Beatrice Gormley

Author of many popular fiction and nonfiction books for young readers, Beatrice Gormley tells students the dramatic story of how she became a writer. Her warm, lively presentation:
-Excites students' interest in writing and reading.
-Demonstrates effective storytelling.
-Expands students' knowledge about book writing and publishing.
-Illustrates reaching a goal through persistence.

In the question and answer session, Beatrice Gormley guides the discussion to:
-Connect with children's own struggles and joys in writing.
-Emphasize working hard to write well.
-Show research methods.

Full day visit includes:
-Four sessions, 45 minutes each
-Grades 3,4,5,6
-Unlimited book-signing
-Pre-visit display materials

Everyone -- teachers, students, and PTO members -- were very pleased with Beatrice Gormley's visit to the Dartmouth Schools. The children are always fascinated to meet a real author and if prepared ahead of time can get a great deal out of the visit. Mrs. Gormley's presentation and her work also tie directly in with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks in a number of areas particularly Language Arts, Social Studies, and the Arts. Biography is one of the areas included in the Frameworks and if the teachers know ahead of time that this visit is happening they can work it in with their own unit on biography.

One of the things that impressed me was how Mrs. Gormley validated for the children the importance of revision and rewriting. Most (if not all) children I have worked with dislike editing and rewriting their work. They often view it as an unnecessary chore their teachers have them perform as a torture! Mrs. Gormley brings in copies of her own manuscripts and shows the children how many times her editors have her rewrite a book. Wow! A real writer who is paid real money has to rewrite!

Margo Moore, parent and teacher
South Dartmouth, MA