POTSDAM -- The SUNY Potsdam Invited Guest Speaker Series will host an open participatory workshop from 1 to 4 p.m. on Monday, May 2 in the College's Black Box Theater featuring Marla McLean program director of the prestigious public teacher-directed School-Within-School in Washington, D.C.

Inspired by Reggio Emilia's educational philosophy that encourages children to become both creator and producer of values and culture, the internationally known School-Within-School program is a vibrant early childhood learning environment that promotes self-directed creative engagement projects that promote a student's critical and creative thinking skills.

Interested participants should bring paper, pen, mementos that reflect a sense of well being, photographs (copies not originals), post cards or interesting found objects. The campus workshop is free and open to the community. For more information, contact Gerald Lee Ratliff at 267-2107 or ratlifgl@potsdam.edu.