Left Adams Elementary in Norman Tuesday afternoon and drove 7 hours to get to Friendswood, Tx…down by Galveston. I have been going there every 2 or 3 years for a number of times. This time it was two years, so the 6th graders were already telling the 4th and 5th graders what fun we were going to have.
About 600 kids and was able to spend 3 days with them so we had nice managable groups with some time in between for me to work with special groups. I took 2,000 strings and after giving out one to each student, they sold the rest. Boy were the kids string crazy. It was amazing what I could teach since they have had this in their school culture for a while. Teachers enjoy having an activity for before school, lunch and after school. They do get a little frustrated with the ones that don’t know when to put them away.
Jay Stailey, the principal is a storyteller also and retireing this year. I will still see him at storytelling events. What a heart for kids he has. We visited and then I left on Thursday after school for the 7 hour drive home. Got home about 11 at night. Tired but a good tired from enjoying the kids so much.
Dave
Tuesday the 13th. This is where Maureen was last year when I was here. The new librarian, Toni Gay said that teachers and kids wanted me back…so there I was. They have about 700 kids so we had very big groups. Not my favorite but you do what you have to do.
Dave
Monday the 12th. What a great day with the 6th graders at Alcott. We did have a little mixup. We were at lunch at a local eatery and got a phone call that because of a play the lunches had been switched and a group was in the library waiting for us. So much for a quiet lunch. Bolted the food and made it back in time to give them almost their full time. Maureen Goldsberry was at another school and when she moved to this one, she wanted me.
Dave
May 8, 2008
To the Editor,
I just had two great days in Lawton. Over 900 Fourth graders from 19 Lawton area schools were bussed to the Professional Development Center. It is a rite of passage that when you are in 4th grade, you are old enough to come to the “String Man.” They really do look forward to it. Some of them have been studying the video so they will have a head start.
The Lawton Area Reading Council organized the programs which were held on May 7th and 8th. Each school helped by paying for the busses and some of the other costs. In some cases the children brought in money to help in the cost, in other cases the school paid the expenses. Each child received a colored nylon string and were taught some figures.
I give programs all over the United States and these were some of the best days that I have ever had. The students were polite, attentive and very focused. You could have heard a pin drop during the story and when they were concentrating on learning a new figure. They still had their natural excitement and were very reactive but appropriately so.
I was especially impressed with the teachers and librarians. They had to do extra paper work to set up the trip and take care of book orders for the children. They were very attentive and focused on the program. We all had a lot of fun. Lately, some of the teachers I run across sit in the back grading papers, writing and one the other day spent the time texting on her cell phone.
I was so proud of Lawton kids, teachers and librarians and want to thank them for the respect and attention they paid to me. I think I look forward to this time with the 4th graders as much as they look forward to it.
Sincerely,
David Titus
“The String Man”
Over 700 kids is almost too many to do in a day. It makes for very large groups to work with. They all had a good time and the teachers were most complimentary. The workshops were in the library and we did get everyone in. What a busy day. Cynthia Baim, the librarian was there last time I was there, about 6 years ago. She had things set up very well.
Dave
It was my third time in a row to be at their school. They look at it as a tradition to end up the year. Worked with PK through 8th grade and had a good time reminding the kids of some of the things they knew and teaching them some new ones.
Dave
Had a good day in spite of some trauma. Lesslie Roberts the librarian met me at the school. Almost immediately, she recieved work that her sister had passed away so she left to start making the plans she needed to make. The library clerk and I handled everything from there on out and it went fine.
John Lunn, the principal recognized me as being there his first year…8 years ago. He seems to be doing a great job and came in and learned some of the figures. We have decided I need to come back more often than every 8 years.
Dave
I haven’t been to Kirkland for about 10 years. The new librarian, Lesslie Roberts, had everything set up for me. I was in the library all day. She had these neat benches for the kids. Later she showed me that the backs fold up and they are also tables that can be put togther. All on wheels that can be folded up and moved around. Boy does that make a room flexible.
Wasn’t able to fit in the Kindergarden in the regular schedule but I had a few minutes to go to them and do a couple short stories and talk with the teacher about some activities for them. We also talked about the possibilities of “string buddies” for them from the older grades to teach them some more complicated things.
It was a beautiful day and we walked over to Schlotskys for a sandwich. It was nice to get out in the 85 degree weather. Spring is short in Oklahoma and it gets right into summer. Went back to the school for the first and second graders
I am back in the area tomorrow but got rid of most of the books I had with me so I drove home. Stopped by the office but Lynna was home with a sick dog and Randy went home sick. Visited with Gene, Randy’s dad and drove home.
Watered a bit then started supper. I had picked two red roses in the yard and was sitting at the table with a glass of wine signing books and looking at the roses. Can life get any better than this. Fun with kids during the day, listening to NPR on the way home and relaxing for the evening. WOW! God is so gracious.
Dave