author Archives - Mary Kienstra

Invite the Experts

By: Mary Kienstra on: June 23, 2016  in: #tlap, author, Engagement, , ,

Why is it that our students will sit and listen to total strangers in a way that they would never listen to their teacher? When we invite the experts to our classrooms, our students learn from primary sources.  They hear real information and listen in a new way. Last year, I invited experts of all kinds […] Read more

Kids Need to Meet the Authors

By: Mary Kienstra on: March 9, 2016  in: author, Engagement

Authors are like rock stars to kids who love to read.  My students talk about their favorite authors like they know them, holding them in the highest esteem.  These kids need to meet the authors.  They want to see their favorite authors as real people with great ideas.  This week I had the opportunity to introduce […] Read more