AUTHOR SCHOOL VISIT INSPIRES WRITING!
Dateline: DALLAS. Think lots of traffic! Lots of EXCITEMENT! Lots of kids in a GYM!
As an author-illustrator of picture books I have LOTS of favorite things about my work. I LUV to meet teachers passionate about literacy. I LUV to meet educators excited about the ARTS! I LUV to walk into a new building and see excellence that I can share!
But I triple scoop LUV LUV LUV when my travels take me INTO THE SCHOOLS and I get to receive group hugs and adoration just by showing up with my 'floogle woogle bugle' and some polka-dot-zip from a gymnasium's worth of PreK, K and Firsties.
I am ALWAYS THRILLED to share the quilts that I make from fabric and explain how they become my picture book's illustrations. We always take a couple of minutes to compare and contrast original quilt to completed picture book!
What could possibly be better than all of this excitement and immediate reaction?
AUTHENTIC JOURNAL WRITING!
Just as I was rolling my way out of the elementary building a very animated, highly excited teacher came running down the hall, wildly waving a journal in my direction.
"Don't go! Don't go! You have to see!"
As great good fortune would have it, there was ample time to follow her back to her room and see with my own eyes what our time together had wrought! I still had battery power AND some remaining space on my memory card.
As an author, reading the immediate thoughts of these firsties brought tears to my eyes!
That's me and my floogle!
PLUS I have an entire flank of 'captains' chosen to help me lead the fun!
If you look closely at the student illustrations of their writing, apparently the fact that I involve their peers up on the stage makes QUITE an impression! I was so delighted to see so many different images including a 'line up' of our captains!
This next one looks almost EXACTLY like the photo above!
Must have had the exact same perspective as the photographer.
Only a few boys are showing and a whole ton of the girls!
This last journal that I photographed, seriously captured my attention.
The drawing is without a doubt, the most advanced -- or at least it probably received the most attention.
Then take a long look at the journal writing that accompanies the giraffe!
Is it code? Is it invented spelling?
It is an attempt to communicate!
Remember I was only in the room for a total of about seven minutes.
There are times when I just want to HUG a student.
This is one of those kiddos.
We just had a discussion at our Twitter chat on the topic of RIGOR.
I dug up these slides of my thoughts on Rigor over at "PreK+K Sharing."
I so enjoy dashing about a building catching glimpses of excellence.
I know that people enjoy seeing the decorated doors and bulletin boards I glimpse!
Take a look at this amazing "No David" Anchor Chart!
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| "No David" Mask for Storytelling and ReTelling |
I had an earlier "No David" RoundUP for Back-to-School.
BTW: Here's my Pinterest Board for all Things "100 Days"
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