For Teacher’s Conventions and Professional Development:
- The Reading Writing Connection: How to build literacy strength through connecting reading and writing activities. (an interactive session using the classroom textbooks and new lesson plans you can use in your next day of instruction)
- Voice Matters: Assist your students in finding and nurturing their writing voices. (This session builds on the 6 + 1 Writing Traits model)
- Smart Scenes: A fresh approach to structure in creative writing. (This session builds an understanding of the elements of scene writing and how scenes are connected to create short stories and novels)
In the Classroom:
- Building on the 6 +1 Writing Traits. Booked for 1/2 days with a class. Particularly suited for grades 3 to 6 students, this series of workshops assists students in finding context in their own writing for the traits of Ideas, Organization, Voice, Word Choice and Sentence Fluency. We incite enthusiasm through drama, movement, and partnering exercises.
- Author in Residence. Booked for a week or longer in a school. Working with all the students in the school, our goal is to improve writing strategies, for students to experience success in writing, and for reading and writing enthusiasm to reach peak levels. I work with every tool in my tool box gathered from 10 years of teaching experience and partnering with teachers and other artists with the international organization Learning Through The Arts. Please contact me for more information.
- Learning Through the Arts. A fabulous organization that partners artists with teachers in the classroom. Artists assist teachers in delivering core curriculum subjects through their art form. This differentiated learning reaches the students in the back row as well as those in the front seats. I’ve taught grade 9 and 10 math, grades 3 and 6 social studies and everything in between. Although it’s a challenge for everyone, these are among the best experiences I’ve had in a classroom.
In the Library:
- Meet an Author. I have stories that appeal from Kindergarten age (Ben and the Carrot Predicament) to senior high students (The Cake Princess). Students learn about the writing/publishing process of a novel from inspiration through the final copy in the library. One highlight: I guide students through the scene writing process using a fun and student-engaging drama exercise.
For writers and their meetings:
- On Hope. It’s always wonderful to hear a success story while you’re working towards your goals of landing an agent or becoming a published author. My success story? Mother and step-mother of five keeps at it through rejection and lonely days of self-doubt to land a New York agent and a book deal with Macmillan US.
- On Blogging. I’ve created a blog written in the voice of my fictional character from The Cake Princess. I’ve sifted through hours of research to uncover the basics about blogging, why most authors do it and the questions you need to ask yourself before you jump in.
- On Truth. I’m not sure exactly what this session will be like. It will probably depend on the day.
