Middle school students attending two Virginia Schools have had the opportunity to meet an award-winning author. Sharon Flake has written a work of fiction about a 13-year-old African American girl who struggles to fit in with her peers. The book, Skin I’m In, has universal appeal to students as well as adults. Kids like those attending Virginia Schools have a great novel to read that conveys an even greater message – to be happy with who you are; and Virginia Schools students may gain some insight into how others feel along the way.

Remember those awkward days of junior high or middle school? You felt an intense desire to be like everyone else; to stand out was the last thing on earth that you wanted. To stand out from the crowd meant that you were different, and would probably be teased, ridiculed, or even bullied because of it. Flake’s book helps students come to grips with this issue.

The message that the Virginia Public Schools want to send, in addition to this important life lesson, is to get kids more excited about becoming literate. They see the book as a way to inspire reluctant readers in the Virginia Schools to pick up this book, or any other book, and read. Being able to read fluently and with complete understanding is a necessity of life. We must be able to read in order to function in society. You have to read street signs, packages at grocery stores, instructions for assembling household products (like your kid’s bike), and bills. Ours is a print-saturated world, and there’s no getting around reading. For those who can’t read, it’s is a life that is sorely lacking in the wonderful world of words. The leaders of the Virginia Schools want to help their students become more and more literate, and to love doing it. While you can’t force a kid to love to read, you can keep trying, until you find a book or genre that they’re interested in. That’s usually the key Continue Reading

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Middle school students attending two Virginia Schools have had the opportunity to meet an award-winning author. Sharon Flake has written a work of fiction about a 13-year-old African American girl who struggles to fit in with her peers. The book, Skin I’m In, has universal appeal to students as well as adults. Kids like those attending Virginia Schools have a great novel to read that conveys an even greater message – to be happy with who you are; and Virginia Schools students may gain some insight into how others feel along the way.

Remember those awkward days of junior high or middle school? You felt an intense desire to be like everyone else; to stand out was the last thing on earth that you wanted. To stand out from the crowd meant that you were different, and would probably be teased, ridiculed, or even bullied because of it. Flake’s book helps students come to grips with this issue.

The message that the Virginia Public Schools want to send, in addition to this important life lesson, is to get kids more excited about becoming literate. They see the book as a way to inspire reluctant readers in the Virginia Schools to pick up this book, or any other book, and read. Being able to read fluently and with complete understanding is a necessity of life. We must be able to read in order to function in society. You have to read street signs, packages at grocery stores, instructions for assembling household products (like your kid’s bike), and bills. Ours is a print-saturated world, and there’s no getting around reading. For those who can’t read, it’s is a life that is sorely lacking in the wonderful world of words. The leaders of the Virginia Schools want to help their students become more and more literate, and to love doing it. While you can’t force a kid to love to read, you can keep trying, until you find a book or genre that they’re interested in. That’s usually the key Continue Reading

]]> http://www.middleschoolteachingunits.com/virginia-schools-introduce-kids-to-award-winning-author/feed/ 0 http://www.middleschoolteachingunits.com/getting-ready-to-make-an-appearance-at-an-elementary-or-middle-school/ http://www.middleschoolteachingunits.com/getting-ready-to-make-an-appearance-at-an-elementary-or-middle-school/#comments Wed, 07 Nov 2007 16:26:02 +0000 admin http://www.middleschoolteachingunits.com/getting-ready-to-make-an-appearance-at-an-elementary-or-middle-school/

Last time we talked about the kinds of things to consider when you’ve been invited to speak with kids at an elementary or middle school.

Let’s move forward and look at some key points you’ll want to keep in mind for a memorable visit.

Let kids ask

I always make sure to leave lots of time for kids to ask all kinds of questions. And these questions do not have to be related to my being an author or having written a particular genre of book. I do ask them what kinds of books they like to read and ask them to tell me what book they’re reading right then.

For example, my favorite book of all time when I was a fifth grader was Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell. I recently bought a copy of it and re-read it. It held the same kind of magic for me now that it did in 1966.

If you have a favorite book from when you were in elementary or middle school (it was called junior high when I was going), then mention that. Oftentimes, the kids are reading those very books and will relate what they like about it – and what they dislike about it – so you can have a conversation with them instead of lecturing.

A chapter reading

At some point in your presentation you’ll want to ask kids if they’d like to hear the first chapter of the book. I’ve never spoken with a group of kids who did not want that to occur. Everyone loves to be read to – even adults.

If you’ve written a mystery and have a really good first chapter you will probably have the kids raise their hands and ask you to read the second chapter. If you have time definitely do it.

Offer a challenge

I did this kind of activity when I was in the process of writing the sequel to my first juvenile mystery, Bitter Tastes. Both Bitter Tastes and Mudder are part of the Kathy and Martha Mystery Series.

I Continue Reading

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Last time we talked about the kinds of things to consider when you’ve been invited to speak with kids at an elementary or middle school.

Let’s move forward and look at some key points you’ll want to keep in mind for a memorable visit.

Let kids ask

I always make sure to leave lots of time for kids to ask all kinds of questions. And these questions do not have to be related to my being an author or having written a particular genre of book. I do ask them what kinds of books they like to read and ask them to tell me what book they’re reading right then.

For example, my favorite book of all time when I was a fifth grader was Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell. I recently bought a copy of it and re-read it. It held the same kind of magic for me now that it did in 1966.

If you have a favorite book from when you were in elementary or middle school (it was called junior high when I was going), then mention that. Oftentimes, the kids are reading those very books and will relate what they like about it – and what they dislike about it – so you can have a conversation with them instead of lecturing.

A chapter reading

At some point in your presentation you’ll want to ask kids if they’d like to hear the first chapter of the book. I’ve never spoken with a group of kids who did not want that to occur. Everyone loves to be read to – even adults.

If you’ve written a mystery and have a really good first chapter you will probably have the kids raise their hands and ask you to read the second chapter. If you have time definitely do it.

Offer a challenge

I did this kind of activity when I was in the process of writing the sequel to my first juvenile mystery, Bitter Tastes. Both Bitter Tastes and Mudder are part of the Kathy and Martha Mystery Series.

I Continue Reading

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