Category A video I recommend

Oct 3 2021

Still on schedule

Hi everyone,

Yesterday I enjoyed making a 25-minute video with Mary Jo Fresch and Tim Rasinski that will be posted for the California Reading Association virtual conference, October 22-23. We presented aspects of a book we’re finishing for Scholastic, which will be published January 22, titled PARTNER POEMS & WORD LADDERS FOR BUILDING FOUNDATIONAL LITERACY SKILLS.

Starting today I’ll be away from the Fairfax project for twelve days, the longest hiatus since I started. When I return, I’ll have 19 work-days to write the final 15 poems. If all goes as planned, I should finish on time. By work days I mean weekdays between now and November 15 when I don’t have other commitments already on the schedule. Fingers crossed!

Apr 22 2020

From Missouri to England to Mexico

Hi everyone,

A few weeks ago I mentioned that I had been approached by a designer in London who was working on a project for a major department store on a Valentines campaign, “For the love of poetry.” The project tested successfully so I’m standing by for possible future involvement.

I recently sent her the first two videos I’ve made of me reading from AFTER DARK and NOW YOU SEE THEM, NOW YOU DON’T. Yesterday I heard from her that she has shared the videos with her aunt in Mexico City who is principal at an English school called Humanitree. Needless to say, I am delighted! I may be stuck at home making videos in my bathroom, but at least my stories are seeing the world.

Apr 15 2020

Lori Oczkus

Hi everyone,

Many of you will be familiar with the work of Lori Oczkus, a well known and respected literacy consultant and author. We met years ago when we spoke at a conference in New York and have remained in touch. Lori frequently uses my work in her publications and presentations and I continue to admire her work in the field of teaching literacy skills to young students.

The other day Lori shared with me two of her latest videos and with her permission I’m sharing them with you today.

How to Boost Reading Comprehension with the Fab Four

How to Improve Comprehension & Fluency with Poetry

Lori Oczkus, Literacy Consultant and Author
Reciprocal Teaching at Work ( ASCD, 2018) Foreword by John Hattie
http://www.ascd.org/Publications/Books/Overview/Reciprocal-Teaching-at-Work-Powerful-Strategies-and-Lessons-for-Improving-Reading-Comprehension-3rd-Edition.aspx

Thank you, Lori. Looking forward to the next time our paths meet.

Mar 30 2020

Making a home video

Hi everone,

I’ve finished two videos and am working on how to share them with folks who want them. Here’s a picture from the one of me reading from AFTER DARK, POEMS ABOUT NOCTURNAL ANIMALS.

I think it turned out okay, maybe not as good as the videos taken with Mary Jo Fresch when we were in a professional recording studio in California, but still not too bad for a home video.

But things aren’t always what they seem so I thought I should share the back story of my videos, in case kids might want to make some videos of their own during these weeks when they are being schooled at home. Here is me practicing in my “sound booth.”