monique polak

Monique Polak's Books

2 minutes reading time (467 words)

Meeting Young Writers and Readers at Orchard Elementary School

Hello, hello! I'm just back from a very energizing visit to Orchard Elementary School, where I worked with students who are a little younger than the ones I am used to. Before lunch, I met with a group of grades one and two students; after lunch, I worked with students in grades three and four. It was FUN! One thing about younger students is they don't feel the same pressures about writingthat older kids sometimes do. Many of the Orchard students told me they ENJOY writing.

Lexus, who's seven, said, "When I'm in the mood, I write after school." Meghan, who's also seven, likes to write stories about her cat. Jayden, who's eight, said, "When I'm happy or sad, I write in a book."

Because I had about an hour with each group, I tried to focus on some important writing concepts like REsearching and REwriting. I also talked about looking and listening for stories. I think these are points that can be useful to aspiring writers of any age, no matter whether they are in grade one or living in seniors' residences!

Grade Two teacher Marie-Therese Ferdinand said she enjoyed my talk, too! She said I confirmed a lot of what she believes about teaching reading and writing. For instance, she begins every day by asking her students to write! (Way to go, Madame Ferdinand!) Like me, Madame Ferdinand is also interested in body language. She, too, likes her students to look alert!

Today's visit was organized by Orchard Elementary librarian Wendy Corner. Wendy and I had met more than a decade ago when she was one of my students at Concordia University! So seeing Wendy again, and talking about books, added to today's fun. "Miss Wendy" (as the students call her) told me the library at Orchard is a special place. The library used to be upstairs, but it needed to be relocated because of a leaky roof. "This library was built with a lot of love and care," Miss Wendy told me.

 Students in the afternoon group presented me with some beautiful posters and a great thank-you card signed by all the students in the school! Three students, Heavenleigh (great name, no?!), aged ten; Sahvana, aged eleven; and Janessa, also eleven, dropped by to meet me before my talk, and stayed afterwards to ask more questions. You can check them out in one of the pictures below. (They're the three girls behind a welcome sign they prepared. Heavenleigh is standing in front; Sahvana is peeking out from behind the sign; and Janessa is looking out from on top of it.) The group picture is of the Grades Ones and Two-s. That's Miss Corner in the back. Many students remarked that we look like we are related. Must be the curly hair and our IMG_1417_2.jpgIMG_1418_2.jpgshared love for books!!

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Comments

Guest - janessa on Wednesday, 08 April 2009 17:27

hi monique its janessa from orchard elementary i saw the pictures and there nice ;D and heaven leigh saw the pictures to but she said she was ugly in it but i said NO!! and you cant really see sahvana she blends in with the other faces :P but it is still a really nice picture and i hope sometime next year you can come back at orchard heaven leigh , sahvana and i will still be there will be in grade 6

so thanks for coming at orchard and it was great meeting you bye LOVE
JANESSA

hi monique its janessa from orchard elementary i saw the pictures and there nice ;D and heaven leigh saw the pictures to but she said she was ugly in it but i said NO!! and you cant really see sahvana she blends in with the other faces :P but it is still a really nice picture and i hope sometime next year you can come back at orchard heaven leigh , sahvana and i will still be there will be in grade 6 so thanks for coming at orchard and it was great meeting you bye LOVE JANESSA ;)
Guest - Wendy Corner on Wednesday, 08 April 2009 19:17

Hi Monique,

Thanks for touching the lives of the students at Orchard Elementary with humour, grace and life lessons that will resonate for years to come! It was great fun and it was a pleasure having you talk about the creative process.
Miss Wendy ;D

Hi Monique, Thanks for touching the lives of the students at Orchard Elementary with humour, grace and life lessons that will resonate for years to come! :) It was great fun and it was a pleasure having you talk about the creative process. Miss Wendy ;D
Guest - Monique on Wednesday, 08 April 2009 21:12

Thanks for your lovely messages on this blog. Special thanks to Miss Wendy for inviting me to Orchard Elementary. The bonsai plant you gave me is sitting on the little windowsill over the kitchen sink -- I will think of you guys every time I wash dishes!! XO from me!!

Thanks for your lovely messages on this blog. Special thanks to Miss Wendy for inviting me to Orchard Elementary. The bonsai plant you gave me is sitting on the little windowsill over the kitchen sink -- I will think of you guys every time I wash dishes!! XO from me!!
Guest - janessa on Friday, 10 April 2009 21:41

hey monique its janessa again i just saw what you sent back to us its funny ;D well just saying hi and thanks for coming to Orchard once again


;DLOVE JANESSA BYE-BYE

hey monique its janessa again i just saw what you sent back to us its funny ;D well just saying hi and thanks for coming to Orchard once again ;DLOVE JANESSA BYE-BYE
Guest - Victoria on Wednesday, 22 April 2009 15:32

hi Monique
i am one of the Merton students
i am now at home thinking about the holocaust
how is Hitler would have won the war i wouldn't be here
i thank you so much for bringing the holocaust into students eyes
i look Forward to reading your book!
therefor i am a proud 1/2 Jew!
i bless you with all my heart
Victoria

hi Monique i am one of the Merton students i am now at home thinking about the holocaust how is Hitler would have won the war i wouldn't be here i thank you so much for bringing the holocaust into students eyes i look Forward to reading your book! therefor i am a proud 1/2 Jew! i bless you with all my heart Victoria
Monique Polak on Wednesday, 22 April 2009 16:49

I don't know if you meant to write a poem, but that is how your comment sounds!! Thank you so much for your kind, touching words. I am going to read what you wrote to my mum. She will be extra glad she came to meet students at the Jewish Public Library today.

I don't know if you meant to write a poem, but that is how your comment sounds!! Thank you so much for your kind, touching words. I am going to read what you wrote to my mum. She will be extra glad she came to meet students at the Jewish Public Library today.
Guest - Tenaiya on Friday, 01 May 2009 20:34

Hi Monique
its Tenaiya from Orchard your rily nice so i just wanted to ask you one question
;D when are you going to send the books to are school?


THANK YOU ;D

Hi Monique its Tenaiya from Orchard your rily nice so i just wanted to ask you one question ;D when are you going to send the books to are school? THANK YOU ;D
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