Nothando Zulu and Connections Academy student
MTS Minnesota Connections Academy, an online public school, celebrated Black History Month by hosting Master Storyteller Nothando Zulu on Feb. 4. More than 20 virtual school students came together for the event, which was hosted at MTS Minnesota Connections Academy’s offices in Minneapolis, and held in conjunction with the National Council of Teachers of English and the Nineteenth National African American Read-In, a literacy-focused kick-off to Black History Month.
Following Zulu’s animated and interactive storytelling presentation, faculty and students ate lunch featuring authentic African and South American cuisine. Students also engaged in an online live chat with Evelyn Coleman, an African American award-winning author of the recently published book, “Freedom Train.” Coleman is also the author of the American Girl History Mysteries and the grandmother and original Learning Coach of a Connections Academy student.
A storyteller since 1977, Zulu has not only earned the title of Master Storyteller, but she has also gained recognition as the President and Director of the Black Storytellers Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to maintaining the oral storytelling tradition practiced by African people in the Diaspora.
Connections Academy is a leading national provider of high quality, highly accountable virtual public schools in 13 states operated in partnership with charter schools, school districts, and state departments of education. Connections Academy schools deliver top-quality, personalized education for students that combines certified teachers, a proven curriculum, technology tools, and community experiences to create a supportive and successful environment for children who want an individualized approach to education. In Connections Academy’s unique Personalized Performance Learning® approach, students use daily lesson plans and curriculum materials provided by Connections Academy. Teachers develop a learning plan for each student, whose progress is tracked through a proprietary, web-based Learning Management System. In 2007-08 Connections Academy will serve students in grades K-11 in Arizona, California, Idaho, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon, Maryland, and Pennsylvania;
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