Bill Harley – Singer, Storyteller, Author

Program Description

One School One Book – author visit

Develop your culture of literacy – through Read to Them© or on your own, choose one of Bill’s books for the entire school community to read. He will complete the program with an author visit including assemblies and a family concert.

“We’ve been doing One School One Book for the last 6 years and this was hands down the absolute best book for an entire school community; students, parents, and teachers can all relate to the characters and sympathize with the challenges that Charlie faces.” – Megan Zarzycki, Olive B. Loss Elementary School, Delaware

Assemblies – stories and song – upbeat, participatory, joyous

Bill’s songs and stories paint a vibrant picture of schooling and family life with material chosen for specific age groups. “I believe everything is educational, in that it says something about how one looks at the world. Children learn more from context than they do from explicit lessons. They learn vocabulary and language not from a dictionary or worksheet, but from conversation, they learn songs not from reading music, but from singing with someone who loves to sing, and they learn hope, kindness, and cooperation not from being told to have them, but by experiencing them.” Bill Harley

“The effect that Bill had on my children is extraordinary. I don’t say this lightly.” parent, Hillside School, Needham, MA

Workshop -Telling stories – the pictures in your head

Brain science now tells us that strong oral skills provide a clear pathway to literacy. In this workshop, Bill introduces students and teachers to the basics of storytelling. Through examples (a good story from Bill) and participatory exercises (fun for everyone), he gives students a start on being able to tell their own story. Teachers will also learn some simple techniques to continue exploring the world of story as a way to increase students’ confidence and their oral and literary fluency.

Workshop – Creative writing – a closer look

A participatory classroom workshop about the nitty-gritty aspects of Bill’s work as an author using one of his books as an example (to be read by the class in advance). Along with a PowerPoint presentation, Bill will lead an animated discussion of plot, character development, writing tools, strategies and story creation. The workshop serves to encourage and support young writers (and their teachers). Topics may include how life experiences and curiosities influence a storyline and characters, plot points for a sequel, relationship between author and illustrator and, the use of vivid language and sensory details.