Human Library Project Fosters Inquiry and Connection
Courtesy: Human Library Project
Sarah Bonner, WCE assistant professor of Middle Grades Education, has launched an inquiry mentorship project that brings middle grades pre-service teachers together with seventh and eighth graders at Cape Fear Center for Inquiry.
Ninety-six CFCI students and 27 WCE pre-service teachers are participating in the inaugural Inquiry Mentorship experience. The initiative includes a Human Library project, designed to foster understanding, curiosity and meaningful connection.
“The Human Library concept is that instead of borrowing books, students ‘borrow’ a person — a ‘Human Book’ — for a short period of time to participate in thoughtful, engaging conversation,” Bonner said. The goal is to create a safe space where questions can be asked and answered, allowing students to connect with individuals who have a wide range of experiences. My hope is that it will spark curiosity and help students think about issues in the community that they may have interest in exploring.”
The project kicked off Jan. 7 with a Human Library Experience. During the event, 17 community members volunteered as human books, holding small-group conversations with students to share their stories and answer questions. Volunteers represented a variety of careers and interests, including chemistry, international travel, education, nursing, wildlife rescue and conservation, athletics and crafting.
Throughout the semester, CFCI students will be paired with WCE student teacher mentors to develop student-driven inquiry projects centered on community needs. Working together, students will identify a topic or problem that matters to their community and design a project to address it. Over the coming months, teams will conduct research, collaborate, problem-solve and present their findings.
“The assignment is intentionally open-ended and designed to promote curiosity, collaboration and meaningful inquiry,” Bonner said. “Our student teachers gain valuable hands-on experience, and CFCI students benefit from working closely with enthusiastic, dedicated mentors.”
Participating WCE students are enrolled in EDN 352, a course that introduces teacher candidates to the role of reading and literacy in the middle grades. The course emphasizes factors that influence students’ reading and learning from content texts, along with the role writing, speaking and listening play in middle school classrooms.
Human Library events were first introduced in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2000 by Ronni Abergel and friends as a way to address violence and prejudice. Since then, the concept has spread globally, with events held in countries around the world. The goal is to build bridges, challenge assumptions and increase empathy through direct human connection.
“We are excited to introduce the Human Library project at UNCW,” Bonner said. “Our Jan. 7 event was a great success, and I am incredibly grateful to our volunteers for the time, energy and honesty they shared with our students. It is one thing for middle school students to read about different perspectives in a textbook, but it can be life-changing to hear those stories directly. We can’t wait to see the inquiry projects that emerge throughout the semester.”
About Watson’s Middle Grades Programs
WCE’s Middle Grades Education programs are designed for students who would like to teach language arts, math, science and/or social studies in grades 6-9. The College offers a degree program for undergraduate students and a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program for students with bachelor’s degree in any field. A graduate certificate program is also offered for middle grades residency teachers.
For more information visit the program websites:
This article has the following tags: Watson College of Education Students & Alumni Engagement