From: MelvinJParis@webtv.net (Mel J.)
Date: Sat, 16 Aug 2003 11:43:08 -0400 (EDT)
Dear Mr. Shapiro (Phil),
I've been printing some of your stories for telling or reading to kids
in Pre-K to 5th Grade. I'm 72 and have been a volunteer story teller for
9 years in many of the public schools of Pinellas County, FL.. St.
Petersburg primarily. (last place Tampa Bay Devil Rays baseball and
Super Bowl football Champs-Buccaneers.)
I admire your stories and, of course, that's why I'm using them. Before
each story I show the kids your picture as a smiling, nice looking man
(former elementary school teacher) and as a handsome, probably very
bright 3rd grader. "This is who wrote this story for his own classes," I
say.
For the Braille story I've printed Louis Braille's picture, the Braille
Alphabet, and
various pictures of items where it's used
such as a Monopoly game, wrist watch, an ATM, etc., a Braille card, and
on/in our school elevator. For other stories I'm also supplementing them
with visual and auditory material as in the Morse Code story.
I'm a retired Speech-Language Pathologist with part time, free lance
work in the performing arts. radio announcing, TV voice-over, and the
teaching of public speaking.
Frankly, your stories have ignited a new, creative, story-telling,
teaching flame in me, which only serves to motivate children to acquire
stronger reading skills. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Mel J. Paris
Link to stories and nonfiction.