional reading to help bolster secondary schools' empathy and literacy. Topics include African American Perspectives, Economic Inequality, Exceptionalities, Gender Expectations, LGBTQ+ Perspectives and more.

The curriculum explores diverse perspectives and experiences through media like visual art, performance, movement and music. The two teachers have shared their work at the local, state and national levels.

"Our intent was to create ready-to-go materials for teachers to immediately implement in their classes," Hooks said. "We know teachers in our district are using the materials and hope teachers in other districts have found the materials to be helpful."

The program has made a big impact in their own classrooms.

"Empathy curriculum has had a positive impact on our students and our classroom environments," Hooks said. "We have both witnessed how intentional work with empathy has the power to motivate students and create a positive learning space for all."