One of the most powerful ways to grow professionally as an educator is to participate in a study group or learning community. This type of professional development brings together a group of people who engage in sustained inquiry on a question related to their teaching.

In this issue of WOW Stories: Connections from the Classroom, one learning community shares their inquiry into how to help children connect with global literature through connecting art and culture. Now in their second year, the Pot Springs Elementary community consists of classroom teachers from the primary grades, the school art teacher, and university professors. Their work this past year was supported by a grant from the Longview Foundation for World Affairs and International Understanding. The vignettes from their first year can be found here.

As you read this issue, think about how you connect students of all ages with literature in ways that promote intercultural understandings. Consider sharing your innovative practices by submitting a vignette to WOW Stories. We are interested in descriptions of interactions with literature in classrooms and libraries at preschool through graduate levels. See our call for manuscripts and author guidelines for more information.

Janine M. Schall

Editor, WOW Stories: Connections from the Classroom