School visits. I love to visit schools and would love to spend time with you and your students. The workshops I offer are set out below. If you’re interested, simply reach out.
Skype visits. I also love to connect via Skype. I’m happy to do a free Skype visit with your class or book club. Let’s talk.
Workshops I offer:
Tell Me a Story – A writing workshop on POV. 45-60 min.
In this interactive workshop, we’ll be talking point of view. Finding Perfect is written in Molly’s 1st person POV, but it wasn’t always that way. We’ll read an early draft of Finding Perfect written in alternating 1st person POV between Molly and Hannah. We’ll see how many differences we can spot between this draft and the final book, and what we learned about the characters through this process.
We’ll wrap up with a group exercise. We’ll pick two characters from Finding Perfect or another book of the classroom’s choosing and write an original poem or scene in two points of view. For instance, Molly and Ian’s POV’s on Mom’s absence or Molly and Hannah’s POV’s on the walk to school where Molly freezes or Kate and Molly’s POV’s on the beaded necklaces or Perfect Molly and Other Molly’s perspectives on the math test. The dual perspective will not only further the students’ understanding of POV in books, but the activity will also increase their awareness of the unique lens we each see the world.
Who are you? – A workshop on identity, self-awareness and empathy. 45-60 min.
In this interactive workshop, we’ll focus on identify, self-awareness, and empathy. All themes embraced by the characters in Finding Perfect. And, while Molly’s situation may seem unique, we’re all a little like Molly—who we present to the world is not always in perfect alignment with who we are inside. With elementary school classes, we’ll create an Identity Bag. The contents inside of the bag will represent how we view ourselves—what we believe, our strengths/weaknesses, fears, dreams, interests, and viewpoints. The outside of the bag will represent how we feel others perceive us—who we are, what we believe, our strengths/weaknesses, fears, dreams, interests, and viewpoints.
With middle school classes, we’ll take the identity discussion on line. What does our on line profile and pictures say about us?
For both elementary and middle schools, the workshop will end with a discussion of empathy, and the understanding that no one is just one thing.
But It Doesn’t Rhyme – A workshop on poetry. 45-60 min.
In this interactive workshop, we’ll talk about writing poetry and the difference between Me Poems and Slam Poems. In Finding Perfect, Molly writes both types of poems. Why? What unique purpose does each form of poetry serve? Then we’ll have a chance to embrace our inner poet. The kids, and me, of course, will need to finish the thought Perfect is… with any form of poetry. The class will wrap up with a lively poetry reading/performance.
Finding Perfect is a FSG Library and Marketing staff pick for fall 2016.