GENERAL INFORMATION TO SET UP A VERY SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL VISIT!
So, we have agreed on a date. We have a contract in place.
It's time to get the school JAZZED up about what we'll do on that special day.
After hundreds of school visits, this checklist will ensure the BEST day possible:
1. READ! READ! READ! my blog, my books, internet search results on me or books. YOU are trying to inspire the love of reading and writing, RIGHT? Involve your students in the preparation, get them excited! Some examples of past successes:
· I've walked into a school where EVERY homeroom door was decorated with one of my book's covers AND months prior to my visit they applied for and WON a grant to GIVE every student one of my books.
· Art teachers in conjunction with language arts have had classes write and illustrate "sequels" to my picture books. Hallways decorated with scenes from my "dream" books by EVERY grade group. The excitement and buzz was UNREAL!
(Sound like a lot of work? Harness the power of the PTA/PTO who will take the burden off the teachers when it comes to fun activities.)
2. The ASSEMBLY: Please make sure ALL audio needs are in place and tested prior. A microphone and sound system BOOSTS my impact and the SOUND EFFECTS I use are a MUST. Forty-five minutes for the primary and one hour for the intermediate assembly is not a lot of time and we don't want to waste a moment!
Bottled water is requested and a table at the front of the gym with my books displayed would be terrific.
3. The WORKSHOPS: Please try to have location with the following:
a. Large writing space, preferably a smart board or white board where the work I do with the students remains during the entire workshop and a pad of regular writing paper and pencil(s) for me to use at the end of the session will be perfect!
b. For whiteboard please have BOLD markers in several colors so the students in the back row can see too.
c. Please copy a template for each student participating. See my blog entry to select the appropriate forms - there's one for primary and one for intermediate.
4. BOOKS: Order a set of my books to circulate through the classrooms and for library reading/sharing time (descriptions available through my website www.justinmatott.com.) The options for book orders include invoicing (2nd page of your contract), credit card and District and or school checks. In the instance where you write a personal check an invoice will be emailed to you for your records.
Many students want an autograph and if they don't have one of my books they ask for hands, shoes, and/or clothing to be signed. May I suggest you consider running off the jpg bookmark template? I have signed them and they can be run off for each student to be handed out while I'm there as kids exit the assembly.
I am happy to sit and chat with teachers at lunch, or another idea is where I am involved in contests for kids (as the "prize") who read the most, write the most, or whatever barometer the school needs emphasized to "win a pizza lunch with Matott" where they usually come with prepared questions they or their classmates want answered.
IF I haven't covered a specific question you have, please feel free to ask. justin@justinmatott.com is my email address or to contact my wonderful assistant Andy at andy@justinmatott.com