Upper School and 3rd Grade writing-photography collaborators pose after the project.
One student writes about her smile.
Another student likes his eyes.
A 3rd Grader likes his nose.
One student describes why she likes her mouth.

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Students Collaborate on Writing-Photography Project

11/15/2016

After sharing a book with her students that paired photographs with words, Collegiate School 3rd Grade teacher Katie Taylor decided to have her class replicate the process, with help from a group of Upper School photography students.

The result of their collaborative writing and photography project is currently on display in the Oates Theater hallway, through Dec. 1.

Mrs. Taylor and her students read “The Best Part of Me: Children Talk about Their Bodies in Pictures and Words," by Wendy Ewald.

“I read this book with them so they could celebrate and learn to love themselves,” she said.

In the book, Ms. Ewald, a professional photographer, asks children what they like best about themselves and photographs their answers. The children’s descriptions are accompanied by striking black and white images.

Mrs. Taylor asked Dana DuMont, Collegiate’s Visual Arts Chair and Lower School art teacher, to suggest a Middle or Upper School class to photograph her 3rd Graders so that they could replicate the book. Mrs. DuMont connected Mrs. Taylor to Taylor Dabney, Upper School photography teacher.

“His students listened to my students and then captured their pride with photography,” said Mrs. Taylor. “It was a lovely connection. My students loved it!”

In an interesting twist, it turns out that Mr. Dabney once worked with Ms. Ewald, the author of the book.

The following is some of Mrs. Taylor’s student’s “The Best Part of Me” work:

The best part of me is my smile. I chose my smile because it could make everyone smile. Then no one would ever be sad. I chose my smile because it has a very positive outlook on people and if I am happy other people will be too.

I like my eyes because I need them so I can see. My eyes are dark brown. My eyes can see very far away. My mom says I have eagle eyes. My eyes can see the ball when I play sports. My eyes are big, my sister’s are small. My eyes are useful and that is why I love my eyes.

The best part of me is my nose because it lets me smell the warm fresh air of my dad’s shed. It lets me smell the wilderness in my grandfather’s backyard. My nose can smell the green apple shampoo from my old beach house.

The best part of me is my mouth because I can sing and perform for people with it. I can share my feelings with my mom when I’m sad or can’t stop thinking about something. I can taste things with it, some good like seafood and some bad like caperts. I can whisper when I’m in bed talking to my dad.

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