Reflection on video about children’s author Christopher Myers
I had not heard of children’s author Christopher Myers before this video, but I will seek out his books for use in my classroom. Mr. Myer’s personal message was inspiring and his honesty about himself and his energy/passion for reading was contagious. The author used his own personal experiences to help him write his stories, explaining that everyone has a story to tell. Mr. Myers then challenged the students to think about what makes them unique and different and how they can relate their own personal feelings and experiences to their own creative writing projects. Then the author led the students in a discussion and activity about the elements of a story such as characters, character traits, and plot (the problem).
What made a real impression on me was when I heard one student say that he didn’t enjoy reading because he thought it was hard. I immediately thought “what types of strategies and reading activities can I engage this student in to help with his motivation?” Mr. Myers response was to explain that just because something is hard doesn’t make it bad. He shared with the class how hard it can be to write a book, and that everyone has difficulty at some point or another, and they are not the only ones who experience challenges.
I also really enjoyed Myers' talk. It's great that an author can come into a classroom, really hit it off with the kids, and lead them in a worth while activity.
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