A Tugging String
The Great School Lunch Rebellion
LENGTH OF PROGRAMS
30-60 minutes (depending upon grade level and type of presentation)
As a rough guideline, around 200 maximum per assembly, 100 maximum per writing workshop. Inservices and Family Evening sessions can accommodate any number.
Poetry Assemblies: Filled with dozens of dazzling illustrations from Greenberg's books, these assemblies are fun, funny, and inspirational. Not only do children laugh, chant refrains, and tap along with the beat, but teachers and parents do as well. Kids leave saying, "I want to be a writer when I grow up!" Greenberg dynamically and expressively performs his rollicking poems for kids (click on book covers to see reviews). His poems are filled with alliteration, acrobatic meter patterns, and snazzy rhymes. Students are so captivated by the joy of Greenberg's performances they leave his assembly quoting their favorite lines. The assembly is, in essence, standards based academics wrapped within memorable entertainment. Greenberg weaves explanations of the various elements that activate good writing into his performance. He discusses the fierce perseverance necessary to succeed and emphasizes the key importance of the writing process.
Civil Rights Assemblies: This assembly grips the listener. It inspires us to be our best. It is filled with basic American history. It deals with our challenges as a nation and what has made us great. Based upon his novel, A Tugging String, Greenberg discusses the racial attitudes in the United States at the end of the Civil War, and how deep prejudice against blacks still persisted. He talks about the rights denied to blacks, emphasizing that although blacks technically had the right to vote, they were quite often denied it in practice, and thus denied a voice in our political process. He talks about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s attempt to march from Selma to Montgomery to call attention to this injustice, and the response of the racist governor of Alabama, George Wallace. He discusses how King (helped by Greenberg's father) used the courts to peacefully overcome the forces arrayed against them, bringing about the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Ultimately, he shows how this has helped to make America a far better place. Greenberg draws the connection between the institutionalized bullying of the racists and the bullying that persists today. He calls upon students to take inspiration from King and his colleagues and challenges students to embrace personal responsibility and stand up for what is just and right.
Writing Workshops: David Greenberg has lectured around the world on writing instruction. Based upon lessons he's developed, workshops are intensive, personalized writing sessions that exude a spirit of love for language. Based upon unique, highly motivational lessons, students write impressive, thoughtful work.
Family Evening Presentations: Loads of fun, the purpose of Family Writing Night is to bring kids and parents together in an important educational activity. Greenberg starts the evening session by reading several of his poems. Next, he demonstrates a writing activity at the projector, and family groups collaboratively try their hand at the same sort of writing (which always has some sort of family theme). Kids clamor to take completed work home as a memento.
Teacher Inservices: Based upon the writing workshops Greenberg has conducted internationally, these sessions are refreshingly fun in tone, yet absolutely practical in content. They provide teachers with numerous, unique and compelling writing lessons that they can implement in their classes immediately.
A WORD FROM DAVID GREENBERG
"Writing and reading are by no means easy to master. It is my goal to make words so delightful that children will be inspired to do their best with the tough slog of learning. I read fun, funny work and show captivating illustrations to do this. A great deal of success, though, is attitude. Most authors I know have had to rewrite their work many times and have had it rejected many (even countless) times. In my poetry assemblies I make a major point of talking about the rejections I've received for my writing, and how, in the face of this, I've persisted.
International School Visits:
SET-UP AND EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS
David Greenberg needs:
For Poetry and/or Civil Rights Assemblies:
Mr. Greenberg brings his books along for autographing with kids. Here's how it works:
LEARN MORE ABOUT DAVID GREENBERG
Inquiries about Authors and Illustrators Who Visit Schools