Mr. Steele,
I just wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank you for your presentation at my son’s school last week. It really struck a chord with my son, and I’m so tickled to see that he absorbed so much from having listened to you speak.
Let me explain.
My son, Hunter, is a second grader at Williams Elementary in Katy, TX. He is a very bright boy, and interested in things beyond his years. Yet, he doesn’t enjoy reading. He never really has. He usually wants answers that even his teachers can’t give him, and we try to encourage him to find his answers by reading. His struggle is that his reading level is more on par with fiction and he isn’t interested in anything that seems “not real”. He wants answers. He wants the truth. But, non-fiction is too difficult for his reading abilities. He would rather just find a competent adult and learn by watching them and asking them a million questions. I try to read to him as much as I can, but it hasn’t seemed to help. I hate to see him so frustrated with his own reading ability. I know he’s a bright boy, and I encourage him constantly, but the struggle is still there.
Since your presentation, Hunter has a new sense of confidence. I have heard him repeat multiple times, “I CAN DO THAT”. He even encourages his little brother and reminds him of the 4 most powerful words!
We purchased “Night at the Museum: Night of the Dragons” and he is really enjoying it! He came home that night and read 10 pages, without us telling him he had to read. That’s HUGE for him! He is reading every night before bed and doesn’t put up a fuss. We’ll be purchasing the next in the series very soon! Please keep writing!
I wanted you to know just how powerful your presentation was. My son was just one of many kids there that night. He’s just one of the thousands of kids you’ve spoken to before. If no one has shared a similar story with you before, I’d be surprised. Thank you for the presentation. Thank you for the books. Thank you for inspiring my child!
Sincerely,
Tiffany Gwin
During this summer break, I thought I’d take the time to address a question I constantly receive during my school and library visits…
Okay, for those of you who’ve seen my show, you know that I include two clips of me on TV: one showing my Chihuahuas and me on an episode of Barney & Friends while the other has me playing a very small part on one of the episodes of Wishbone that I co-wrote.
Many kids ask where they can watch and/or buy these episodes. Well, to answer those questions … I just discovered that my “big” Barney scene is included on the DVD, Barney: Furry Friends.
Now, my Wishbone episode is not yet available for sale. But you can still watch it thanks to whoever posted it to Youtube!
I’ve embedded the entire episode below. The quality isn’t the best but you can check out my very brief scene in Part 3. Don’t blink or you might miss it!
Enjoy!
I was recently interviewed by Mark Ray, fellow freelance writer and author of the wonderful book: The Scoutmaster’s Other Handbook. He wrote an article about me in the current BSA Alumni newsletter: Alumni Alive!
You can check out the article on the BSA website or view an archived PDF version HERE.
If you’re involved in Scouting, I highly recommend buying a copy of Mark’s book. And if you’re NOT involved in Scouting, I can’t endorse a better organization for your child in terms of learning new skills, experiencing new adventures, and developing leadership skills that will last a lifetime!
For more information, or to find local packs and troops in your area, visit the Boy Scouts of America official website.
Clown Commandos Co-creator Scott McFadden and I met a lot of great people and got the word out about our kickin’ digital comic book app!
I even ran into actress and voice of Disney’s Pocahontas, Irene Bedard. I had worked with Irene back when I worked in Special Effects! I didn’t realize that she was going to be appearing so I went up to say hi when I spotted her. I asked her if she remembered one of the guys who had hung her in a special harness during the making of the mini-series, True Women. She did remember and even asked for a picture. Very cool!
Keep your eye on the ClownBlog this week for more details of our adventure at Austin Comic Con!