How do teachers inspire students to become confident, curious and engaged as they learn the critical skills of reading and writing? An established Maine non-profit called Island Readers and Writers has some ideas.

What if you found funding to provide students with their own copies of books written and illustrated for their age and stage of development… And what if you brought the authors and illustrators to the classrooms of rural schools after first working with teachers, administrators, librarians and parents to prepare for the visit. The results over the last decade have been impressive.

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In addition to staff of Island Readers and Writers, we’ll hear from Deb Jamison, teaching principal of Pembroke Elementary School and writer/illustrator Stephen Costanza, author of The King of Ragtime: The Story of Scott Joplin, and other books, who has often visited rural classrooms under Island Readers and Writers sponsorship.

Photo of Chris Van Dusen reading from his book The Circus Ship, courtesy of Island Readers and Writers.

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