Little Reading Coach

Yesterday was without a doubt one of my favorite days as a virtual teacher. I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with author Brenda Felber using Zoom.

I use Zoom every week for my read alouds, but this was the first time I used the video chatting platform to host a guest. Zoom allows users to share their screens, so Brenda was able to share a fabulous PowerPoint presentation. Using the Gallery view, we were able to see one another while the Powerpoint was being shared. This was a great aspect because we were able to have a “face to face” conversation while Brenda went through her presentation.

In my eight years of teaching, I have never had the opportunity to have an author visit with my students. Usually at the middle school level students are limited with their experiences because there is so much pressure on getting class time in. In the brick and mortar schools that I have worked in, students were allowed one or two field trips a year and that was it outside of usual class activities.

Teaching in the virtual classroom allows me to give my students more learning opportunities. Not only do I do my weekly read alouds, but I can now bring my students author visits.

As a teacher, one of my favorite aspects of Brenda’s presentation was how she uses the writing process for all of her novels. She showed us a picture of her word map, one of the ways she brainstorms, and explained how detailed her editing process is. She also shared specific programs that she uses to bring the novel together. The teacher in me was ecstatic because students are able to see that the writing process is used for more than just a five paragraph essay.

As a reader, my favorite part was when Brenda discussed the different components of her books. In my book review on Twisted Games (Twisted Games: Pameroy Mystery Series Book 5 Review), I mention how Brenda combines mystery, history and fantasy. During our author visit, Brenda referred to all three of those ideas and why she uses them in her writing. This validated my reading skills and interpretations and also added to our conversation.

I made sure to record the Zoom session and I included it in my weekly newsletter for my students to watch when they have time. It was a truly fantastic experience and I am so glad to have connected with such a talented author.