Monday, March 22, 2021

Virtual visit verdict

Well, a verdict, anyway: thumb’s up (whether the Zoom icon or your actual flesh-and-blood digit). 

In the shell-shocked early months of COVID-19, schools struggled simply to educate their students under difficult new conditions that felt sudden though epidemiologists (among others) knew such a situation was coming. 

Understandably for many schools, booking optional enrichment like author visits was not a priority—or, in some cases, a possibility. 

A year later, as the pandemic still rages, schools in general seem more open to the idea of piping in an author talk via the internet. (Granted, Skype author visits have existed almost as long as Skype has, but commonly as a backup, not the first choice.)

During COVID-19, I’ve had the privilege of speaking with students in a range of locales, from New Mexico to Hong Kong. While I am eager to return to in-person gatherings, I’ve found a lot to love about virtual visits and imagine they’ll remain a part of my portfolio past mass vaccination. 

Feedback on November presentations I gave for Michigan students in grades 1-6 (rescheduled as virtual after the virus torpedoed the originally planned in-person visit) helps explain why:

  • “Wonderful virtual presentation! Even from a distance, the author was able to connect and engage my class! Fantastic opportunity!”—teacher in New Buffalo, MI
  • “The opportunity to do something different was appreciated.”—teacher at F.C. Reed Middle School, Bridgman, MI
  • “The virtual author visit…was very cool. The students were excited to meet Marc Nobleman and were intrigued by his stories and how much time and effort went into creating his works. Definitely worth the time!”—Principal Patrick Zuccala, Three Oaks Elementary, Three Oaks, MI

Thanks again to the Tri-County Reading Council and a generous grant from the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians for making this experience a (virtual) reality.

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