Behind the Book works hard to make each school visit a rewarding experience for you as well as for the kids and teachers. You were chosen because we know you can make a valuable contribution to the education of the children in this classroom and we hope you will have a good time while doing it.
The kids will read the chosen book (we give a copy to each student, a month ahead of the visit, to keep!) as part of their curriculum. The younger ones will have the book read to them.
The students are prepared, in advance, for your visit by their teacher. You have an opportunity for input in that preparation. One of our most successful visits was with Trish Marx, author of Reaching For the Sun: Kids In Cuba. The students read the non-fiction book and chose research topics to explore. They discussed Cuba with their teacher and prepared questions for a "press conference" Trish would hold in the classroom. Trish brought press passes and photographs she had taken in Cuba that reflected the topics chosen by each student. She also brought a newspaper template for the final articles. Trish showed slides from her trips, then took questions, assigned the story and gave out the templates. They will appear on our webpage soon. We shared a Cuban-style lunch cooked by some of the students' families with Salsa and Cuban church music in the background.
You will know, in advance, what kinds of points, if any, the teacher would like you to make. You can tell the teacher how you like to work and what your needs are so that you won't walk into a room unprepared.
Behind the Book is with you all the way. We always go to the visits with the author.
Sometimes the author helps create a written homework assignment. We provide five or six writing prompts for each visit but often they serve as jumping off points in the phone conversation between the author and teacher before the visit.
Our webpage will have full reports written and photographed by students, authors, teachers, and Behind the Book. Our web page is a work in progress and strives to be a forum for students of all ages to submit their work and correspond with each other about books and the craft of writing as well as receive feedback from authors and other experts. You can participate as you choose. Many authors enjoy reading the kids' work after the visit and we will gladly send it to you.
Yes you do get paid for your time and efforts. No it definitely isn't what you deserve.
Behind the Book believes that exposing students to authors will inspire a life-long love of reading and writing. We hope that you will support our endeavor.
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