JoAnn Early Macken

I am passionate about poetry, and I love to help students experience wonderful poetry and write their own poems! My poetry presentations evolved from my work in the M.F.A. in Writing for Children and Young Adults Program at Vermont College of Fine Arts.

Over the past fifteen years, I've taught thousands of students of all ages--from kindergarten through graduate school--and I've taught teachers, too! I received the Barbara Juster Esbensen 2000 Poetry Teaching Award for my work with a third grade class.

I've kept my daily fee low to make visits affordable, and now I'm offering both in-person visits and virtual visits via Skype.

To plan a virtual or in-person visit, choose one or more topics from the Presentations list below. To schedule a visit or to discuss additional topics or scheduling options, e-mail me through the "SEND A MESSAGE" link on the left side of any page.

My in-person rate is still $500/​day for up to three presentations plus mileage or travel expenses and accommodations if needed.

Virtual visits are half that rate at $250 for three Skype presentations (or $100 for one presentation) with no travel expenses or accommodations required.

To schedule a visit or discuss topic options, e-mail me through the "SEND A MESSAGE" link at the bottom right of any page on this site.

This presentation is suitable for all ages, including students, families, teachers, and community groups. It lasts about 30-45 minutes. I talk about the inspiration for each of my books, my writing process, poetry, and publishing. Participants are invited to ask questions.

This interactive discussion is suitable for small or large groups, grade 3 and up. It lasts about 45 minutes. Participants discuss the following topics:

• Form: how a poem differs from a story
• Patterns: what rhythm, rhyme, and repetition contribute to a poem
• Language: the kinds of exciting words poets use
• Imagery: how poets use all their senses to create word pictures
• Ideas: how a poet starts writing a poem

The presentation includes examples of wonderful poems (many written by students in my poetry workshops), opportunities for students to contribute their own creative ideas, and time for questions and answers.

This popular writing workshop lasts from 90 minutes to two hours. It is intended for a class-sized group, third grade and up. Each participant writes a draft of a poem in five logical steps:

• Finding a good idea
• Adding imagery
• Using exciting words
• Patterns in poetry
• Breaking the lines

The presentation includes examples of wonderful poems, many written by students in previous workshops, and includes time for writing and questions.

For the youngest students, I am happy to read one or several of my picture books and answer questions. I can speak to older students about revising, writing nonfiction, writing biographies, and bringing writing to life by using details from the writer's experience. For more ideas, write to me!

Most publishers offer significant discounts to schools for ordering books in conjunction with author visits. Schools can then either resell the books at a discount or sell the books at the cover price and use the income to help fund an author visit. For information about ordering my books for school visits, see the following web sites:

First presented at the International Reading Association 54th Annual Convention, this 2-hour workshop gives teachers the tools to help students write their own poems.

Each participant writes a draft of a poem using the simple, logical method I teach in my workshops. Then teachers learn how to help their students write their own poetry using the step-by-step method and other resources.

Participants receive specific instructions for revising first drafts and suggestions for encouraging students and evaluating their work. They also learn how to customize a presentation for their own students that includes age-appropriate and subject-relevant examples of wonderful poems.

Contact me for more ideas!