Statewide project
Attendees will be able to identify at least one new idea or concept learned [knowledge] or have a richer cultural life [attitude]. Attendees are asked “If it was an educational program, please identify one thing you learned at this program” and “If it was an entertainment program, was your life enriched because of the program? If so, how?”
The major statewide project in FY15 was Once Upon a Reader, an early literacy program for children which featured the book “Moo” by David LaRochelle with illustrations by Mike Wohnoutka. Overwhelmingly, this program was well-received. The program had many components at GRRL; active storytime programs and passive programming that families with young children could do while visiting the library, as well as four Trunk Shows featuring the author and illustrator, who are both Minnesotan. A statewide component was getting a copy of the selected book to each child in Head Start, and GRRL made an effort to have library staff visit many Head Start classrooms. GRRL collected feedback from these classroom visits.
A sample of this feedback:
-Kids very thrilled that I was going to read "Moo" because they had this book at home. They of course joined in with lots of mooing!
-Kids participated well with all of the activities (songs, rhymes, making puppets for a song)
-Teacher and kids really liked making the animal and vehicle puppets as an activity after storytime
-A little girl asked if she could hug me when I finished the last story.
-Teacher and children very appreciative for me coming
Children really enjoyed this program. They appreciated the variety of stories and the crafts included. Teachers thought that the length of the story and craft times were just about perfect. They would love to do any similar programs if we offer them again. Everyone was excited and enthused.
Children were very excited and wanted me back to read more stories. I brought along a cow puppet and most of the children wanted to touch it. Several of these children lived on a farm or had grandparents or family members who farmed. They were familiar with cows, which made the storytime more personal to them. They really got into reading "Moo" with me.
Feedback for the Trunk Shows with the author and illustrator was also very positive. The Once Upon a Reader organizers created a specific feedback form for these events. This included a place for adults to rate the program using this scale: strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree, no opinion for the following responses:
The children enjoyed the program.
I learned new ideas about how to read with young children.
I had fun.
It was an enjoyable way to spend quality time with children.
The Moo! Traveling Trunk Show met my expectations.
I would attend another program like this in the future.
All of GRRL’s ratings were “strongly agree” or “agree,” with no Trunk Show responses saying they disagreed or had no opinion.
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