Robert Young

Found this exchange I had nearly four years ago with my buddy, Barry Lane. I think the answer is still true.

Okay, I ‘m here with Barry Lane and I’m posing a question – a BIG QUESTION – what’s wrong with education today?

Barry: “Because teachers don’t own their classrooms, students can’t own their learning.”

Care to elaborate?

Barry: “Teachers are not merely dispensers of information; they build bridges into the minds of their students. If assessment and curriculum demands interfere with the bridge-building, test scores might improve but learning will take three steps backwards.”

What’s the most important things teachers can communicate to kids about writing?

Barry: “Writing is a tool for thinking, not just a tool for showing what you know.”

Do you know what makes a great Author Visit from the author’s viewpoint? It’s about planning and organizing and attending to details. It’s about teachers taking time from their busy schedules to prepare their students. It’s about students opening their minds and being willing to engage, participate, and especially ask questions. It takes an active principal and strong parent organization that understand the value of literacy.

I had a grand time meeting with the writers of Pleasant Hill Elementary School today. I am grateful for the organizational expertise of Jeannie Miller, and for the support she got from the Pleasant Hill PTO and the staff in making this event happen. Lots of people contributed, from setting up tables and chairs to assisting with computer-related matters to documenting the sessions by taking pictures (some of which appear below). Thanks to all of you. Thanks also to the 400+ students with whom I got I got to visit. I really appreciated your interest, your enthusiasm, and the courtesy you showed me and each other. I wish you the best with your writing.

If you would like to reflect on your experience, I hope you will add a comment below.

p.s. to 5th and sixth graders: We had lots of kids in the groups today, but it didn’t get boisterous (at least not too much). Despite the numbers of kids, the gym was capacious so we didn’t feel cramped. As you continue as writers, I am hopeful (and confident) you will avoid screed.

It’s all about questions.

Sometimes we get crabby about having our work edited.

Writing is a process with several steps.

An editing sandwich. What’s on the outside? Inside?

More questions. Yes!!

The “magic” of mind-reading

Dictionaries = the most important books!

Keep ’em closed

Kindergarten bear artist

So, you’ve planned an author visit for your school, selected an author to make presentations, signed an agreement so it’s clear what the author will do and what the school will do. Now comes the fun part, the part where all the work becomes worthwhile: the visit itself. Here are a few tips for a successful author visit:

Before The Visit:

Make sure you have traded cell phone numbers with the author is case of emergencies or last minute details.

Familiarize students with the books written by the author.

Conduct book-related or general writing activities.

Assist students in preparing questions for the author.

Communicate high expectations for audience behavior and consequences for misbehavior.

Make sure all equipment needs, seating arrangements, and schedules have been taken care of.

During The Visit:

Model and encourage participation.

Address behavioral issues quickly and quietly.

Feel free to ask questions and make comments that will enhance your curriculum.

After The Visit:

Lead a discussion about information presented during the visit.

Have students communicate through drawing (cartoons, comics, pictures) or writing (journals, blogs, letters, poems, stories, news articles, thank-you cards) about something they learned.

Conduct book-related or general writing activities.

Encourage students to further explore any aspect of the presentation that interested them.

Have fun!

Author visit at the Lincoln School in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Okay, you have asked and answered the questions about your end of having an author visit your school. Now it’s time to ask prospective authors questions. The obvious questions include cost, availability, number of presentations they’ll do, and what equipment they’ll need.

Here are some not-so-obvious questions:

“What will you do to help prepare our students for your visit?” This could include providing a listing of books, activities to go along with the books, suggested writing activities, and blog communications.

“How will you engage our students?” What’s appropriate for kindergartners won’t necessarily be for fifth graders. Ask how they will address the needs and interests of various age groups. Will the presentations be active, or will the kids be sitting and watching visuals the whole time? How will the curriculum areas you highlighted be addressed?

“What kinds of follow-up would you suggest?” What suggestions does the author have for “after visit” activities? This could be book-related activities, letter/e-mail writing, classroom blogs, newsletters home, or general writing activities.

Look for someone who is flexible, enthusiastic, knowledgeable about what you’re doing (teaching!), and who likes kids. Newsflash: Not all people who write for kids like being around them. You’ll can find this out by talking to prospective authors.

And one more thing: Don’t forget a contract. It doesn’t have to be drawn up by a lawyer, and it doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Just a written agreement that states what  the school will do and what the author will do. Have the author and a representative of the school sign it and make a copy for each. Having an agreement can save a lot of confusion and hassle.

Coming next: Tips for a successful author visit

As I plan for an upcoming author visit, I wanted to share suggestions for those who are thinking of inviting an author to your school. These suggestions are based on twenty-five years of experience being a visiting author in schools throughout the US, and internationally.

If you are considering bringing an author in, here are some questions to ask yourself:

“What’s my purpose?” In these days of high-stakes everything, it’s good to tie-in the visit to the writing curriculum of your school (It’s also an excellent way to get support and funding).

“What support do I have?” It’s possible to do all the planning and make all the arrangements yourself, but it’s advisable to solicit support from others. Ask your colleagues what type of program would be helpful to their students, share the academic connections with your administrators, involve the parent group in planning the event. The more you involve others, the more buy-in, which will translate into logistical help as well as funding support.

“Where will I get the money?” Explore options with your administrators (who you’ve already established the academic value of the program with) and your parent group. Brainstorm possibilities of raising money if you need more (don’t forget grants). Some visits can be funded through sales of books by the author. Consider everything.

“But wait, how will I know what it costs?” The best way to get a sense of this is to network with other schools who have had visiting authors. Not only can you find out costs, you can also learn about what the authors did and how effective it was. Other resources for getting author information include reading councils, publishers, on-line listings, and authors’ websites.

“What date works best for our school?” There are many good times to have authors visit. Some schools like the visit in the beginning of the year as a writing “kick-off.” Others prefer adding energy and writing challenges by having an author visit in the middle of the year. And then there are those who invite an author to help celebrate students’ writing at the end of the school year. Select the the time that works best for your school.

Coming up: Questions to ask prospective visiting authors