Amy is available to do school visits and residencies.

Click here to see scenes of recent school visits.

AUDIENCE: Grades K-8, Families, Teachers

LENGTH: 30-60 minutes

NUMBER OF PROGRAMS: Four/day (five, if kindergarten is included). A mixture of a school-wide assembly and classroom visits reaches the maximum number of children. Each visit includes a mini-writing exercise.

AUDIENCE SIZE: Unlimited for assemblies, family evenings, and classroom visits. Fifty for large-group writing workshops. Twenty-five for small-group writing workshops.

SCHOOL PROGRAMS

School-Wide Assembly/Classroom Presentation
Grades K-8
"Becoming a Writer" An ideal foundation for later writing workshops, this assembly consists of a reading, followed by a discussion of the process of writing, illustrating, and being published. Using many visual aids, Amy dwells on some of the pleasures as well as the pitfalls of writing (with special emphasis on the need to edit and revise work).Includes a Q & A session. Tailored to different age levels. Can be done in individual classrooms or as part of assembly.

Large-Group Writing Workshops
Grades K-8 * 25-50 Students
These mini writing workshops can accommodate two-to-three classes at a time.They include a Q. and A. follow-up to the assembly. Amy then teacahes the students the rudiments of writing a story or piece of non-fiction, depending on grade level. Though most large groups don't complete the story in the workshop itself, teachers are given enough information to complete the writing afterwards.

Small-Group Writing Workshops
Grades K-8 * 25 students
Students create their own stories (see Writing Workshops, below). By meeting in a single classroom, students receive more individual attention and complete much of the story, under Amy's guidance.

Artist-in-Residence
For a more in-depth writing eperience, Amy can meet with 4-5 classes a day over a space of three or more days, each one devoted to planning, writing, and revising a story.

Teacher Workshops
Amy is a teaching artist as part of the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts "Partners in Education" National Touring Program. Developed in conjunction with the Kennedy Ctr., the Professional Development workshops train teachers to give two of Amy's classroom workshops ("Writing by Storm" and "Persuasive Writing") as well as dwelling on the principles of teaching good writing. See description below; or visit her page in the Center's brochure for more description.

Family Evenings/Book Signings
Each school visit involves a daytime booksigning. Additional family evenings my be scheduled.

WRITING WORKSHOPS

Kindergarten "Big Book" We write a "Big Book" together with emphasis on rhyme, which aids reading as well as writing through phonemic awareness.

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Gr. 1-5 "Where Do Ideas Come From?" A fun look at the sources of creativity, which includes a quick writing exercise that helps children come up with new ideas for stories. Can be done with unlimited numbers, in individual classroom, or as part of assembly.

Grades 1-4 "Writing by Storm" Using Rachel Fister's Blister for inspiration, students brainstorm to produce a finished story together, using a method that helps reluctant writers participate, and teaches all involved to recognize the elements of a story, overcome common obstacles to writing (getting started, getting stuck, finishing it), and how to tackle revision.

Grades 5-8 Persuasive Writing: Why is mastering writing important? This workshop is a playful yet serious look at ways we are manipulated - and can learn to manipulate others - with language, in various media: politics, advertising, and even in fiction. Applicable across the curriculum.

Grades 5-8 Creation Myths We write together a creation story, like Amy's Spider Who Created the World, using a multi-cultural model.

Grades 5-8 Fan Fiction Write like J. K. Rowling! Amy uses her books No More Nice, Rachel Fister's Blister, Quentin Fenton Herter III, and Please, Malese! as well as classics like Dr. Seuss, The House on Mango Street, and Harry Potter to get students writing like their favorite authors. And in doing so, they learn a lot about both writing--voice, character, dialogue--and what goes into writing their favorite books.

TEACHER IN-SERVICE WORKSHOPS

"Writing by Storm" Overcoming Common Obstacles" Grades 1-5. This workshop is especially useful for teachers who worry that they can't teach writing, because they are not writers. Using simple, concrete, and fun techniques we write a story together in a way that reinforces understanding of the parts of stories, and helps us all leap common roadblocks: finding ideas, staying focused, ending it, and the dreaded revision.

"Persuasive Writing" Grades 5-12. This workshop will help teachers impress on students exactly why mastering writing is important: who controls words controls minds. A playful yet serious look at ways we are manipulated - and can learn to manipulate others - in the media, politics, advertising, and even in fiction. Applicable across the curriculum.

FEES

For prices on Full Day, Half Day, Teacher In-Service, and Family Programs, please contact Amy directly.
Freebies: Free Family Evening included in three-day residencies. Free Teacher In-Service Workshop included in every five-day residency.

TRAVEL COSTS
Travel costs may be kept to a minimum by combining with other local schools for block booking.(See Schedule, below, to see if Amy has already scheduled visits in your state. Or call to find out how to do this.)

NEW ENGLAND SCHOOLS qualify for New England Foundation for the Arts subsidies of up to 50% of the cost of the visit for artists on their roster. Please note that while NEFA now lists any and all interested artists on their roster, I am one of the few juried artists (selected through a competetive jury process). See their New England States Touring Program web site for details and schedules. Or contact your local state arts agency.

2007-2008 SCHEDULE:
Aug. 27-Sept. 3 - Sacramento, CA
Sept. 17-19 - Kennedy Ctr for Performing Arts,Washington, DC
Oct. 5-7 - New York City, NY
Oct. 16, 18, 19 - Saco, ME
Oct. 30-Nov. 2 - Mingo Junction, OH
Nov. 8 - Newington, CT
Nov. 10- Keynote address, South Central Penn. Writing Program, Indiana, PA
Nov. 12 - St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay, FL
Nov. 13-16 - Mission, TX
Nov. 27-28 - Greenwich, CT
Jan. 15 - Baltimore, MD
Jan. 22 - Mt. Vernon, ME
April 29, 30 - Lynnfield, MA
May 5-9 - Hampden, ME

REFERENCES
Click here to read what others have to say about Amy's school visits.

For references regarding school visits and residencies:

Linda Rabinowitz
Torah Day School of Atlanta
Atlanta, GA
Tel. (404) 982-0800
lrabinowitz@torahday.org

Dr. Ray Winegar
Elementary Curriculum Coordinator
Opelika Schools
Opelika, Alabama
Tel. (334) 745-9400
ray.winegar@opelikaschools.org

Sheila Geraty,
Librarian
Brookwood School
Manchester, Mass.
Tel. (978) 526-4500
sgeraty@brookwood.edu

Margy Soule,
Librarian
Jordan Acres School
Brunswick, ME.
Tel. (207) 729-3981
Msoule@brunswick.k12.me.us

For references regarding teacher workshops:

Amy Duma
John F. Kennedy Ctr. for Performing Arts
Washington, DC 20566
Tel. (202) 416-8812
ALDuma@kennedy-center.org

CONTACT INFORMATION

Amy MacDonald
10 Winslow Rd.
Falmouth, ME 04105
Tel. (207) 781-5526
Email: amymac@maine.rr.com