Writing Presentations

Have you ever felt like you were in the perfect place, at the perfect time in your life?  That’s how I feel about working as an Ed Tech with the Whittier Staff.

When I mentioned I was developing writing presentations now, because I knew I wouldn’t have time over the summer, I was encouraged by Shannon, the teacher I work with, to test it out on our class.

It was a hit.  Our students asked some amazing questions and gave me great feedback. So, I went back and tweaked it a bit.

Once I had, another set of co-teachers asked if I’d be willing to present to their English Language class too.

I talk with my hands a lot!

Shannon and I worked it out with my schedule and what a blast I had!

I know almost every seventh and eight grade student at Whittier (thanks to having lunch duty every day!)  Presenting my writing though, lets me connect with them on another level.  They’re seeing what Mrs. Wight does outside of school . . . and learning what a nature geek I am!

Look how crooked that is!

The presentation shows what my personal writing process looks like and how hard writers work to use exactly the right words, in exactly the right order, to keep a reader turning pages.  They’re amazed by the lengths I, and other writers, will go in our research so we can create a scene that lets the reader see, feel, hear, smell and almost touch it.

In both classes, the students gasped when I showed Cooper and Packrat’s cover.  How I wish Carl DiRocco could have been there to see that!  One young man said the characters looked like they were jumping off the screen.  And of course, everyone loved Oscar, the three-legged frog.

Being able to test and tweak the presentation based on the comments of real live audience members has been a blessing.  Students and teachers have given some ideas for more specific presentations, as well as wonderful  curriculum ideas for the book.  The latter have been posted under the For Teachers link above, as Pre-Reading Strategies.

Since then, I’ve been asked to present in a couple more classes at Whittier.  I’m very much looking forward to it!

None of this would be possible though, if I hadn’t signed on as an Ed Tech last year at Whittier.  Everyone takes an interest in my writing, and in Cooper and Packrat itself.  The staff has given me marketing ideas, shouted my successes, and encouraged me to move forward as a writer and a presenter.

Thanks Whittier!  What would I ever do without you?