I am available for school visits!

As an educator myself, I know the value of bringing qualified, engaging and prepared speakers into the classroom.  Over the past 10 years I’ve worked with students from elementary to the college level as a teacher and facilitator and I am a frequent moderator for Symphony Space’s Thalia Kids’ Book Club and Book Club Camp series.

As a guest speaker, I bring my experience from the theater and the classroom to each visit and promise a lively, fun and educational experience.

I am available for standard readings and interactive presentations, tailored for small and large groups.  In addition, I offer the following “lessons” for classroom presentations.  Here’s the ala cart menu:

• The Elements of Story 101 – Character, setting, conflict and resolution.  This is the bare bones introduction to the fiction writing process, using examples from Powerless and popular culture.
• Creativity 101! - In this lesson we take the focus off structure and play with a blend of writing and theater exercises that encourage students to unleash their own creativity.  I usually like to add a performance aspect to this exercise, such as a dramatic reading of the students’ works, to keep this an interactive experience.
• Comic Books: An American Art Form. A short history lesson on the birth of the comic art form, it touches upon the depression era and the influence of pulp fiction. This lesson includes a PowerPoint presentation and can be adapted for large groups. Suitable for grades 5-8.

For each of the above lessons I also provide supplementary handouts in advance, which can be used to prepare the students for the presentation.

With each visit my goal is not just to create an excitement for reading, but to encourage students to express their own creativity and take a chance at storytelling.  By the end of each visit I want the focus to be off the books and on the students themselves.

For availability and pricing information email me at matt@matthewcody.com.