James Jennings is a novelist, artist, educator, and entrepreneur. Jennings runs student-powered workshops through his nonprofit Connective Inc. and lectures on student's voice and creative agency, operating its workshops in spaces conducive to learning and creativity from across New York City and as far away as Ciudad de Mexico. By working with Connective Inc., students and staff are learning approaches that promote authentic, student-driven, student-centered learning and empowerment.  Each resulting project engages students in discovering and pursuing their passions and interests. Connective’s process and practices help to re-engage students in their schooling as they realize their power to shape what and how they learn. Through Connective Inc, James has risen to prominence as a published and respected expert in education now as well as president and co-founder of the A5 scholarship fund for exceptional students who would not normally be able to afford a private school education.

 

Jennings is also an up and coming novelist and visual artist, who has honed his craft at writers and artist residencies around the world - most notably at the Callaloo writing workshop. He wrote his first novel while still in high school, and his most recent novel, The Wings of Red is due to be published in 2018. In 2017, his paintings were exhibited in a solo exposition at La Porte Peinte in Noyes, France. He is available for student and faculty workshops, highly tailored to each venue’s needs, as well as fiction readings.

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WORKSHOP TOPICS:

Create Your Own Project through Dialogue

This challenge is a project to help around issues that are important to the student. This process is to help students who are “bugging out” (when students who are in trouble are sent into disciplinary action, drastic action such as dropping out, having difficulty connecting with school, failing courses, or feeling their academic work has no connection to their lives.)