Born to Read Seminars

Peaceable Stories Seminars

In this six-session series, early childhood educators read and discuss picture books with themes of peace-making and conflict resolution. Talking about these books with other early childhood educators-led by facilitators who have expertise in children's literature-gives them lots of ideas for questions and activities to use when reading them with children.

Those who attend all sessions receive copies of the books used in the discussions. When they share these books with the children in their care, they are developing their capacity for empathy, helping them become creative problem-solvers, fostering a rich vocabulary for nonviolent communication, presenting new options for conflict resolution, and nurturing their dispositions toward peaceful play and relationships.

Here are some of the books that participants receive:

• Yo! Yes? by Chris Raschka (1993)
• Playing War by Kathy Beckwith, illus. by Lea Lyon (2005)
• The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson, illus. by E.B. Lewis (2001)
• The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf (1936)

Three children’s literature seminars will be held this fall:

Tuition for the program is $25, with light supper at each session included. Books are given to participants for each session. 1.5 CEUs will also be available. You can enroll even if you have already taken the 6-hour Peaceable Stories training or the previous children’s literature seminar, Caregivers in a Changing World. Funding for these seminars comes from the Jessie B. Cox Charitable Trust, the Rines-Thompson Fund and the Maine Community Foundation.

The registration form can be downloaded, as a word document (325Kb) or as a pdf (171Kb).

Caregivers in a Changing World Seminars

Caregivers in a Changing World is a reading-discussion program that brings child care providers and volunteer readers together to discuss the themes of diversity and inclusion in children's literature. Led by skilled facilitators, the series inspires caregivers to experience the power and pleasure of sharing ideas about books and children. Participants are given two books per session to read. In addition, "hands-on" activities offer ways that caregivers can enrich the language and literacy opportunities they offer to children.

In the course of the discussions and activities, we hope to focus attention on the ways books can help us know more about people from other cultures and with other points of view. The series offers participants the chance to discover new levels of appreciation as they learn different approaches to story interpretation and understanding. We also hope that Caregivers in a Changing World rekindles a dedication to keep books in the forefront of children's daily experiences.

The seminar consists of six 2-hour sessions over six consecutive weeks. Facilitators and presenters include librarians, early childhood educators, Born to Read staff, and scholars. Enrollment is limited to 20 participants.

For more information, contact:
Born to Read
Maine Humanities Council
674 Brighton Avenue, Portland, ME 04102

Phone: (207) 773-5051
or toll-free 1-866-MEreader
Fax: (207) 773-2416

• Denise Pendleton
  Program Director
  dpendle@mainehumanities.org
  

• Brita Zitin
  Program Assistant
  brita@mainehumanities.org