Contributed by Rachel Brainin
On Friday, February 2, 2018, author Sarah Weeks captivated the students of the D-E Lower School with presentations about her writing process, her inspirations, a writer’s life, and readings of her books.
Through stories about her childhood and her own children, pictures of her dog and observations about people and their habits, Ms. Weeks was able to reach children and adults of all ages. She tailored her presentations to each group of students, preschool through 5th grades, always with humor and wisdom from her many years as a writer. She held the children’s attention with stories of what inspires her.
She also shared the numerous revisions her work goes through, emphasizing the importance of the editing process. The children, who prepared by reading many of her books ahead of time, were excited and ready with many questions for Ms. Weeks, ranging from where she gets her ideas to whether she has goals for the future.
“Everyone related to her,” shared a second grader.
A fourth grader shared, “I liked how she told us what she heard when she was spying at Starbucks.”
A fifth-grade student remarked, “I enjoyed how she told us the process of how she writes her books and how she does the editing process. I like how she gets inspiration from the things around her…her sons, the clothes on the roof, and her pets.”
The impact of this visit has been great. Since her visit, children have been referencing her during Writing Workshop. Some first-grade children were overheard saying, “I am going to edit my work, just like Sarah Weeks.”
Ms. Weeks certainly left a strong impression on all of us in the Lower School, and we are so grateful to the Parents’ Association for sponsoring her visit.
