Each of the below listed programs can be presented in person or online. Any session can be customized to fit your group and time frame. Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions you may have. Email Info@BOTRPress.com.
Creativity: Harnessing the Power of "What If?" (1-2 hours)
In a workshop environment, attendees will discover ways to use “What If” questions to engage students in dialogues about situations and subjects. Suitable for both teachers and librarians, the workshop will include Q&A brainstorming session as the closing segment of the period. Handouts and resource materials provided. Bring your questions about engaging students and we’ll “what if” the answers.
Nurturing Creativity for All Ages (1-2 hours)
We're all born with creativity. How can we nurture it in ourselves and our students? In a workshop setting, you'll learn tips to encourage the innate creativity we possess and engage the senses to enhance the process. The session includes reference materials and tools to aid your quest.
Storytelling as a Teaching and Learning Tool (1-2 hours)
Every story holds the possibility of a learning experience; every learning opportunity holds the possibility of enhancing the experience through storytelling. Beyond entertainment, storytelling teaches. Learn more about this historic oral tradition and its modern application. In a one hour workshop, attendees will learn to apply storytelling techniques both to teach and to verify understanding of material.
Journal and Memoir Writing for Young People (1 hour)
Tomorrow’s history books will derive in part from today’s journals and memoirs. In a one-hour workshop, attendees will learn tools to encourage and assist young writers of journals and memoirs, as well as potential applications for the result. Concluding with a Q&A session, the workshop will provide materials for assisting students in their endeavors.
Signposts on the Road to Getting Published (1 hour)
Authors have more options for getting published than at any previous time in history. Traditional publishing, hybrid publishing, vanity publishing and self-publishing are the main types, but permutations exist in between them. In a one-hour workshop, attendees will learn pros and cons of many of these options, as well as the questions to ask while deciding which method works best for their publishing goals.
Bring Nature to Life in Your Writing (2 hours)
When writers use nature as part of the story, they add a deeper dimension of heart and meaning to the work. Yet nature is more than listing the flora and fauna around the scene. Whether you write poetry, fiction or nonfiction, you’ll find many opportunities to incorporate the beauty and drama of nature into your work. Bring nature (and your writing) to life with a few simple techniques. Author and trainer Mary Beth Magee shares tips and exercises to help you find your voice in nature. You’ll perk up your writing and perhaps find a whole new topic to cover when you attend this workshop.
Also available as a one-hour presentation without workshop aspects.
Home Schoolers and Writing Groups: A Natural Alliance (1-2 hours)
Writing groups can form a natural partnership with home schoolers as opportunities for field trips, judges for competitions, mentors to young writers and more. Learn ways to facilitate the partnership in a workshop designed to connect interested school groups with appropriate writing groups. Enhance the creative writing experience for your students with the help of local writing groups.
Custom Sessions
Custom sessions are available. Whether you need a keynote address for an event or specialized training, Mary Beth can put her decades of experience to work for you and your group. Email your topic and desired outcomes to Info@BOTRPress.com for a quote.