Fourth grade students at Roseau Elementary will have the opportunity to write
with Stephen Peters the week of April 15 – 19. Each section of fourth graders will
write with Mr. Peters for one hour each day of the week.
Mr. Peters shares this about himself. “My residencies aim to foster a love of
reading and writing. They inspire, energize, and encourage students to begin
thinking of themselves as writers—and as readers who think like writers! My joy
in working with children is contagious; the children and I seem to hit it off quickly
in the fun, high-energy workshops I’ve offered for over 20 years. My work has
appeared in many publications. I am author of Pennsylvania, a non-fiction book
for 5th graders, and Kerfuffle!, a collection of cartoons and poems. My
residencies provide the structure within which creativity thrives and takes shape.
Using storytelling and cartooning, I show students how to add vivid sensory
details to their stories and how to understand story structure. Each student then
creates an original character with a problem. The character is placed in a conflict
scene and challenged by a variety of antagonists. The character has to try to
solve the problem and learn and grow through the struggle. This model is
adjusted for each grade and class personality. I stress the writing process from
inspiration to final product—and I make an emphatic case for reading, rewriting,
and learning the rules of grammar, spelling and punctuation.”
Stephen Peters has come to share his talents with the fourth graders at Roseau
Elementary for many years. We look forward to this fun, educational experience.
The residency is arranged with COMPAS. COMPAS programs are made possible
in part by a grant provided by the Minnesota State Arts Board, through an
appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature. This activity is made possible
by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Northwest Minnesota Arts
Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage
fund.
