Lori Sherritt-Fleming

Readings

Having been trained as an actor, Lori’s presentations are lively, interactive and highly engaging. She specializes in large audiences and is equally adept at creating intimacy at smaller gatherings. Entertaining, energetic and educational are all descriptors audiences use in reference to her author visits. Her witty presentations are multi-modal incorporating aspects of visual art through the presentation of an original draw and tell story, music through songs she has written and recorded to enhance the text of picture books and dramatic extensions, where audience members are selected to act out some of the poetry from her book, aRHYTHMetic.

Students make meaning actively, and are exposed to many genres of writing throughout. Audiences are riveted by Lori’s accounts of where she finds inspiration for her stories and are challenged by her to connect personally to the literature they read. High praise has been given to Lori for the diversity of her repertoire, and how she actively models in the presentation how inspiration can be found in art, drama and music. Students are encouraged to apply their own spin on the genres that Lori explores and are given tools throughout to strengthen their abilities to ‘write their own world.’

Special Equipment:

For large audiences in gyms, I require a mike and a podium as well as a screen. I will bring my own projector, but require a small desk to set it on. Finally, I request a chart board stand with paper and markers. The show invites audience participation, one select student from Grade 4 or even better, a teacher would be great to incorporate. If one is not available, I can improvise by selecting one on the spot.

Book Sales:

Lori will bring copies of herbooks to the readings for students to purchase and have autographed.

Workshops

Workshops can be created and tailored to the needs and requests of individual schools. All are hands on and interactive. These are but a few in my repertoire.

Interpreting text through “Pinwheel Poetry”
(Grade 5 - High School)
Students use a familiar text as a basis for creating a type of choral poetry that explores character and point of view and allows participants to connect deeply with the plot while writing stunning, original pieces of their own.

Using Drama to Connect and Create Story
(Kindergarten - High School)
This type of workshop involves creating ‘a space on the floor’ and using improvisation for students to create their own original stories or to further connect with familiar ones by extending characters, settings and plot scenarios. All activities modelled are intended as springboards for writing original work as well as to be repeatable experiences for teachers to use in their practices.

Poetry in Motion
(Grade 3 - High School)
Students will learn about rhythm, rhyme, repetition and musicality to create their own poetic pieces.

Stories in Sand: Using Drawing as a Tool for Creating Plot
(Kindergarten - High School)
In groups, students will create their own Draw and Tell stories.

Playbuilding: Creating Retellings
(Grade 1 - High School)
Students will write and act their own retelling of a myth.

Book Sales:

Lori will bring copies of herbooks to the readings for students to purchase and have autographed.

Other Presentations

I offer inspiring and interactive keynotes and professional development sessions which model the powerful impact of arts integrated learning with reference to specific and numerous classroom successes. Each session gifts the participants with a treasure trove of easily applied, artful strategies that bring literature to life for all learners!

Multi modalities are explored encouraging readers to connect with literature of all forms: picture books, novels, short stories, poetry and plays. While sessions will be adapted to the specific needs of the audience, some examples of workshops are:

“Playbuilding: Constructing Meaning Through Drama”. This engaging workshop/keynote leads participants on an artful journey of literary meaning making using drama strategies. Leave with clear, active and accessible strategies as to how simple drama activities can inspire student connections to literature.

“A Hurricane on the Page…Non-Fiction Interpreted and Understood Artfully”. This highly creative session models how using original poetic interpretations of non-fiction texts can inspire student learning.

Biography

Lori’s wrote her first poem in senior kindergarten about ships that were sailing and she wondered why… Later, Lori wrote, produced, starred in and directed her first play, an adaptation of Snow White, as a surprise gift to her favourite grade 5 teacher, Mrs. Lato. Theatre and storytelling have always been a part of her make up, she has always had a penchant for hamming it up. As a child, she dreamed of owning and operating a touring theatre company or writing for and acting in a TV show like the Polka Dot Door.

After earning a degree in theatre and communications at Brock University, she went on to study at Ireland’s Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin. When she returned, she was determined to live her childhood dreams and she started The Tickle Trunk Players, children’s theatre company where she writes, produces and acts in plays with friend and co-writer Kari-Lynn Winters.

Lori has toured extensively as a storyteller sharing her love of literature and of writing. She has performed twice as the Vancouver International Children’s Festival and at hundreds of schools. She leads workshops for teachers and students that take an artistic approach to developing writing skills. She has been a speaker at the National Convention of Teachers of English for four years running as well as a workshop leader at the Royal Conservatory’s Learning Through the Arts conference in Banff three times. She was the keynote speaker at the Surrey Teachers Association Convention in 2009.

aRHYTHMetic is her first picture book and clearly illustrates Lori’s love for playing with words. She combines learning and fun in all of her publications and presentations.