Reed Welcomes Visiting Vermont Writer

By Eliza Hallabeck

Before Reed Intermediate School Principal Sharon Epple introduced Vermont-based writing expert Barry Lane during an assembly on Friday, January 13, Reed’s student council presented sixth grade teacher Michelle Vaccaro with flowers as a way of showing gratitude for bring Mr Lane to the school.

“I know we are all excited to welcome this writing rock star from Vermont,” said Dr Epple, before Mr Lane began his presentation for the assembly.

Along with giving two assemblies at the school on Friday, Mr Lane also visited some classrooms, chosen in a lottery, according to Dr Epple. Mr Lane also gave a writing workshop for teachers in the afternoon on Friday.

The assembly was held for both fifth and sixth grade students at the school.

During the second assembly, Mr Lane asked the students to think about all the things that writing makes available, the things the students can do in writing that they cannot do in life.

He also asked them to think about the different speeds writing allows. In life, he said, we experience everything at a fast pace, but in writing, a writer can decide when and which moments to draw out in slow motion.

To demonstrate his point, Mr Lane asked for some volunteers from the audience to act out a fake scene about being on a school trip and reuniting with their teacher. It happened fast, and the audience showed little response. Then he asked the volunteers to move in slow motion while repeating the same scene. This time the assembled students laughed and pointed.

“Stories,” he said, “are about what is going to happen.”

Also during the assembly, Mr Lane asked the students to participate in a writing exercise and more.

“The students were absolutely thrilled by [Mr Lane],” said Dr Epple, following the writing expert’s visit to her school. “Students even asked for his autograph, and high-fived him through the day.”

While visiting different classrooms in the school, Dr Epple said Mr Lane shared writing tips with students and helped the students improve samples of their own writing.

“Teachers loved him, too,” said Dr Epple. “His workshop in the afternoon was invigorating, focused on writing instruction. It really pulled the staff together around ideas for improving student writing and getting students excited about their writing. It’s always helpful to get concrete ideas to implement right into lessons.”