Author Visits-Classroom Presentations
The month of January and February, I have been working on visiting and scheduling author visits with local NH schools as well as presenting on zoom for schools that are farther away.
I read The Bakery Shop to Ms. Hack's Kindergarten classroom through a zoom presentation, which was an interesting experience but, lots of fun to see the diverse group of students she is teaching. It is a little bit harder to interact with the students through zoom, but they seemed to have enjoyed the story and answered the comprehension questions I asked. They even asked me great questions and mentioned parts they enjoyed in the story.
I will be reading The Alphabet Comes Marching In to her students and other students in her school in mid-April.
The Campton Elementary School-Winter Program Author Visit
I was very excited to have the opportunity to read The Bakery Shop to a group of Kindergartn students at CES-especially since I use to teach here, it made it extra special.
The group of 4 and 5 year olds were wonderful and they assisted me in the story by acting out the story as I read it. Afterwards, I taught them how to act out the fingerplay using their hands. A few students were able to wear the special donut finger glove to act out the fingerplay. The children enjoyed the story and acting it out. They did a great job answering all the comprehension questions I had for them. I gave them bookmarks and a sticker to take home. I also answered the questions they had for me! I loved my Author visit with this group of students!
I hope to return in March as a mystery reader for the children in first grade.
I also read The Alphabet Comes Marching In to 23 students who were in grades 1-8.
This was a great eye opener experience for me because I realized that the older 7th and 8th graders really could not be polite to listen to the story. I was thankful that I was an experienced teacher and knew how to change gears quickly as to not lose the entire group. I stopped the story after letter G and spoke to one of the teachers. That teacher then pulled two students from the group to the hallway. As that was occurring, I then introduced The Mother's Day Gift chapter book to the 21 students who were at the carpet. I read the first chapter to them and then I read chapter five. I explained to them that chapter five took place in my old classroom across the hall and that this story was non-fiction.
I was really impressed with the students who were in the younger grades. They sat and listened so quietly to me as I read the story. They were so interested in the story. I thought it might be over their heads, but they listened. One student even understood what wasn't said but was implied. He had a question for me, but I asked him to wait and I would answer it at the end of the next chapter.
Frankly, I think they were a little surprised that I didn't finish reading the whole entire story. I said I did that to HOOK them into reading it for themselves. I definitely 👍🏼 hooked them.
I gave them all a bookmark, even the 8 para-professionals that were also in the room.
The two students were allowed back in the room and listened to the story without further incident and interrupts. Before I left, the boys both apologized for being rude.
This is what I learned from the second presentation. . .
When you have a book geared for children 5-9 don't read it to older kids in grades 6-8th grade. Read to your age audience.
Split the group and read one book to one group and then the older chapter book to the older kids.
I was glad that I brought all my books I wrote with me, so that I was able to switch gears to capture my full audience of 1-8 th grades.
It was a great living and learning experience!
Authors Visit to
Trees to Seeds Montessori School
I recently had a wonderful visit to Trees To Seeds Montessori School where I read to 13
three and four year olds and two teachers.
The kids did a wonderful job acting out the story with the paper character stick puppets and later with their hands as they helped me read and sing the story! I had a great time meeting all the students and reading to them too. They were super sweet and polite!
I gave them each a bookmark and a sticker to take home and show their parents.
I look forward to reading my new story to Ms. Hack's class and The Bakery Shop to the first grader's in Mrs. Magowan's and Mrs. Kilmer's class later this month.
My goal will be to try to set up more Author visits in the surrounding schools in my area in the coming months.
I also intend on getting my two books out on Amazon by March/April.
Stay Tune for that in the coming months.
P. D. Hoyt-Self-Published Author
February 3, 2023