TRAVERSE CITY — The collaborative work by a pair of Traverse City Central High School faculty members received statewide recognition.
Joelle Kolody, Traverse City Central High School English Language Arts teacher, and Larissa VanderZee, Central High School librarian, received the Michigan Association of School Librarians’ School Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award. They were recognized at the President’s Award Gala during the annual MASL state conference at the Kensington Hotel in Ann Arbor.
Their award was for “exemplary collaboration between a school librarian and teacher in implementing effective instruction that incorporates the school’s library resources, the research process, reading advocacy, literacy support, and/or technology integration.” according to the MASL press release.
“It means a lot to be recognized for the hard work that we do everyday,” Kolody said. “Larissa and I have worked together for over 20 years, and we enjoy working together. It’s so much fun. To be able to combine something that we love that creates such a great learning opportunity for the kids. It’s the whole package. It means the world to us.”
VanderZee said: “Joelle deserves all the recognition here. It is her excitement, willingness, and ability to build curriculum with another instructor that makes our collaboration so effective for student learning.”
The award application focused on their documentary project that is part of the Advanced Placement Language and Composition course. The pair work together to help students understand how to evaluate and fact-check sources using documentary films, first as a model and then as inspiration.
Students analyze a film of their own, conducting a detailed investigation and building an annotated bibliography. Throughout the project, Kolody and VanderZee teach all of the classes together, developing plans and delivering them as a team, ensuring that students are learning literacy skills that will prepare them for the future.
This partnership was considered by the MASL to be an excellent example of the impact that collaboration can have on students.
“We think that what we do has such an impact on the kids’ critical thinking skills, and what they need when they get out into the real world, college and beyond,” Kolody said. “It’s exciting when it all comes together.”
“They have worked together to help us as students succeed on a tough, months-long documentary project while preparing us for further research ahead in college or our careers,” said Lucy Poppleton, a senior at Traverse City Central. “From a student perspective, Ms. Kolody and Ms. VanderZee have helped me grow academically while coming to appreciate their care for me and my classmates as people.”
Brian Guiney, assistant principal at Traverse City Central, wrote in a recommendation letter: “Joelle and Larissa regularly employ student voice and collaboration routines to intentionally teach young people to listen, share, respect one another, and seek new learning.
“While this layer of instruction deepens student understanding, it also grows the skill of connecting with others — a skill that has waned in teens since the advent of the iPhone.”