Author visits for schools
Are you considering scheduling an author visit for your school? As a widely-published author and poet, an award-winning songwriter, and as a former elementary and middle school teacher, I'd like to help you get your kids excited about the writing process. We'll use story, poetry, and music in high-participation assemblies and workshops. We'll dive into pre-writing, drafting, and revising, and we'll celebrate the importance of perseverance.
In a hurry?
Print this one page, and read at your leisure. It has most of the information you'll need.
Smaller Group Writing Workshops
(typically 20 to 50 minutes per group)
Especially designed to follow a large group assembly program, students have the opportunity to expand on the earlier presented themes, to write independently or as a group, to learn a new song or two, to ask questions, to share their writing... Loads of possibilities!
Large Group Assemblies: Exploring the Writing Process through Music, Story, and Poetry
(typically 45 to 50 minutes)
My school assemblies are fun and fast paced. With a focus on the writing process (and an underlying message about perseverance), assembly programs include strong music, poetry, and storytelling components and careful planning for group participation. My assemblies and workshops recognize the Common Core State Standards and the NCTE/IRA Standards for the English Language Arts. Specifically, I understand that exposure to well-crafted poetry, with its rich language and imagery, leads to growth in vocabulary and critical thinking skills. Additionally, through writing, singing, and sharing music and poetry, students are given opportunities to experiment with language, helping in turn to build their appreciation and enthusiasm for language and creative language expression.
"Eric Ode hosted a Family Literacy Night at our elementary campus and our students and parents LOVED it! We can't wait for Eric to come back next year for another event!"
- Angela Elder M.Ed, Dean of Students, Coral Academy of Science, Reno, NV
Educators: Feel free to let me know in advance if you would like our workshop time to be steered in any particular direction. If your students have been exploring certain areas of writing, please tell me. Themes such as the writing process and any one particular stage of the writing process, tools of poetry, the life of the writer, and the question of where song, story, and poetry ideas come from are especially fun for me to address. I am also very comfortable leading independent and group writing projects.
Family Reading Night Concerts
Are you looking to host a terrific family literacy evening event? Consider scheduling a high-participation music and poetry concert for a fun-filled reading celebration night. Your students and families will have a terrific time!
45-minute concert: $500 (within 90 min drive of Port Townsend, WA)
Only $300 when booked in conjunction with other same-day assemblies or workshops. Please see rate schedule below.
I will provide my own sound system and request permission to make my books and CDs available for sale following the concert. A mileage fee may be required for schools more than a 90-minute drive from Port Townsend, WA.
Equipment and Space Requirements
I will arrive approximately one hour before the scheduled program(s) with guitar, props, and sound system in hand. (Well, maybe not all at once!) The school should provide:
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one sturdy table
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adequate floor space for comfortable student seating
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access to a power outlet
For schools outside of Washington State, I will need use of the school's sound system for large group assemblies and would appreciate use of a document camera and screen or a large white board or large notepad easel for workshops.
Other Program Options
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Half-day, full-day, or multi-day programs and residencies
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Song and poetry-writing workshops
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Evening PTA/PTO events
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Family literacy/reading celebrations (A good choice for Title I funding.)
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RAH/PARP celebrations
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Concerts (Often as a reward or celebration of student achievement - or just for fun!)
2023/2024 Rates for Schools in Washington State (within 90 min drive of Port Townsend, WA)
50-Minute Assembly: $650
Two Assemblies (same day): $780
One-Day Visit: $1150*
Two-Day Visit: $2100*
Evening Event: $300 (in conjunction with other program(s) same day)
*Full day visits can include large group assembly programs, workshops, classroom visits, book signings... You decide! Up to five hours of programs/sessions daily. A mileage fee may be requested for schools more than 90 minutes' drive from Port Townsend, WA. Some Washington State visits may require hotel accommodations.
2023/2024 Rates for Schools outside Washington State
One-Day Visit: $1300 plus travel and hotel accommodation expenses*
Two-Day Visit: $2200 plus travel and hotel accommodation expenses*
Evening Event: $350 (in conjunction with other program(s) same day)
Special Out-of-State Rates: Team up with neighboring schools to receive discounted rates. Not only can you share travel and accommodation expenses, but back-to-back days at neighboring schools receive the same discounted rate as multiple days scheduled at the same school.
Please contact me (eric@ericode.com) to discuss rates for partial school day author visits (assemblies only, half-days, etc.) for schools outside Washington State.
International School Visits: I've provided author visits for schools in Guam, Japan, and Germany and am always happy to discuss ways of making visits outside of the U.S. come together. Give a call or drop an email.
Virtual School Visits: If a personal author visit is not possible, consider scheduling a virtual Zoom visit instead. Here's more information.
PaperPie (formerly UBAM) Consultants: Please contact me to discuss rates and other details for consultant-coordinated school visits.
