Keynotes and Presentations for Educators and Librarians

Poetry

Empower and Inspire Your Students’ Hearts and Minds with Poetry Writing
Many teachers know the magic of students writing poetry in the classroom, but these days it seems like there’s just not enough time in the curriculum to do so. But what if there were small ways to make space for students to write poetry each and every month of the school year? And what if children also had the opportunity to write poems at their local library?

Whether you already provide time for your students or readers to write poems, or you want to get started, this session is for you. You’ll explore ideas for creating a poetry-inclusive environment, and you’ll be introduced to---or reminded of types of poems---children will enjoy writing. You’ll learn how to scaffold poetry-writing for budding poets who may need that, and you’ll also leave with suggestions for raising the challenge level for those who are ready. 

After attending this session, you’ll be excited about inspiring the poet in your students/patrons, and they’ll enjoy engaging in this experience. Writing poetry helps children develop important literacy skills and brings joy to any classroom or library. So, make space for this vibrant practice! I bet you may even write some poems of your own.

Poetry Is the Light: Children Need to Let Their Words Shine
Poetry as Community, Connection, and Celebration in the Classroom

Writing/Goal-Setting 

Ready, Set, Goal: Guiding Students to Set Goals That Empower Their Learning and Growth as Writers 
Goal setting is an integral part of life. But when and how do we teach this important skill to students? And how can we do so in ways that are engaging, rewarding, and nestled into our other priorities in the writing classroom?

In this session, Valerie will share a goal-setting process that she used with her own students to grow them as writers and to increase their overall literacy skills. What was most rewarding is that not only was their growth evident to me and to their parents, but students witnessed themselves the improvement they’d made and felt proud and successful. Valerie will tell you how she guided her students through this process by helping them set goals, monitor their progress, revise (and sometimes even abandon!) goals, and celebrate their achievements along the way. She’ll also share examples of how you can set your own goals to learning and grow alongside your students.

At the end of this session, you’ll be inspired to go forth and set goals for yourself and to facilitate a goal-setting process with your students.

Use Goal Setting to Grow Great Student Writers
Cultivating Agency in Student Writers

Girl Power 

Girl Power: Exploring Texts That Amplify the Brave Voices and Positive Actions of Girls and Women
In today’s society, girls don’t always feel that their voices matter and that they have the same opportunities as boys. Obviously, girls and women---some more than others---have always felt this way. Would you like to share stories with your students that show girls and women speaking up for themselves and being changemakers?
Empower your female readers with books that feature strong girls and women who have made a positive difference in their community or in the larger world. Boys and nonbinary students need to read and discuss these texts, too. Valerie will share a variety of picture books, both fiction and nonfiction, which highlight intersectionality, too---females who not only exemplify strength, ingenuity, and resilience because of their gender but also because of another identity, like race or (dis)ability.

You’ll leave this session with a list of books to add to your classroom, school, and public libraries. You’ll also be armed with ideas to add to your current lesson plans that will inspire thoughtful discussion and children’s own stories.
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Black Authors on the Spectrum of Diversity in Children's Literature

Valerie’s Personal Stories

NOTE: These presentations will help you learn more about Valerie and her writing background and experience. 

• If you are a librarian, this information will help you connect with young readers to share more with them about Valerie’s books during story times and when you were making book recommendations. 
• If you are a teacher, the information will be helpful to share more about Valerie’s author journey and to inspire students in their own writing. 
• There’s even information for those of you who may want to write your own books: “Path to Publication” includes tips for writing your own books for children, and “Putting It on the Page” focuses on how to get started writing books for educators.

Path to Publication
Learn about Valerie’s path to publication (what inspired her, how she gets ideas for her books, how long it takes for a book to be published, etc.) In addition to sharing her story, Valerie will read excerpts from several of her books, and you’ll be able to ask questions to learn more about her story and also to inquire about how to move ahead on your own path to publication.

Researching and Writing a Picture Book Biography
NOTE: This presentation is centered around A Flea for Justice: Marian Wright Edelman Stands Up for Change. It’s helpful if participants have read this book prior to my presentation, but it’s OK if they haven’t.

During this presentation, you will learn what inspired Valerie to write about Mrs. Edelman and how she conducted her research and developed her story. You’ll have the opportunity to respond to questions that will help focus your own research, and there will be time for you to ask questions related to the presentation and about the writing process, in general.

Putting It on the Page: Writing Books for Educators by Educators
Teaching is more powerful when we share our pedagogy and practice. One way to do this is by writing for our colleagues. Valerie and her Stenhouse editor, Kassia Omohundro Wedekind, will share ways to get started writing, grow as writers, and publish books. Whether you have a seed idea, an outline for a book, or are just curious, this session will be full of innovative and inspiring ideas for educator-writers! 

Classroom Q&A with Larry Ferlazzo 

Valerie Bolling Bio

Valerie Bolling is an award-winning educator and author who always has a book she’s reading and one she’s writing. She was an educator for 30 years, teaching grades 2, 4, 5, and 8, working as an instructional coach for middle and high school teachers, planning professional development, and training mentor teachers. She’s published more than a dozen books for children and is the author of two books for educators: Goal Setting in the Writing Classroom: Building Student Agency, Independence, and Success and Writing Poetry Month by Month: Inspiring the Poet in All Students. A graduate of Tufts University and Teachers College, Columbia University, Valerie has always loved teaching and writing, and she enjoys connecting with children, educators, and librarians, inspiring them to write their own stories and sharing ideas and strategies to enhance literacy engagement and achievement.

For more information about scheduling and fees,
​please contact me at [email protected].