By Rebecca Talley
Yesterday I had the privilege of doing a school presentation. I presented in individual classrooms.
In the 1st grade class, I donned my headband with antennas attached and read my picture book, Grasshopper Pie. I let one of the kids hold a large plastic grasshopper and put a smaller one on my finger to help me tell the story. I shared how this story was based on an experience with my kids when they tried, unsuccessfully (thank goodness), to feed me a live grasshopper. I also showed the kids the proof and an original watercolor illustration. They seemed to enjoy it and asked me a lot of questions. 1st graders are wiggly so I knew I had to be animated and entertaining.
I then presented to the 4th graders who were much less wiggly. While writing my book, I tried to build up to the climatic moment and yesterday I was pleased with the reaction by the kids. They all started laughing and gasping just before the mom gets the grasshopper in her mouth. I also shared my process with getting my novel, Heaven Scent, published. I showed them the notes I wrote and a couple of the proofs as well as the edit requests from my editor. I wanted to emphasize that rewriting and editing are part of the writing process. One girl wanted to know if you could turn in your manuscript with smears on it, you know, after you'd erased your mistakes. Her comment made me realize how fortunate we are to have computers. I remember writing on my lined paper and erasing mistakes, only to rip the page, and have to start over. Or using a typewriter only and having to use the correction ribbon or type it on erasable onion skin paper. We've come a long way since then. I explained to her that you have to write your story on a computer and edit it right on the computer and then the mistakes aren't noticeable anymore.
To conclude, I presented to a large 3rd grade class and ended up speaking to them for an hour. They had so many questions about submitting stories and writing. It was so fun to see the excitement and how most of the hands went up when I asked who kept a writing journal. I also asked what was the one thing that could help a writer the most. After a few answers one girl said, "Read." I told her that was absolutely right. The more we read the better writers we'll become and the more we write the better writers we'll become, they're both intertwined.
It was great to see such enthusiasm. I had a lot of fun and hope to be able to do more school presentations.
What a fantastic opportunity, Rebecca! I'd have been absolutely terrified to do a school presentation. Did you keep the antennas on for the 3rd & 4th graders? I'd have loved being a student in that class. :-)
ReplyDeleteYour book would be excellent to do on national literacy day. I participated by reading in Walmart to children a few years ago. My books weren't children's books so I choose a couple off their shelf.
ReplyDeleteYep, I kept the antennas on. In fact, the 4th grade class had just been discussing how to look like aliens for one of their projects and when I put on the antennas they all decided they could make something similar. The teacher said, "You were just meant to come in here today." (She had accosted me in the hall when she saw me and asked me to come in to her class even though it wasn't planned).
ReplyDeleteHow cool! So even if you didn't inspire them all to read, at least you inspired them in how to create alien outfits, huh? LOL! (But I'm sure with such a fun-sounding book, you inspired them all to read...and maybe write!...too. :-) )
ReplyDeleteThat sounds so fun, Rebecca! I wish I had written something I could go share with third graders.
ReplyDeleteYour post brought back great memories of reading to elementary school classes, of substituting in elementary music classes, neither of which I've done recently. It must be especially rewarding to read your own books there. You made me feel I was right there, listening.
ReplyDeleteOh, Rebecca, it sound like you had so much fun! I worked with a class of third graders last year as part of a class I was taking from BYU. The teacher asked me to share a story about my granddad when they had a unit on cowboys. The kids love a great story, especially when it is based on an actual event. Congratulations!
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