Summer 2009 Workshops For Educators
Focus on Children's and Young Adult Literature
-- School Library Journal, 6/2/2009
Each summer, all around the country, educators gather to discuss how to enrich readers’ experiences and appreciation of children’s and young adult literature. A number of these events include appearances by distinguished authors and illustrators, who provide insight into their works and process. We’ve listed a few upcoming workshops and conferences that caught our attention.
Summer 2009
The 23rd Annual Shenandoah University’s Children’s Literature Conference will be held June 29-July 3, 2009 in Winchester, VA. The theme of this year’s conference is: “Reading...It's A Guy Thing: Hooking Boys on Books.” Guest authors and illustrators include: Jon Scieszka, Ralph Fletcher, Jarrett Krosoczka, Jack Gantos, Kevin O’Malley, Jim Murphy, David Macaulay, Gordon Korman, Jerry Pinkney, and Chris Crutcher. For information on cost, earning credits, and housing, and to download a reservation form, visit the Shenandoah University Web site.
Throughout the summer the Eric Carle Museum in North Hampton, MA, offers lectures and affordable, half-day workshops for professionals on topics ranging from a “Multi-lingual Approach to Picture Books” to tissue paper techniques and creating art spaces to storytimes with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Visit their Web site for dates, times, course descriptions, and costs.
“Read the Signs: Pathways to Student Learning” is the theme of the 2009 Kansas Summer Institute for School Librarians, June 17-18. Delivering the keynote address will be Judi Moreillon, author of Sing Down the Rain and Read to Me/Vamos a leer. The featured guest is Nancy Werlin, a National Book Award Finalist and an Edgar Award Winner, and the author of Impossible, The Rules of Survival, Double Helix, and other notable young adult novels.
The 36th Annual Sandberg Children’s Literature Institute at The University of Toledo in Toledo, OH, will host workshops June 15-19 and June 22-26, 2009. This year’s theme is “Windows on the World, Mirrors on Yourself: Teachers and Students Experiencing Texts.” Special guests include Alma Flor Ada, Isabel Campoy, and James Bruchac. Presentations and workshops will take place afternoons only. Students can earn credit for attendance; all are welcome.
The Center for Teaching through Children’s Books (CTCB) will be offering four workshops for teachers and librarians at its Summer Institute 2009; “Using Picture Books for Interpretive Discussion” runs from July 20th through the 24th. All the workshops will meet at National-Louis University’s North Shore campus in Skokie, IL.
The California Reading & Literature Project at CSU Sacramento is sponsoring a number of workshops for teachers, June 15-19, 2009. “Giving Voice to Children's Literature,” for teachers of kindergarten through grade six, will take place on June 15th. The registration deadline is June 10th.
The Children's Literature Association's 36th Annual Conference takes place in Charlotte, NC, from June 11-14, 2009. The theme is "The Best of Three"—the organizers explain that the number three has a special significance in literature for children, pointing out that, for example, "The third pig has the best house, the third wish is the best wish...." The closing event, “Glimpses into Southern Pasts: Readings by Three Children's Authors," features Mark de Castrique, Karon Luddy, and Caldecott-winning author/illustrator Gail E. Haley. On-site registration is available.
Educators interested in combining professional development with summer travel will want to look into The Nye Memorial Children’s Literature Tour of the Ukraine that runs June 23-July 5, 2009. Travelers wishing to visit Odessa can extend their stay until July 10, 2009. This study tour will examine the culture and literature of the region and meet with local authors and illustrators. For more information contact Susan Fox or Beverly Vaughn Hock.
From sessions on "What Does Gaming Have to Do with Books Anyway?" and ""Exploration or Exploitation, the Role of Sex in Young Adult books Over 30 Years," and events including a Poetry Blast and the Newbery/Caldecott dinner, the American Library Association's Annual Conference hosts more than 100 programs for attendees interested in children's and young adult literature. Chicago is the site of the 2009 conference, which runs from July 10th-14th. Check our insiders' guide to the conference (social and professional) and visit the ALA Web site for registration information and a complete list of programs.
While not specific to children’s or young adult literature, these workshops are well worth noting. In nine locations across the country the National Archives is sponsoring workshops on using historical documents (think primary sources) in the classroom. Both affordable and practical, these hands-on sessions will inspire educators to re-imagine their lesson plans.
If your organization or school is sponsoring an event we should know about, please email us.
