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Former Journalist Visits 5th Grade
On February 20, St. Luke’s parent Jason Shaplen met with the School’s fifth graders to discuss the art and mechanics of journalism as part of their journalism unit. Fifth grade English Teacher Elaine Juran shared this about his visit:
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Mr. Shaplen spoke with our student-authors about the types of journalistic writing, the “ins and outs” and mechanics of effective journalism and writing craft, as well as the role that journalists perform in our democracy. During his tenure as a journalist, he worked for Newsweek and Dow Jones. His work has also appeared in numerous publications, including Foreign Affairs and The New York Times. (You can read one of his pieces here.) He has used his considerable writing expertise, talent, and insight to inform and advocate in areas such as forging diplomatic relations and addressing the homelessness crisis.
Our young writers were introduced to the “So What” strategy to help them think critically about the meaning of their work. Mr. Shaplen also guided them in an interactive exercise designed to help writers anchor their work with sensory and concrete details. His presentation was followed by an engaging Q&A session. Mr. Shaplen definitely inspired a new generation of journalists, and we are most grateful to him.
St. Luke’s School is a secular (non-religious), private school in New Canaan, CT for grades 5 through 12 serving over 40 towns in Connecticut and New York. Our exceptional academics and diverse co-educational community foster students’ intellectual and ethical development and prepare them for top colleges. St. Luke’s Leading with Humanity curriculum builds the commitment to serve and the confidence to lead.
