| There
is always something "new" happening at FableVision! Our
What’s New page now features a web version
of FableVision’s FableFlash – our monthly
e-newsletter. Read about the latest happenings in our company,
on our website and with the FableVision team in general.
For
email updates, or to subscribe to our FableFlyer, our semi-annual
“snail mail” newsletter, simply sign our Guestbook.
To receive the most current news, check out the Flashes
below, and sign up to receive the FableFlash here! |
|
 |
|
|
 |
 |
| April
2007 |
FableVision's
FableFlash |
| |
|
|
 |
A
FableFlash Message from Paul Reynolds |
|
|
|
|
Introducing
. . . The Constructivist Consortium 
We're happy to announce that FableVision is a founding member
of an exciting new organization called the Constructivist
Consortium. Unfortunately, the educational landscape is
crowded with heavily-hyped products that don't actually empower
or inspire students to fall in love with learning. In fact,
all too often, kids tune out altogether and then are truly
"left behind." We firmly believe that a constructivist use
of software and hardware will promote more intellectually
and creatively challenged students who are better prepared
for the demands of the 21st Century.
The Constructivist Consortium members include Tech4Learning,
SchoolKiT, LCSI, Generation YES & FableVision. Together
we promote learner-centric approaches where knowledge is
the natural and joyful byproduct of socially constructed
experiences. The Consortium's products and shared philosophy
puts the student at center of the learning process. We don't
drill content in - but instead invite students to learn
by constructing personally meaningful projects. We serve
creative, intuitive and progressive educators looking asking
for constructivist tools to meet the needs of their students.
Our mission is to give voice to those extraordinary educators
and shine the spotlight on their efforts that are producing
results.
Special thanks to Dr. Gary Stager, Executive Director
of the Constructivist Consortium, whose tireless contributions
shaped and spearheaded this important venture. Check out
the website www.constructivistconsortium.org
for information on our pre-NECC Constructivist Celebration
and stay tuned. We'll be making a lot of noise on the education
and policy landscape in the coming months and years!
All best,
Paul
P.S. FREE eCARD! Peter's new book SOMEDAY,
which he illustrated and Alison McGhee wrote, has
been on the New York Times Best Selling Children's Book
List for over a month now (back at #3 this week!) To
celebrate, we've created a free SOMEDAY eCard especially
for Mother's Day!
|
|
Make
Perfect Projects & Story Starters For Spring |
|
|
|
|
Stationery
Studio Spring Add-Ons Now Available! 
FableVision has just released the all-new Stationery Studio
Spring Add-On Pack of expanded holiday and seasonal themes!
The Spring pack includes associated activities by the award-winning
Dr. Peggy Healy Stearns, featuring designs by Peter
H. Reynolds and the artists at FableVision. The new artwork
themes tie in with K-5 writing for social studies and language
arts, and come in a multitude of formats. The Spring designs
include the themes most requested by Stationery Studio fans
- including Mother's Day, Graduation, Memorial Day, Cinco
DeMayo and a whole lot more!
Expand your Stationery
Studio library from 226 to 306 designs & borders by
purchasing the Fall & Spring discounted bundle! For
those who have already purchased the Fall Add-On Pack, check
out the offer below!
|
|
April
is National Autism Awareness Month |
|
|
|
|
FableVision
Movie for SARRC Program Encourages Empathy/Compassion
Our friends at the Southwest Autism Research & Resource
Center (SARRC)
in Phoenix, AZ, approached the FableVision team to create
a movie called "I'm Here". The moving animated
short was scored by the cosmically talented, Grammy-listed
Ruth Mendelsohn. Autistic kids have special gifts to
share and lessons for us to learn, and SARRC's F.R.I.E.N.D.
program helps typical kids understand these benefits of mentoring
austistic/ASD kids. For more information on this important
program, visit
www.autismcenter.org, or learn more about autism at
www.autismspeaks.org.
FableVision's BrainCogs
software , developed by ResearchILD, has also
become recognized as a valuable resource for individuals
affected by or living with aspergers or autism. According
to Dr. Martha Burns, a speech and language pathologist
internationally recognized for her expertise in the area
of neuropsychology, "BrainCogs is the only software program
that specifically targets executive function skills necessary
for learning." Essay
Express, the companion program, has also been proven
to be effective with students challenged in the area of
executive functioning.
|
|
Creating
Personal Stories through Collage Art |
|
|
|
|
Educator
In India uses Themes from 'The Dot' for Pilot Program
Shalini Pattabiraman in Delhi teaches children and
trains teachers and parents in the use of speech and drama
as a medium to explore learning, with a focus on exploring
new learning initiatives. Shalini recently worked on a pilot
program that the Foundation for Indian Contemporary Art (FICA)
launched to advance interest and awareness in the field of
art amongst children. The concept revolved around introducing
collage art using Peter H. Reynolds' story The
Dot to explore imagination through a world of images,
shapes, ideas and personal stories. Read more on the collaboration
with NGO
Love and Care's children aged 6 to 9 and their experiences
with Shalini's approach.
|
|
Empowering
Learners: The Constructivist Celebration |
|
|
|
|
Special
Inaugural All-Day Workshop Event at NECC in Atlanta 
On the fence about going to the National
Educators Computing Conference? Here's a reason to
book your ticket! Join the Constructivist
Consortium team at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens on
June 24th for an all- day workshop with activities that include
claymation, video game design, digital photography, problem
solving, simulation building, animation and much more! All-star
faculty includes Peter H. Reynolds, David Wagner, Melinda
Kolk, Susan Einhorn, Dennis Harper, Sylvia Martinez, Adam
Smith and Gary Stager. This workshop and the hands-on activities
are appropriate for PreK-12 teachers, technology coordinators
and teacher educators. For more information navigate to www
.constructivistconsortium.org.
|
|
Peter
H. Reynolds and FableVision Featured on 'Read TV' |
|
|
|
|
Boston-Based
Outreach Organization Promotes Literacy
Theresa Lynn and her crew interviewed Peter H. Reynolds for
the Read TV program, part of Read Boston which features
local authors and illustrators and is broadcast several times
over Boston Cable TV. The goal of Read Boston is have every
child in Boston reading on grade level by the end of third
grade. Read Boston provides books to children who ordinarily
might not otherwise read at home, and trains teachers, parents,
and volunteers in effective approaches to the teaching of
literacy to children. FableVision's own efforts for promoting
reading, writing, and vocabulary include Stationery
Studio (K-5), BrainCo
gs (4-8), Essay
Express (4-8) and Get
A Clue (6-12).
|
|
New
York City Superintendent Follows Her North Star |
|
|
|
|
Sharing
Important Messages for District Principals 
Dr. Dorita Gibson likes to start out her principals
conference by reading a book that she connects with -- that
reflects a common thread in her district's challenges and
achievements, or a story that just plain inspires her team.
Last summer FableVision got a call from our educator friends
in Region 7 (majority of Brooklyn and Staten Island)
that Dr. Gibson wanted to use The
North Star book as a guiding message to her principals.
Working together, each attendee received their own Peter H.
Reynolds autographed and personalized copy of the book. Since
then, Dr. Gibson (photo - left) and Dr. Laura Feijoo
(right) have discovered and shared Peter's other books with
colleagues, including So
Few of Me, The
Dot, and
Ish - each with their own universal messages, from being
overscheduled to not being afraid to 'Make Your Mark'.
|
|
FableVision
At-a-Glance Calendar of Events |
|
|
|
|
9th
Annual North Star Children's Ramble Kids Race 
For those of you in the Boston area, grab your sneakers and
run on down to the 24th
Annual James Joyce Ramble (adult 10k race) and
North Star Children's Ramble (age 4-12 race) in Dedham
MA on Sunday, April 29th. FableVision, Dedham Youth Commission, and The
Blue Bunny sponsor the annual children's race which
is in its' 9th year. Grand Marshal Peter H. Reynolds will
be on hand, as well as poetry and coloring contests. Each
registered runner at the North Star Children's Ramble receives
a goodie bag complete with a book inside courtesy of Simon
& Schuster, Charlesbridge,
Candlewick
Press, Penguin
Putnam, and more! For more details, visit
www.fablevision.com/northstar/ramble.
Here's what the FableVision team is up to in the coming
weeks . . .
April 29 - The Ninth Annual
North Star Children's Ramble Race in Dedham, MA.
Peter H. Reynolds will serve as the Grand Marshal. 8:30
am to 10:30 am.
May 3 - Massachusetts Elementary School Principals'
Association(MESPA)
Annual Conference, Hyannis, MA. Meet FableVision's Carol
Donahue, and check out our products at Booth 21.
May 4-5 - Reach
Out and Read National Conference: Pediatrics and Early Literacy
~ Toronto, Canada Peter H. Reynolds will keynote
at Reach Out and Read, which is a national non-profit organization
that promotes early literacy by giving new books to children
and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud
in pediatric exam rooms across the nation.
May 9 - Raising Rockport Readers, Rockport,
MA. Peter H. Reynolds will make a presentation to the Rockport
Library and School Community to raise reading awareness
and celebrate Literacy Week.
|
|
|
|
.
|
| |
 |
| FableFlash
Editorial Group
phone: 617-956-5700, x5701
|
|
|
|
Archives
Click the links
below to read past issues.
What's
New
Main Page
April
2007
March
2007
February
2007
December
2006
October
2006
September
2006
August
2006
July
2006
June
2006
May
2006
April
2006
March
2006
February
2006
January
2006
And
earlier... |
Continue
to explore our site
|
 |
