Summer Stars
Spotlight on Schools
TEACHERS EMPOWERING KIDS
This past May I presented at public schools in Boston, sponsored by Wondermore Foundation. As part of their Spanish crurriculum, the second grades use the Rafi and Rosi Series. What a surprise to see, that each one of these kids had written and illustrated their own marvelous Rafi and Rosi adventure!
The language objective was to be able to tell a short story with a few characters, a problem its resolution. The teachers gave the kids clear standards and language features that made their task easier. At the end of eight weeks the second graders had produced marvelous new adventures. I’ve always been an advocate that we all have a story to tell. However, not knowing where to start often inhibits any writer.
But by creating a new story for well-known characters, young authors are given a prompt that delivers. They are familiar with how the characters behave with one another, they know their strengths and weaknesses. They can place these known characters in a new setting and use lived experiences to imagine a new adventure. The result builds confidence, and empowers kids. It is a great step to ease students into creating stories for their own original characters later on.
If you’d like to learn more about the teachers’ standards and the second graders’ work click here!
On Authors visits
USING ALL THE TOOLS IN MY TOOLBOX
Thoroughout the years I’ve been told over and over again that I know how to hold a school audience’s attention. I have presented to children from pre-K to 8th grade and have yet to find an audience I can’t reach. Experience teaches you how to do that. Still, I was recently given a unique challenge that held many variables.
I was asked to present to a mixed audience of students that use Applied Behavioral Analysis in their education. The students ranged from K-8th grade and learn differently, some being in the Autism spectrum. I had worked with my host librarian before and she believed I would be able to reach this audience.
My response, was yes. Let’s make this happen! I immediately thought of a book I had co-authored with Katharine Swanson, a special education teacher, a few years back. Jay and Ben is one of those books that is just perfect for a this specific audience. Both the librarian and myself knew that most of these students respond positively to song. So I remembered another special education teacher, Kathleen Hylton, who had incorporated the song “twinkle, twinkle, little star” when using the book in her classroom.
We started the session by coloring stars, the students then joined me in song with stars dancing in their hands. They followed as I read the story sprinkling their insights along the way. We ended the session with the same song as we placed our stars on the floor, I called the session over. I was overjoyed to witness such an heterogeneous group of students enjoy their first author’s visit!
This led me to think, that if I can do this, other authors can too. Reaching audiences and creating memorable visits for all involved It’s about using all the tools in your toolbox. I’d love to pass on what I’ve learned. So in that spirit, I’m now offering author visits coaching.
En Español
El FLAMBOYAN AMARILLO ¡CUMPLE 30!
El Flamboyán Amarillo, hoy día un clásico de la literatura infantil en Puerto Rico, ha de salir en una edición especial para celebrar los 30 años desde que mi amiga Georgina publicó la primera versión. Yo tuve el placer de ilustrar la cautivadora historia basada en un hecho biográfico. En ella Georgina entrelaza versos y ciencia para dar a conocer el milagro de la creación en las manos de un niño que siembra una semilla, la cuida y la ve crecer junto a él. El final encierra una sorpresa, y esta edición ha sido ampliada tanto con glosario de términos científicos, como con actividades de arte, ciencia y escritura.
Georgina y yo, estaremos felices de celebrar esta edición de aniversario y ver a una nueva generación de niños disfrutando del bello libro album. La editorial Planeta Junior tiene la publicación pautada para el 8 septiembre de este año. ¡Pre-ordénalo aquí!
