A school Visit in Thailand
PREVIOUS SCHOOL VISITS
This is one of my favourite parts of my job as a children's author. Visiting schools and meeting and interacting with young readers is always a real treat for me. It allows me to share my love of writing and storytelling with the children who read my books and helps me to encourage and promote reading amongst today's young children.
Awesome Visit to the
Singapore International School of Bangkok
Prachauthit & Ekkamai Campuses
On Monday, March 12, I travelled to Bangkok to spend an awesome day with the children of the SISB Prachauthit and Ekkamai campuses.
Over four fantastic sessions, I met 232 students from P3 & P4 and shared with them my journey to becoming a children's author. I also read two chapters of my first book - Zodiac and the Missing Diamond, and talked about my own personal writing process. Each session was then concluded with a short Q&A session, during which the students asked me a number of interesting and thoughtful questions.
It was such a great day, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed and, judging by the reactions of the children attending the sessions, one they enjoyed too.
A huge thank you goes to Teacher Jason - the Teacher/Librarian at the Prachauthit campus - who did a spectacular job of organising such a fantastic visit! Thank you also to Ms Robelle - the Assistant Librarian - for lending her much appreciated support during the day.
Students from P3
What a fantastically warm welcome I received from all the children of SISB
Reading from Zodiac and the Missing Diamond
Students from P4
Having a photograph taken with smiling children holding their new copies of Countdown Mysteries is always such a rewarding experience!
Teacher/Librarian Jason was very busy selling books to eager readers
There was a book-buying frenzy, and it was great to sign copies of books for excited young readers
Everywhere I went in the school I saw large screens promoting my visit, including this huge projected image that filled the entire wall outside the beautiful 'Black Box' auditorium where the sessions took place. It's no wonder that all the children were so excited about my visit!
Thonburi Campus
After a phenomenal visit the previous day, over at the Prachauthit campus to meet SISB's P3 & P4 children from the Prachauthit and Ekkamai campuses, Tuesday saw me over to SISB's Thonburi campus to meet the children of P2, P3 & P4.
With the beautiful new campus having fewer children, I met only around 60 children over the course of the morning. The two sessions followed the same theme as the previous day's sessions, but this time the P3 & P4 students were taking notes to use in their follow up activity, in which they were going to be writing a newspaper report about the visit.
It was another fantastic day of meeting children, their teachers, librarians, and I was even fortunate enough to meet the Principal of the three campuses, Ms Narisa Lertnamwongwan.
Ms Lertnamwongwan - Executive Principal for Nursery and Kindergarten - had this to say after the visit:
"The children had a wonderful time listening to you and were very excited about your adventures.
In the age where technology is leading our lives away from the simple things in life, like appreciating
reading books and using our imagination, your visit was a breath of fresh air.
Thank you for sharing your experiences and books with us.”
A massive thank you goes to Ms Gracelyn and Ms Marivic - the beautiful dynamic duo of librarians at the Thonburi campus - who did an amazing job of organising such a successful visit!
Answering questions in the Q&A at the end of the P2 session
A photo opportunity is always fantastic.
Everyone looks happy at the end of the P2 session.
Sharing a story with P3 & P4 students
Another photo opportunity at the end of the final session of the half day visit.
This time I'm with the children of P3 & P4, their teachers, and the awesome librarians, Ms Gracelyn and Ms Marivic.
For information about the Singapore International School Bangkok
Amazing Visit to the Thai-Chinese International School, Bangkok
On Wednesday, March 28, I was back in Bangkok to spend a fantastic day with Mr Joseph - the school librarian - and the delightful children of the Thai- Chinese International School.
Over the course of the day, I met 170 students, beginning with Grade 4, and then continuing with Grades 3 and 2 in the morning, and then ending with Grade 1 after lunch. As this was the first time I hade visited TCIS, I shared my journey to becoming a children's author, and then read from my first book - Zodiac and the Missing Diamond, before describing how I develop and write a story, from a title idea to published book. As always, the children had lots of great questions, so a short Q&A session rounded off each session nicely.
I had a fantastic day in the TCIS library and thoroughly enjoyed interacting with the children, their teachers and, of course, Mr Joseph and his lovely library assistant.
A big thank you goes to Mr Joseph - the Teacher/Librarian at the school - and his amazing library assistant, who did a magnificent job of organising such a successful visit!
Telling stories to the different grades is one of my favourite things
Signing books and autographs is always an enjoyable part of any visit
Looking out and seeing smiling, happy faces is always good
I also had a chance to take a look at some amazing books created by the students
My favourite part of each visit is reading from one of my Countdown Mysteries to groups of children
Being taken care of all day long by Mr Joseph and his super library assistant was so great... and I even got a beautiful gift to take home
For information about the Thai Chinese International School
Visit to the American International School Bangkok - Green Valley Campus
A week later, on Wednesday, April 4, I'm back in Bangkok for a visit to the American International School - Green Valley campus - to spend a lovely day with the children of the Elementary and Middle Schools.
During four sessions, I met 132 students, ranging from Kindergarten children to Middle Schoolers. It was meeting with and talking to the older students that inspired me to now offer visits that are specially tailored to suit Secondary/High Schools.
I had a great day meeting the children in the AISB library, and sharing my stories and reading from one of my Countdown Mysteries.
A big thank you to Miss Emily - one of the Teacher/Librarians at the school - who did a brilliant job of organising the visit.
Kindergarten and Grade 1
Grades 2 & 3
Grades 4 & 5
Sadly, the Middle Schoolers escaped before having their photograph taken, but they were a great bunch of kids and I thoroughly enjoyed our session together.
For information about the American International School Bangkok (Green Valley)