Workshops & Working with Educators

I’m always excited to talk with educators for a couple of reasons. First, I hope to give them insight into the writing process and make them excited about reading and writing poetry and nonfiction in the classroom. Second, it’s always helpful for me to get insight into the current challenges teachers are facing. And third (my ulterior motive), I want to help create the next generation of book lovers and creators!

Want to hear a bit of my speaking style? Here I am sharing my spring 2019 poetry books with educators at the Poetry Round Up of the Texas Library Association. (This is not a workshop–more of a booktalk.)

Workshops

My most requested professional development programs are Great Things Come in Small Poems (ways to use poetry in the classroom, plus booktalks on great contemporary children’s poetry) and Mentor Texts in Nonfiction Writing. You can find details on these programs below, but please contact me if you’d like more details or want to discuss other topics/options. I’m happy to fashion a program just for your school.

Great Things Come in Small Poems

Do your teachers have a tough time with poetry? Some teachers find poetry intimidating; others just don’t have time to keep up with the latest offerings in children’s poetry. As a former classroom teacher, I definitely understand those issues. But kids are supposed to:

Read from and listen to poetry texts
Identify patterns of sounds such as rhyme and rhythm
Perform expressive oral readings of poetry
Write poetry to express meaning
Describe how meaning is conveyed in poetry

How can you meet those standards and also make kids love poetry? I’m pleased to offer a one-hour in-service booktalk. As a published children’s poet, I can share lots of simple techniques to get kids reading and writing poetry. I’ll booktalk about fabulous poetry books, and I’ll share simple, non-intimidating ideas teachers can use in their classrooms immediately. These books and activities not only help meet Minnesota’s standards and Common Core State Standards, they also make poetry fun for teachers and students!

Note: Depending on the time available, I can break this into two individual programs: reading poetry in the classroom (includes booktalk) and fun and simple poetry activities for the classroom.

Mentor Texts in Nonfiction Writing

Want to create an exciting nonfiction writing project in your school? Would you like to give your teachers a powerful tool for inspiring and instructing? Then introduce them to mentor texts and the practice of using a published trade book to guide students through a writing project (opinion, informational, or narrative). I’ve worked with schools to create Can Be… nonfiction books based on my own award-winning books, A Leaf Can Be…, Water Can Be…, and A Rock Can Be…. You can see a little video about what we did here.

In this in-service, I will:

Give a brief overview of using mentor texts
Discuss how I use mentor texts for my own writing
Share lesson plans for student Can Be… books to explore the variety of roles a common object can take on
Recommend other nonfiction picture books (various authors) and ideas for mentor text projects
Lead a brainstorming session/discussion on how to come up with and implement mentor text projects in the classroom

This in-service will get your teachers thinking creatively about nonfiction K-8 writing projects!

Where I’ve Presented

“Using Images as Poem Starters,” NCTE, Baltimore, MD 2019
“Gamification and Poetry,” NCTE, Baltimore, MD 2019
“Inquiry: How I Read a Poem,” NCTE, Baltimore, MD 2019
“Poetry Blast,” ALA, Washington, DC 2019
“Poetry Round-Up,”TLA, Austin, TX 2019
“Writing Poetry in the Wild,” NCTE, Houston, TX 2018
“Build Your Stack,” NCTE, Houston, TX 2018
“Empowering Students with Innovative Nonfiction,” NCTE, Houston, TX 2018
“Lessons Learned as a Children’s Writer,” Minnesota Children’s Book Festival, Red Wing, MN 2017
“Big Things Come in Small Poems,” Minnesota Kindergarten Association, Brainerd, MN 2017
“Wonder as a First Ingredient in Nonfiction,” NCTE, St. Louis, MO 2017
“Poetry Picks,” Camp Read-a-Lot, Granite Falls, MN 2016
“Authentic Voice in a Digital World,” NCTE, Atlanta, GA 2016
“10 Things I’ve Learned About Reading and Writing Books,” Camp Read-a-Lot, Granite Falls, MN 2016
“Things You Might Not Know About Picture Books,” Picture Book course for preservice teachers taught by Gail Nordstrom and Heidi Hammond, St. Catherine University, St. Paul, MN 2016
“Mentor Texts in Nonfiction Writing,” Hubbs Children’s Literature Conference, University of St. Thomas, Minneapolis, MN 2016
“Transforming Writers’ Lives with Digital Tools,” ILA, Boston, MA 2016
“Big Things Come in Small Poems,” Wealthy Elementary School, East Grand Rapids, MI 2016
“Passion-Driven Research,” NCTE, Minneapolis, MN 2015
“Into the Poem: Active Strategies for Engaging Kinesthetic Learning,” NCTE, Minneapolis, MN 2015
“Revved for Research,” NCTE, Minneapolis, MN 2015
“Quick and Easy Poetry-Writing Activities,” Southeast Minnesota Reading Council, Stewartville, MN 2014
“Playing with Poetry,” Camp Read-a-Lot, Rochester, MN 2014
“Big Things Come in Small Poems,” Southwest Minnesota Reading Council, New Ulm, MN 2014
“Big Things Come in Small Poems,” Gayle A. Zeiter Children’s Literature Conference, UNLV, Las Vegas, NV 2014
“Reading poetry across the curriculum,” NCTE, Washington, DC, 2014
“Playing with Poetry” keynote, Children’s Literature Conference, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, MN 2013
“Playing with Poetry,” Hubbs Children’s Literature Conference, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN 2013
“CLA Notable Books in the Language Arts,” A LEAF CAN BE…, NCTE National Conference, Boston, MA 2013
“Playing with Poetry,” Minnesota Library Association annual conference, St. Cloud, MN 2013
“CLA Notable Books in the Language Arts,” BOOKSPEAK!, NCTE National Conference, Las Vegas, NV 2012
“Poetry Blast,” ALA National Conference, Chicago, IL 2013
“Playing with Poetry,” Catholic school librarians inservice, St. Paul, MN 2013
Two poetry sessions, Region 1 librarian meeting, Edinburg, TX 2012
“Poetry in the Classroom,” University of Richmond, VA, via Skype, 2012
Minnesota author panel, MEMO annual conference, St. Cloud, MN 2012
“Where Poems Come From” panel, NCTE annual conference, Las Vegas, NV 2012
“Poetry for Paupers from Recitation to E-Books; Infusing Poetry into the Classroom” panel led by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong, NCTE, Chicago, IL 2011
“Copyright Questions Around Sharing Poetry” panel, Kidlit.con, Minneapolis, MN 2010
“Poetry in the Classroom,” Northwoods Children’s Book Conference, Cable, WI 2010
“Poetry Blast” session led by Marilyn Singer and Barbara Genco, ALA National Conference, Chicago, IL 2009

Other Conferences and Events for Educators

School Library Journal Summit, Author Reception, St. Paul, MN 2014
Poetry Olio, IRA National Conference, New Orleans, LA 2014
Minnesota Book Awards Finalist Panel, Lake Agassiz Regional Library, Moorhead, MN 2013
Featured author, Books for Children Luncheon, NCTE National Conference, Boston, MA 2013
CLN Books for Breakfast, Plymouth, MN 2012, 2011, 2010
Anderson Center Book Festival, Red Wing, MN 2011
Featured author, Books for Children Luncheon, NCTE National Conference, Chicago, IL 2011

Organizational Roles

Secretary, Children’s Literature Assembly of NCTE, 2015-2016
Chair, CLA Master Class, “Reading poetry across the curriculum,” NCTE, Washington, DC, 2014
Co-Chair, CLA Master Class, “Teaching children’s literature in the 21st century,” NCTE Boston, 2013
Reading Is Fundamental event, Stillwater Federal Prison, Stillwater, MN 2012