Ms. Chieffo's 2nd graders dance Zydeco 2-12-09

Friends:

I had such a good time on Day 4 of my Story Fest residency. It was a late day, with my first class starting at 9:40 am so I took advantage of the extra time and worked out for an hour at home. I came to school refreshed and ready to go! My first class was Ms. Chieffo’s 2nd grade class. They were perfect little angels – so incredibly well-behaved. They listened intently to the tale of The Cajun Cornbread Boy and followed instructions when it came time to explore Louisiana’s Cajun and Zydeco music through scarves, movement, and dance.

2nd graders play the washboard 2-12-09

After 2nd grade, I went downstairs to meet Ms. Bonnano’s kindergarten class. They were an enthusiastic, curious group of students who really enjoyed my activities. I told them the story of The Cajun Cornbread Boy and they loved it.

Ms. Dianne shows Ms. Bonnano's Kindergarteners The Cajun Cornbread Boy book 2-12-09

Ms. Bonnano (my first time meeting her) was so sweet and accommodating. Here they are dancing and passing a good time!

Ms. Bonnano's Kindergarteners dance Zydeco 2-12-09

Then it was on to Mr. Boone’s 3rd grade class. I love Mr. Boone. He is a great teacher who knows how to balance fun and discipline. I arrived a tad early so I helped Mr. Boone finish up his lesson on ABC order. It was fun to “team teach” with Mr. Boone! Afterwards, we transitioned into my activities.

Ms. Dianne walks a "dog" in Mr. Boone's 3rd grade class 2-12-09

The class had a blast with the role-playing drama activities. They did a great job.

Mother comforting jilted brides in Mr. Boone's 3rd grade class 2-12-09

The class was assigned the story rap, “Jackie Rabbit,” and I can’t wait to see Mr. Boone’s class perform it. It is going to be awesome!

After lunch, I visited Ms. Leboutillier’s preschool class. What a sweet group of students! They were ready for me as soon as I walked in! I told them the story of The Cajun Cornbread Boy and they fully participated in all the motions and songs.

Ms. Leboutillier's preschoolers listen to The Cajun Cornbread Boy 2-12-09

Then we explored Louisiana through Cajun and Zydeco music and dance. And did we dance!

Preschoolers second line around the classroom 2-12-09

My last class was Ms. Muller’s preschool class. When I arrived, they were all napping. They had been on a field trip in the morning and were zonked out completely. After unsuccessfuly trying to rouse them, we decided it was better to let them rest. Fortunately, I will be visiting their class again.

Friday and Monday were off days for me so I headed for a nice 4 day weekend! I look forward to Week 2 with my Bissonet students.

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

Telling stories to Ms. Ragusa's First Graders 2-9-09

Friends:

Today was my first day of my Louisiana Story Fest Residency at Bissonet Plaza Elementary School. I have been doing an artist residency at this school for 7 years now. They are one of my favorite schools. For this residency, I am sharing Louisiana culture through its folk stories. For grades PK through 2, I tell a Louisiana tale and then we explore Louisiana music through movement, dance, and colorful scarves. It’s so much fun.

First graders explore Zydeco music with movement and scarves 2-9-09

My day began in Ms. Ragusa’s first grade class. They were a delightful and enthusiastic group of students. I told my story of The Cajun Cornbread Boy and they loved it. Then we explored Louisiana’s Zydeco and Cajun music through movement, dance and scarves.

Ms. Ragusa's first graders dancing Zydeco 2-9-09

Then it was off to Ms. Presser’s second grade class. What a phenomenal group of well-behaved students. They had a blast participating in the telling of The Cajun Cornbread Boy. We even had a lesson comparing Cornbread Boy to the Gingerbread Man.

A Cajun Cornbread Boy lesson with Ms. Presser's bright second grade students 2-9-09

They loved doing my drama activity, role-playing with scarves and dancing Zydeco. Ms. Presser is the kind of teacher I would have loved – her passion is displayed in the classroom and in her students.

Ms. Presser's second graders dance Zydeco 2-9-09

After second grade, it was downstairs to see Ms. Johnson’s kindergarten class. We had fun with The Cajun Cornbread Boy, singing the refrain, “Run, cher, run as fast as you can! You can’t catch me – I’m full of cayenne!” Even Ms. Johnson was joining in! The children had a blast with the scarves.

Ms. Johnson's Kindergarteners dance with scarves to Zydeco 2-9-09

My last class before lunch was Ms. Frechette’s third grade class. I normally don’t tell stories to the upper grades but Ms. Frechette is special and her class is so well-behaved so I told The Cajun Cornbread Boy to them. Ms. Frechette was kind enough to lend me her microphone, which made my job so much easier! Thank you, Ms. Frechette! The students loved the story. Then we did our scarf role playing activity.

Third grade mother comforting the daughter, the bride who has been jilted 2-9-09

Here I am with one of Ms. Frechette’s fabulous third graders. One of her students told me, “Ms. Dianne, you made my year!” How’s that for a warm fuzzy?!

Ms. Dianne with a third grader playing a bride 2-9-09

After lunch, I headed upstairs to Ms. Morales’ 4th grade class. What a blast! I just love Ms. Morales. She is so much fun and her students were awesome! I showed them The Cajun Cornbread Boy book and they were amazed that I wrote it. Ms. Morales was excited about exploring Louisiana culture through its folk stories. Their story was “Jean Sotte (Foolish John).” First, we did our role-play exercise with the scarves.Even Ms. Morales got into the action, playing a high society woman walking her dog in Central Park.

4th grade teacher Ms. Morales walks her dog 2-9-09

Afterwards, I assigned roles for the parts in our story theater script, which they will perform in a couple of weeks, as a class.

My last class of the day was Mr. Joyce’s 5th grade class. These 5th graders were quite a challenge because they were so chatty. They had a difficult time following instructions because they simply didn’t listen. Once we moved into the drama activity, they had fun but they still had a hard time focusing because they socialize so much.

Mr. Joyce's 5th graders play a mother comforting her daughter, the jilted bride 2-9-09

We didn’t even have time to assign roles for their story. All in all, it was a wonderful day. Bissonet Plaza has a special place in my heart. Thank you, Ellen Miller (librarian), for always bringing me back!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

3rd grade storyteller tells Three Billy Goats Gruff - 1-27-09

Friends:

Tuesday, January 27, 2009 was my last day at Strehle Elementary for my Tangram Tales residency. It was the big performance day where the upper grades performed Tangram Tales for the lower grades. The 3rd graders performed for the pre-K students, the 5th graders performed for kindergarten and the 4th graders performed for 1st and 2nd grades. Students had parts as storytellers, Tangram artists, and chorus members.

3rd grade Tangram artist creates house - 1-27-09

The third graders did a fantastic job. I had to substitutute for missing students. It was fun to see the reaction of the younger students watch the upper grades perform.

3rd grade Tangram artists creates foxes for "The Cat and the Rooster" - 1-27-09

I really enjoyed seeing the students put in their best efforts and work as a team. Ms. Guidry’s 3rd grade class rocked the room with their “Feel the Story Beat” chorus in “Tiger’s Tale, Anansi’s Stories.”

3rd grader Tyren in Ms. Guidry's class rocks a beat as the chorus performs in "Tiger's Tale, Anansi"s Stories" - 1-27-09

After 3rd grade, the 5th graders performed. For the most part, they were prepared and I loved watching the audience rock out to their stories.

5th grader Ebony tells a story - 1-27-09

A student in the audience came up to me afterwards and said, “Ms. Dianne, your 5th graders were really good!” Boy, did that make me feel great! Great job, 5th graders!

5th grader Matthew creates rainbow Tangram in "Windbird and the Sun" - 1-27-09

Then it was time for me to take a break. My 4th graders were not performing until late afternoon so I had the advantage of a long lunch. Around 12pm, the Edible Arrangement I ordered for the teachers and staff of Strehle Elementary was delivered. It was gorgeous and a big hit with everyone!

Edible Arrangements delivered to Strehle Teacher's Lounge - 1-27-09

After lunch, I headed back into the cafeteria to direct the last of the performances. 4th grade performed, and much to my delight and surprise, did a great job, even after all the challenges we faced in with them in the classroom. Ms. Johnson’s class was great, shocking all of us. They definitely get the prize for “Most Improved!”

4th graders create pot and candle in "The Hodjas's Bet" - 1-27-09

Ms. Creecy’s 4th grade class had everyone dancing to their story chorus in “The Stoncutter,” a tale from Japan.

Ms. Creecy's 4th grade class performs "The Stonecutter" - 1-27-09

I loved seeing the students reach their creative potential. It was so much fun to see them work together to create a cohesive performance piece. I received a lot of gratitude from the teachers and the students gave me so much love while I was at Strehle. One student already emailed me and said, “I love your Tangram Tales and I miss you already, Ms. Dianne!” This school has such a special place in my heart.

2nd grade teacher Allison Hoadley wins Dianne's teacher gift basket - 1-27-09

Thank you Strehle Elementary for being such a wonderful school. I definitely feel like family when I am there. You all rock! Hugs! I’ll send you a postcard from NYC!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

4th grader in Ms. Creecy's class makes a mountain Tangram - 1-22-09

Friends:

Today marked Day 7 at Strehle with my Tangram Tales residency. I began in Ms. Creecy’s 4th grade class. They were a great group. They created a fantastic rap with beats for the story chorus, with Nelbert leading on the beats. It was so much fun. Congratulations to Gavin and Chase, who performed their parts without a script. Ms. Dianne is so proud of you! Ms. Creecy’s class did a phenomenal job today! Yay!

Ms. Clausing's Kindergarteners listen to "Tiger's Tale, Anansi's Stories" - 1-22-09

From 4th grade, I went to Ms. Clausing’s kindergarten class. They were as enthusiastic as ever, participating in the story. They enjoyed manipulating the Tangrams and were more skilled since it was my second visit to their class.

I then went to my second Kindergarten class, Ms. King’s class. I told “Tiger’s Tale, Anansi’s Stories,” a tale from the West Indies. Ms. King is a delight and the kids had so much fun, rocking to my story chorus “Hey mon, hey mon. Feel the story beat! Hey mon, hey mon. Feel the story beat.” They enjoyed it so much that nearly the entire class got up to dance to the story beat!

Ms. Till’s 3rd grade class was right before lunch. They did a great job rehearsing their story, “The Cat and the Rooster,” a tale from the Ukraine. I loved the way the story chorus came together on their parts. One of the students showed me a Tangram that she invented on her own, outside of the classroom. Wow!

Diamond flower invented by 3rd grader in Ms. Till's class - 1-22-09

After lunch, I went to Ms. Walter’s 5th grade class. The students were wound up and unfortunately, one of the students had to be disciplined and sent to the office. After that, the class was great. They made it through their entire script. I love their story, “It Could Always Be Worse,” a Yiddish tale. We had so much fun with the story chorus, which the students gave their own flavor by rapping it and adding a fun beat. I can’t wait to see how their class performs on Tuesday!

After 5th grade, I went to Ms. Hoadley’s 2nd grade class. They were so much fun, really getting into the story and their Tangram creations. Ms. Hoadley was so inspired by the Tangrams that she told me she is going to create a “Wild About Tangrams” bulletin board. How cool is that?!! Thank you, Ms. Hoadley!

Ms. Dianne & Ms. Hoadley, 2nd grade teacher - 1-22-09

My last class was Ms. Lankard’s 2nd grade class. They also enjoyed the story and invented some very creative Tangrams. Check out this rocket!

2nd grader in Ms. Lankard's class invents rocket Tangram - 1-22-09

One of the highlights of my day was when Carla Short, a 1st grade teacher, delivered a sweet treat to me… homemade pralines!! Mmm. Mmm. Mmm! They were so delicious – the best I have ever tasted. Ms. Short, did I ever tell you that you are sweeter than pralines?!!

Carla Short, 1st grade teacher & Dianne - 1-22-09

Then, Ms. Pat, a pre-K teacher and the coordinator of the arts grant that brought me to Strehle, showed me some extension lessons that one of the teachers had done with her students. 1st grade teacher, Ms. Hervey, had her students trace their Tangram shapes and color them, creating gorgeous Tangram pictures.

1st grade Tangram bunny - 1-22-09

Thank you, Ms. Hervey! What a wonderful job your students did!

Another great day at a great school!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

Friends:

A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of being a featured speaker at the Mississippi Library Commission conference. The conference was for children’s librarians in Mississippi public libraries. It was a fun busy conference! The conference was held at the Cabot Lodge Hotel in Jackson, Mississippi.

When I arrived, I was immediately invited to join the librarians for dinner. They had a buffet of fajitas set up. Yum! Afterwards, I joined the librarians for a YA movie night. We watched Juno. Following that, I met another client for a cocktail! It was a busy night.

I rose early Thursday morning and had breakfast with the group. Then I attended Vicki Cobb‘s presentation. Vicki is the children’s book author of many wonderful non-fiction science books, books that get kids excited about science. Vicki was a fabulous presenter, providing many hands-on science activities for the librarians, who loved every minute of it! Here is Vicki demonstrating a science principle of wind using a leaf blower and toilet paper. How fun!

Vickie Cobb demonstrating wind with leaf blower & toilet paper - 11-20-08

When Vicki’s presentation was finished, there was a fun game. Each table of librarians was a team. Each team had a “sculptor.” I was the sculptor for my team. Using Play Dough, we had to sculpt for our team using clues we were handed on a small piece of paper. Can you guess what book this was supposed to be?

Play Dough Game - 11-20-08

If you guessed, “Harry Potter,” you are right! See the sorting hat, golden snitch, and the Nimbus 2000 broom?

My two presentations were both scheduled after lunch. My first workshop was “Tell Along Tales,” in which I taught the librarians how to tell audience participatory stories. I also taught them important audience management techniques.

Dianne instructing MLC librarians - 11-20-08

Here we are doing some “hands-on” audience participation, doing the chorus for my story, “Pulling Up the Sweet Potato.”

Dianne teaching audience participation - 11-20-08

It was tons of fun! Thank you, Vicki, for staying for my Tell Along Tales presentation!

This is a picture of Jamie Elstrom. She worked at Jefferson Parish Library, my local library, years ago when I first got my start in storytelling. Jamie likes to say that she saw me “grow up.” It’s true! Jamie is so tech savvy that she booked me right on the spot using her laptop during a break. I’ll see you in Summer 2009, Jamie!

Jamie Elstrom, former Louisiana librarian now turned Mississippi Librarian - 11-20-08

After Tell-Along Tales, I did my “Story Fest” workshop, instructing the librarians how to use story theater in the library. This is a picture of a group doing some role playing warm-up exercises. They are portraying a bus driver on a bus with a group of very naughty children. OMG! The bus driver is blind-folded! Hahahaha!

Story Fest Group role-playing bus driver with bad kids on the bus - 11-20-08

This next group is role-playing a Mardi Gras parade. They had to portray a float, the parade king, and the Mardi Gras revelers. Can you tell who is who?

Story Fest role-playing Mardi Gras parade - 11-20-08

We had so much fun in my workshops. These librarians were enthusiastic, lively, and one of the most fun groups I’ve worked with. They even gave me a beautiful gift at the end of my presentations – a standing ovation! Wow! I was so honored. A special thank you to Kathy Buntin for inviting me to participate in the conference.

After my workshop, I went to my room to rest for a while. Then, as if the full day’s activities weren’t enough, I joined a group of librarians to see the midnight premiere of Twilight (I read all 4 books by Stephenie Meyers). We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. (Mara, I can’t sit next to you anymore! Mai Tai! still LMAO)

Mississippi Librarians, thank you so much for having me at your conference. I can’t wait to see y’all again!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

Friends:

I spent a week in San Francisco and Berkeley, California. I presented two storytelling concerts and two professional development sessions at the International Association of School Librarianship Conference in Berkeley. I met librarians from all over the globe – the United States, Japan, Korea, China, Sweden, Germany, Australia, Austria, India, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, and so many other countries. I even received a gift of vegemite to go! It was such a wonderful conference – I was truly inspired by my new international friends. Thank you so much, IASL librarians! A special thank you to Blanche Woolls and Kristin Fontichiaro.

This is a picture of librarians doing a story theater exercise in my Story Fest workshop.

IASL 2008 - Story Fest Workshop

Here is a picture of me with sweet librarians from the U.S., Japan and China.

IASL 2008 - Dianne and International Librarians

This is a picture of one of the librarians performing Kamishibai Story Theater. The story is a Japanese folktale called “The Mouse’s Wedding.”

IASL 2008 - Kamishibai Story Theater Workshop

Prior to the IASL conference, my husband, Antonio, joined me for nearly a week in San Francisco. We stayed at the luxurious Harbor Court Hotel on the Embarcadero. We toured Napa wine country and brought back eight bottles of wine! Woo hoo! We wined and dined our way through San Francisco, eating the most delicious cuisine and sampling the region’s best wines.

San Francisco 2008 - Champagne Tasting at Domaine Chandon, Napa Wine Country

Although I have visited San Francisco before, it has been quite some time since I toured the city and I fell in love with her all over again. The undulating hills make the city scenic and adventurous. Antonio and I saw most of the San Francisco must-sees: the weekend Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market at the Ferry Building on the Embarcadero, Chinatown, Lombard Street (we drove down the world’s “crookedest” street), Pier 39 (including the seals that have taken over the boat slips), Fisherman’s Wharf, the Cliff House overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Golden Gate Bridge (we drove over it and took pictures from a vista point), the cable cars (Antonio hung off the side – talk about cold!), Alcatraz (we viewed it from a distance on a very clear day), and the rolling fog!

Here is the Golden Gate Bridge. The actual color of the bridge is called “International Orange.” It was supposed to be a primer but it was so beautiful that the city decided to keep the bridge that color.

San Francisco 2008 - The Golden Gate Bridge

This is one of the famous buildings in Chinatown, on the corner of California and Grant, where you can catch the renowned cable car.

San Francisco 2008 - Chinatown, California & Grant Streets

Check out the cakes at this Chinatown Bakery. Wow!

San Francisco 2008 - Chinatown Cakes

While in Chinatown, we ate lunch at a very nice restaurant called The Oriental Pearl. The food was delicious. It was also on must-eat list because Rachael Ray (Eliana and I are big fans) ate there for $40/day. So I took this picture just for Eliana.

San francisco 2008 - Dianne at the Oriental Pearl

Antonio and I both had must-eats on our list – I wanted a slice of sourdough pizza and he wanted an authentic Mission burrito. We took the BART and ventured into the Mission district to find the BIGGEST burrito on the planet at Farolito’s, a hole-in-the-wall place that everyone recommended. I found my sourdough pizza at Fisherman’s Wharf at The Franciscan Restaurant’s walk-up window. We did find out that even in August, San Francisco can be quite chilly. We both brought home new jackets. LOL

Here I am at Pier 39. Check out the beautiful city line behind me.

San Francisco 2008 - Dianne at Pier 39

This is the gorgeous Pacific Ocean, viewed from the historic Cliff House.

San Francisco 2008 - The Pacific Ocean at the Cliff House

I can’t forget to show you the famous Cable Car. It’s fun to ride but you better bring a jacket because it can be chilly with the wind whipping around you.

San Francisco 2008 - The Famous Cable Car

This is a view of Lombard Street from our rental car – we’re driving doooooown. You have to ride the brakes and go very slooooowly.

San Francisco 2008 - Driving Down Lombard

San Francisco is definitely in my Top 5 U.S. cities. It’s a city for couples, friends, families, and singles. Thank goodness we didn’t experience any earthquakes while we were there (a 5.4 hit the L.A. area just the week before). But I was definitely shaken and taken by the city’s beauty.

Though we didn’t spend a lot of time in Berkeley, we did tour the Scharffen Berger Chocolate Factory (it’s free). That was AMAZING and the chocolate is superb (satisfying the chocoholic in me…). Scharffen Berger (now a division of Hershey’s Artisan Chocolates) is a gourmet chocolate maker in every sense of the phrase. They pay above fair trade prices for their cacao beans and create the chocolate from beginning to end – from roasting the beans to hand-packaging the bars. If you love chocolate, you must try Scharffen Berger. Here I am being goofy, getting ready to tour the factory. The cover on my chin is for “beards.”

San Francisco 2008 - Dianne Touring Scharffen Berger Chocolate Factory and Being Silly

Antonio and I also dined at Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse in the “Gourmet Ghetto” area of Berkeley. Alice Waters has, for over 25 years, served finely and simply prepared organic in-season food from sustainable agriculture farms no further away than 100 miles from the restaurant. The menu changes daily. Chez Panisse restaurant was named Best Restaurant in America by Gourmet magazine in 2001.

San Francisco 2008 - Chez Panisse Restaurant, Berkeley

Visit the Bay Area – you’ll love the city but be sure to bring a warm jacket!

San Francisco 2008 - Keeping Warm by the Toy Car

Warmly, Dianne

Friends:

It was another  amazing day in Guam. My day began with my arrival at the Guam Council of the International Reading Association meeting at the Nikko Hotel in Tumon Bay.  I was scheduled to present an hour and fifteen minute workshop to the membership. After membership business and before my workshop began, the Talafofo Cultural Dance Group presented a beautiful Chamorro dance.

The group consisted of musicians playing and singing traditional Chamorro songs with children singing and dancing. The children were gorgeous, graceful and dynamic.  The dance was so inspirational, it moved me to tears. Seeing the children engaging in their cultural heritage with such spirit was an amazing experience. Biba Chamorro!

Following the dancers, I presented my workshop called “Story Safari,” a combination of “Handmade Tales,” “Kamishibai Story Theater,” and “Story Fest.” I demonstrated three “Handmade Tales” – “Joseph Had an Overcoat,” “Bandana Man,” and “Pulling Up the Sweet Potato.” I then explained the Kamishibai Story Theater Process. Afterwards, every member of the audience participated in presenting two of my story theater scripts, “The Turtle Who Could Not Stop Talking,” and “The Ant and the Grasshopper.” The teachers were incredible! Unfortunately, my camera battery died and I couldn’t take pictures of their presentations. But the feedback was phenomenal and we are talking about a return visit for a longer professional development session. They wanted more!

Look at how beautiful the stage is decorated!  Great job, Evelyn and Tina! You are phenomenal women. My resources (books and CDs) sold out. Yay! Many of the teachers told me that they were “inspired” and “motivated” and can’t wait to implement the techniques they learned in their classrooms. What a privilege it was to present to this creative and warm group of people. I am so touched by their hospitality and generosity.  Following my workshop, I was presented with more gifts – a tote bag, a t-shirt, a certificate of appreciation, and a stunning tea leaf and orchid lei handmade by Cyndy Pruski, with flowers from her own backyard. Thank you, Cyndy. I am so honored!

Afterwards, I had lunch at a Japanese hibachi restaurant called Joinus with my hosts, Tina, Evelyn, Cyndy and members of the board. Our chef gave us a spectacular show – it was so much fun! After lunch, Tina, Evelyn and Cyndy brought me to Chamorro Village, where I indulged in retail therapy and purchased delicious Guam chocolate and cookies, handmade artisan crafts, and unique native jewelry.

When I returned to my hotel and unpacked my workshop suitcase, there was one more surprise waiting for me – a stack of letters from students of Harry S. Truman Elementary with a thank you note from one of their teachers, Verna Mendiola. So sweet! I <3 U, Verna! This letter is from third grader, Chloe Reyes:

This letter is from third grader, Devin Topasna.

Tomorrow is a full day of fun! I will be picnicking at Ritidian Beach with my new friends and then going to a Polynesian show at night. I am so blessed to be with such warm, hospitable people here in Guam! I have been deeply touched by everyone’s kindness. Their warmth and spirit will forever be imprinted on my heart. Si Yu-Os Ma’ase’! Thank you!

Until next time,

Warmly, Dianne

Friends:

Today was the final day of my Louisiana Story Fest residency. The above is a drawing by Ivan, a first grader, of my story, “The Cajun Cornbread Boy.” The gator in the middle has a red mouth, full of cayenne!

I stayed up late Thursday night assembling treat bags for my third, fourth and fifth grade performers, for those who performed without a script. Along with an autographed picture of me, third and fourth graders received “medals” while fifth graders received friendship bracelets. I also made little teacher treat bags. In addition, I put together a goody bag to raffle off to the teachers at the end of the day. Here is a picture of the teacher, Ms. K, a second grade teacher, who won the bag full of treats, including my CDs. The funny thing was that she was the one who gave me the giant card and had her class write letters to me yesterday. I told her she must have good karma!

When I arrived at the school in the morning, I set out four boxes of Krispy Kreme donuts for the teachers. Then I stuffed their mail boxes with the treat bags I prepared. Finally, it was off to set up the video camera in the cafeteria (with the help of the librarian) and make final preparations for the performances (setting up the stage, doing a mic check, preparing the props, and finalizing the lineup).

The first group of students to perform was third grade. There were a large number of parents who attended and I was so pleased. Three third grade performed for the pre-school classes. In all the excitement, I neglected to take pictures of my first two third grade classes. They did an awesome job!! Two of my third grade classes performed completely without scripts. Not only did the students earn their treat bags, their teachers were given one of my CDs as a reward for the class. This is a picture of my last third grade class performing “Petite Pouce and His Dogs.” What a delight to see these students shine on stage. And to think, they did it in less than three class periods!

After third grade, the two fifth grade classes performed for the kindergarten classes. Both of my fifth grade classes performed without their scripts. They were so good that the kindergarten classes began participating and singing with them. The little ones laughed in all the right places. I was so proud of my students and overjoyed that the kindergarteners enjoyed the performances so much. This is a picture of me with Jada, one of my fifth grade students. She was the leader of the chorus and created the melody that the girls sang in “Jean Sotte (Foolish John).” The boys rapped while the girls sang. It was phenomenal. I met Jada’s mother who told me that she was a Gospel singer. No wonder Jada is so talented!

After lunch, fourth grade performed. While some of the students performed with their scripts in their hands, it was still fun. The fourth grade students performed for first and second grade. One of the first grade classes delivered letters to me at the end of the day. They had such wonderful things to say about the fourth graders.

“Dear Ms. Dianne, I liked when you said ‘trip trap’ and the fourth grade. Love, Dwyn”

“Dear Ms. Dianne, I liked when you came in our class and singed (sic) stories. And I like when she told stories in the cafeteria. And I liked the fourth graders. Love, Shaniya” Shaniya even included a lovely picture.

“Dear Ms. Dianne, I enjoyed the songs and I am so happy that the fourth graders said, ‘skitter skitter skat – we’ll find our way back, just like that. Word. Love, Kathleen”

Other letters I enjoyed from my first graders:

“Dear Ms. Dianne, I really liked the play and I hope you come back. I had so much fun with the scarf and the tape. I almost forgot! You really sing like an angel. I’ve never heard anyone sing that good and thanks for sharing. Love, Ronique”

“Dear Ms. Dianne, I love the plays and when you went to the classroom. It was funny when you shaked (sic) my head real fast. It was so funny when you said, ‘roach.’ That was the best day of my life. Love, Justin” This is Justin’s drawing of my story, “Madame Poule’ and Monsieur Roach (Mrs. Chicken and Mr. Roach).”

And finally:

“Dear Ms. Dianne, I like how you look. How can you look pretty? How do you look so pretty? And I like your stories and your stories are so cool. And I learned about your stories. Love, Makayla”

As a parting gift, the school gave me a wonderful book called 212: The Extra Degree by S.L. Parker. The book is so simple but has such a profound message: “At 211 degrees, water is hot. At 212 degrees, it boils. And with boiling water, comes steam. And with steam, you can power a train.” The premise of the book is that if you apply the “extra degree,” you can make a difference and accomplish great things. Everyone should read the book! This is the inscription inside the book:

“To Dianne de Las Casas, CS school’s faculty and students would like to thank you for applying one extra degree that really makes a difference. You are really hot! With love, the Faculty and Students of CS School”

I had the best time at this school. Several of the teachers said they would love to have me permanently on staff. It was such a privilege to become a part of this school “family.” I loved all the teachers, staff and students. It was an unforgettable experience, one that I will always carry in my heart. I love you, faculty, staff and students at CS School!

Until I write again, may you laugh, love, and live each day to its fullest. Happy Weekend!

Warmly, Dianne

Friends:

It has been a wonderful two weeks visiting all the classrooms of the school where I am the teaching artist-in-residence. I feel like I have truly made deep connections with the students and the teachers.

Today was bittersweet, because it was so wonderful and because it was my last day to visit the classes. My day couldn’t have gone any better if I had planned it that way. My second grade class was as sweet as sugar cane! They had a blast listening to “Pulling Up the Sweet Potato” and “The Cajun Cornbread Boy.” Then we did a cumulative round game that I wrote called “Pile It on the Pie A Mile High.” The students had to think of Louisiana foods to add to the top of the pie as the song went on. It was so much fun because we made mistakes! What a beautiful bunch of children!

My third grade class was fabulously prepared. Their teacher worked with them on the side to rehearse. And it showed. They were so prepared, working completely without their scripts! Their performance is going to ROCK! I can’t wait to see it! Great job, Ms. G (my fellow chocoholic)!

My fourth grade class (the very same one that was a huge challenge the other day) did a great job with their rehearsal. I was such a joy to see the students finally working together to create a piece of which they could be proud. There are a lot of chatter boxes but this class is full of bright, creative children who can accomplish a lot when they put their minds to it. One of my most challenging students (the one who received a behavior report the other day) shone “on stage” when she performed. It gave me goosebumps to see her succeed like that. Afterwards, she hugged me and asked me when I was coming back to the class. It was one of those “Wow” moments.

Today was the school’s Black History luncheon. All the teachers contributed a dish. Talk about delicious! I strayed from my healthy eating habits to splurge on lunch – fried chicken, the creamiest homemade mac-n-cheese, spinach artichoke dip, and the most delectable cabbage and smoked sausage casserole! I really felt like part of the family, laughing at the table with my new friends and sharing their food.

After lunch, I saw Pre-K. What a delightful group of students!!!!! (Ms. S – you are a rockin’ teacher!) The children, teachers, and I had the best time! After I told “The Cajun Cornbread Boy,” one of the students nicknamed me “Cayenne Dianne.” It was hilarious. We laughed so hard that my stomach hurt and my make-up ran. It was one of those moments filled with abundant joy. I love laughing so hard that it sounds like your soul is bubbling to the top. Thank you, Ms. S and Ms. L for a “spicy” time!

My fifth grade class did a great job with their rehearsal. They still needed some direction but, over all, they were fine. Afterward, we even had time for a little fun and played “Pile It on the Pie A Mile High.” I look forward to their performance tomorrow!

The teacher who wrote the grant to bring me to the school filled out an evaluation form for me for another grant I am working on. This is what she said (it brought tears to my eyes)… It was one of the highlights of my day!

“Dianne has been able to captivate our students from three year olds to fifth graders. Her age-appropriate stories have sparked creativity across all grade levels. The teachers have stopped me in the halls to thank me for making sure she was in our grant! They have been very impressed by her abilities.”

But I have to say that my favorite part of the day was receiving a gift from today’s second grade class. I was moved to tears by their gift. Look at this card – the grapes are made with the students’ fingerprints!

The students wrote letters to accompany the humongous card they gave me. And the letters weren’t form letters either – they came from the students’ hearts! Ms. K – you have class!! (pun totally intended… LOL) Here are some of the letters:

“Dear Ms. Dianne, thank you for coming to our school. I loved the Cornbread Boy. I enjoyed the Sweet Potato Story. My favorite part in the Cornbread Boy story was ‘a jump, a skip, and a hop.’ Also, I was fond of dancing with the scarves. I like when we were putting our scarves down and up. I hope you can come back to our class. Love, Mikala”

“Dear Ms. Dianne, Thank you for coming to our school. I liked the cockroach story. I liked the cockroach story because it was funny. Also, I enjoyed Cornbread Boy. I loved the part when the cornbread boy did a triple back flip off of the alligator’s head. I hope you can come back next year and join us again. Love, Vernay”

“Dear Ms. Dianne, Thank you Ms. Dianne for coming to our class. I enjoyed the Pile it on the Pie song. I liked it when it started getting confusing. Also, I loved when you said, Run run as fast as you can! You can’t catch me, I’m full of cayenne. I hope you come back next year. I hope you keep writing stories. Sincerely, Tanlon”

“Dear Ms. Dianne, Thank you for the two fun days. I enjoyed the cockroach story because you sneezed on us. Also, I liked dancing with the scarves. My favorite part was going in circles. We hope you come back next year. Love, Hallie P.S. You smell like vanilla ice cream.”

and one that truly tickled me…

“Dear Ms. Dianne, Thank you for the good times. I loved the cockroach story. I liked when you sneezed on people. Also, I enjoyed dancing with the scarves when we had to bring the scarves up. I hope you can come back next year. What do you take a bath with? I love you. Love, Dwayne”

A side note: Students in all of my classes have been commenting, “You smell so good, Ms. Dianne.” The students have told me that I smell like cotton candy, blueberries, vanilla, strawberries, ice cream, and vanilla ice cream! It’s so funny!

It’s nearly 2:30 am and I have a big day tomorrow — my third, fourth, and fifth graders perform! Yay! Lower grades and parents will be watching. I have been up late preparing treats for my students (autographed pictures and medals or friendship bracelets in pretty bags) and teachers. The students who perform without a script will receive a special treat from me. I hope I have to give out every treat bag! Wish my students luck!

Until next time… Happy Tales to You!

Warmly, Dianne

Friends:

It was another happy day at school. The morning began with the school on “lock down.” Third, fourth and fifth grade classes were engaged in interval testing to prepare them for their big standardized testing next month. Fortunately, my first class was second grade. What a delightful group of students. They listened so intently to all my stories. Because the other adjacent classes were testing, I decided not to do the scarf music activity (too noisy). Instead, I treated the students to an extra story they had not heard before. I told “The Ghost of Jean Lafitte” and they loved it, huddling close together as the suspense in the story grew. I told them that they were the only class to hear that story and they were ecstatic.

It was my last rehearsal with one of my third grade classes. They were PHENOMENAL. Their teacher, an absolute gem, took extra time to rehearse with them so they all worked without their scripts! I was in seventh heaven. Unfortunately, I forgot the SD card for my camera and the pictures from my cell phone didn’t come out well. The class worked so quickly through their rehearsal that we had time for a fun activity so we did one of my story round games called “Pile It On the Pie A Mile High.” I adapted it to feature Louisiana foods and it was so much fun. The round can be found in my Story Collection under “Story Stretchers, Story Games and Story Puzzles.” Great job, third graders! Their teacher even treated me to some yummy Ghiradelli chocolate and I shared some of my favorite “chocolate” books with the class such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Chocolate Touch, Chocolate Fever and The Candy War.

One of my fourth grade classes used my story “The Emperor’s Dragon” from Handmade Tales when they did a unit on dragons. It was so cool to see the students’ dragons, inspired by my drawing and story!

I can’t believe my residency is winding down. Friday is my last day. It will be an exciting day because my third, fourth, and fifth graders are performing! I can’t wait. Working at this school has been a tremendous joy. I have fallen in love with the teachers, staff and students of this school. The teachers are so engaged with their students;  I can see that they still love teaching. I’ve been receiving wonderful feedback from the teachers on my visit so I hope I’ll be visiting again soon!

Until I write again… Laissez les bon temps rouler! Let the good times roll!

Warmly,  Dianne