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One School's Yearlong Collaboration With a Children's Book Author
Author(s) -
DeFauw Danielle L.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
the reading teacher
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.642
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1936-2714
pISSN - 0034-0561
DOI - 10.1002/trtr.1726
Subject(s) - psychology , situational ethics , pedagogy , mathematics education , social psychology
Abstract Many students have experienced author visits, but one K–4 elementary school aimed to meet its school improvement goal to motivate writers through a yearlong collaboration with a published children's book author/illustrator, Ryan Hipp. This article details the positive components of the yearlong collaboration that included three in‐person sessions and blog posts. Transcribed observations of the assemblies, readings of the blog, and transcribed pre‐ and poststudy interviews of nine teachers, 36 students, and Hipp revealed that collaboration with him triggered and maintained situational interest. Students were interested in writing and motivated to write because of Hipp's influence, and the constant connection with the author/illustrator helped ensure the success of the collaboration. Teaching implications of author visits are detailed.