School Visits

Two of the most important jobs a teacher faces are connecting children to reading and nuturing the life skill of writing. If we can shape our students into lovers of words, both as readers and writers, we will enrich every aspect of their lives. My goals are to help you create excitement and enthusiasm for reading, help the students appreciate the power and beauty of the printed word and demonstrate that all of us are writers. I try to de-mystify writing by presenting myself as an ordinary and real person who respects, loves, reads and creates books. I present the following:

• Primary Grades 1-3 (45-minute session including slide presentation and Q & A)
• My life as a writer
• Where my ideas for stories and essays come from
• The writing process
• How a book is edited, illustrated and published
• Intermediate Grades 4-8 (50-55 minute session includes slide presentation and Q & A)
• The writing process (planning, writing, re-writing, editing)
• The publication process
• My experiences writing essays, humor, newspaper features, books
• My life as a writer
• Presentation to Teacher Groups and Parents
• My experience as a writer
• Themes in my writing
• Nurturing readers and writer

** Contact me for a fee schedule. My daily fee is for three presentations.

                                                        Regarding my visit

• A visit is always most rewarding if the children are familiar with my books ahead of time.

 
• Presentation environment -  I'll need a room in which lighting can be controlled.
• It should be dark enough to show slides yet light enough for the children to see me and my props.
• Slides are shown during my entire presentation so the room cannot be in total darkness or total light.

• Equipment needed:

• Self-focusing carousel slide projector with hand held or remote control clicker for advancing slides. Please check the projector's reliability prior to my visit. If you don't have a projector and I am driving to your school, I can bring my own projector. Please have a spare bulb available.
• Screen for showing slides.
• Extension cord
• Cart or table to hold the projector (small is better than large -- those big AV carts often obstruct some students' view).
• Small table to hold my stuff.
• Lots of water, or better yet, hot tea with lemon and sugar.
• Microphone, if large groups

 
• If I'm traveling a long distance, your expenses would be decreased if shared by another school in your area. If you know of a neighboring school that might be interested in a visit, it would benefit us both if you would pass on information to them.

 
• Book sales -- Some schools help defray the cost of an author visit by selling books to students. If I haven't already sent you information on this and a sample student order form, let me know. Also, I have noticed that students and teachers often want to order a book on the day of the visit, so you might want to have a few extra copies on hand, beyond the number purchased by students ahead of time.

• Preparing the day's schedule:

• Allow some time in the schedule to sign books.
• Space presentations at least one hour apart.
• Keep groups at one grade level, if possible, or no more than one grade level apart.
• Also, remember that I do a different presentation to grades 4-8, so keep primary groups separate from intermediate groups.
• Call me before preparing the schedule to discuss how to best accommodate the students.

 
• Before my visit, send me a copy of detailed directions to your school. Noting of landmarks and distances on various roads help keep me from getting lost.

• Also before my visit, let me know the day's schedule, including the sizes of the groups.

 
• Payment:  I would appreciate payment on the day of the visit.  Reimbursement for expenses can be made later.

• I'd love it if you could "reserve" a parking spot near the entrance.  I have lots of stuff to carry into the building.

                                                        Visit-Related Activities

During my visits to schools I've seen lots of interesting activities carried out by the students and staffs. I've kept a list of some of these. Maybe it'll be of use to you as you prepare for my visit. By the way, I have never encountered a problem with the use of the Christmas book. Parents and schools recognize that it is not a book about religion. I have even been asked to give evening presentations at public schools about the making of the book, followed by a reading.
 

Bulletin Boards and Displays Photos and drawings of kids' own Halloween costumes Student drawings, paintings or renditions of the costumes in my Halloween book Charcoal sketches done by students Student essays telling what happened after the end of Christmas Miracle Clay figures (rather than carved) of robins Chandeliers made of paper crystals -- on each crystal is a child's wish Caring and sharing tree Children's designs for their own glamour nails Chilren's designs fro Ms. Babbitt's earrings Each child in the school is given a strip of heavy paper and is told to spell my last name. The strips are then displayed along hall wall or some large space. The papers are sometimes stapled to a long piece of butcher store paper. (Usually there is not one correct spelling!)   Selected children are introduced to the audience dressed as characters from my books.   Teachers are dressed as characters from my books (Children love this!)   Students design sweaters for Jingle Bell   Beany, Carol Ann, Thomas "look-alike" contests.   "If I Had One Wish" writing contest is held before I arrive. I hand out the prizes. (Sometimes I am asked to do the final judging!)   Local woodcarver is invited to the school to do demonstrations on the same day I come.   Bookmarks designed by kids. A few are chosen to be signed by me, then copied in quantity and handed to students as a memento of the day.   Each class decorates its door based on one of my books.  I choose the winning door when I visit.

I look forward to meeting you. I know we'll have a rewarding, fun day together.
 
 

Click to see some school visit photos

 

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If you have a comment concerning this page, please email Susan Wojciechowski at swojciec@eagle.ycp.edu If you would like more information about a visit,  contact me at:   Susan Wojciechowski  972 Somerset Lane  York, PA 17403  Phone or Fax: 717.845.9647