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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! |
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| July
2007 |
FableVision's
FableFlash |
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A
FableFlash Message from Peter H. Reynolds |
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Greetings
from FableVision! 
Dear FableVision Friend,
Amazing things are happening... here at FableVision (our new
home in the Boston Children's Museum building, our
new Portland, Oregon Studio, all our new FableVisionaries
joining the team) - and on the educational landscape. Suddenly
after years of test-centric scorching of the "learning fields"
- creativity seems to be blooming in public schools. At this
year's NECC (National Educational Computing Conference)
in Atlanta - the words "creativity" and "innovation" were
everywhere. ISTE
had just announced that these were the new "standards"
and at our sold-out Constructivist
Consortium we all had that feeling that things were
changing. The decade ahead, we believe, will be full of wonderful,
creative, and inspirational years. It requires that we all
actively bring our own creativity into the classroom. Students
need to see YOU making things, painting drawing, creating
films, sharing books you are reading, writing to express who
you are and what you are dreaming of -- and to see you using
humor, color, music and surprises to engage. As you know,
FableVision has stuck to the "creativity mission" for a tough
decade, so we're thrilled - and relieved -- to see the pendulum
beginning to swing. Maybe this time it doesn't have to swing
back?
Onward!
Peter
Peter H. Reynolds, CEO/Founder
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Stationery
Studio Writing Contest Winners Announced |
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Winning
Stories Come to Life with Animation by FableVision
After receiving nearly 400 entries from around the country,
FableVision is pleased to announce the final results of the
Stationery Studio Writing Contest. We proudly congratulate
the winners and their teachers, and applaud all the writers
who entered. The judging panel comprised of Citizen Schools,
Jumpstart, and FableVision employees. We found it very challenging
choosing the winners as the entries were truly inspiring,
creative, or moving. We encourage you to keep on writing,
and keep sharing your stories with others. You can also read
a newspaper article in the San
Diego Tribune written about one of the winners. Congratulations!
We invite you to
read and view the animations created by FableVision
for the first place winners.
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'The
Dot' Kicks Off Summer Storymobile Event |
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Peter
H. Reynolds teams up with Mayor Menino for ReadBoston
While Boston Mayor Thomas Menino read Peter's book
The Dot aloud, Peter drew and animated his story to
the hundreds of school children gathered in the Boston
Common's Tadpole Pond on June 22nd for ReadBoston's
Storymobile kickoff event. Participants were sporting
the new Storymobile T-shirts that Peter designed for the event,
and each child was presented with a copy of The Dot to enjoy
at home, compliments of Staples. For the past decade, ReadBoston,
founded by Mayor Menino and his wife Angela, has been
working to ensure all children in Boston are reading at grade
level by the end of third grade. For more information on ReadBoston
and the Staples Literacy Program, see www.readboston.org/.
FableVision is excited to see the ReadBoston program flourish.
FableVision's mission is to support reading and creativity
in all the ways we learn. Our products, such as Stationery
Studio, help children with the handwriting and keyboarding
of their blossoming story ideas. As they grow and expand
their vocabulary, students can use Get
A Clue to learn the stories BEHIND the words, and Essay
Express to write coherently on different areas of their
curriculum. We hope all these primary level readers from
the Storymobile event will soon be writing and sharing their
own stories!
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How
Making a Balloon Dog Can Change Your Life... |
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Film
Festival Circuit Welcomes FableVision's Naomi Greenfield
FableVision's own Creative Producer Naomi Greenfield
has had a busy few months both inside and outside the studio.
Her first feature film, TWISTED:
A Balloonamentary, made its World Premiere in
March at the prestigious South by Southwest Film Festival
in Austin, TX where it screened to sold out audiences! The
feature length documentary explores how eight people's lives
were dramatically changed when they became balloon twisters.
The film was co-produced with Naomi's documentary production
partner Sara Taksler, and since Austin, the film has
screened at five other festivals in California, Michigan,
Rhode Island, New Jersey and Boston. Many FableVisionaries
were in attendance at the film's screening at the Independent
Film Festival of Boston, where Sara and Naomi received the
award for Best Marketing for covering Beantown with lifesize
balloon sculptures. The website, movie poster and marketing
materials were designed by fellow FableVisionaries Loren
Lee and Renee Kurilla.
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One
Size Fits Few: A Look at Individualized Learning |
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Milken
Educator Wade Whitehead Featured Expert on PBS Teachers Blog
Throughout the month of July, educators will have the opportunity
to exchange thoughts about differentiated instruction with
FableVision Ambassador and Milken Educator Wade Whitehead,
this month's guest blogger on PBS Teachers' Media Infusion
Blog. Titled "One Size Fits Few: A Look at Individualized
Learning," the blog (www.pbs.org/teachers/mediainfusion)
will include ideas and multimedia resources that address
instructional challenges facing every classroom teacher.
PBS
Teachers (www.pbs.org/teachers) is a new Web site offering
multimedia resources and professional development for preK-12
educators. The monthly "Media Infusion" blog, hosted by
guest experts, showcases ideas for and encourages conversations
about using media and technology in the classroom. Wade
uses FableVision's The North Star Approach (based
on The
North Star book) in his work both on and off the computer,
and has been a tireless advocate in spreading the message
far and wide.
Wade will be joining Bill Norris and Peter H.
Reynolds on the FableVision tour in Nebraska
this summer for an English Language Learners Teachers
and Paraprofessionals Mini-Conference. Peter's opening
remarks will focus on tapping into creativity using technology.
The day will continue on with a variety of activities that
focus on The North Star Approach and will center
around three themes: imagination, discovery and sharing.
For more info on how to bring this type of event to your
organization, contact Bill Norris, bill@fablevision.com.
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Don't
Follow Me... I'm Following My North Star |
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New
Limited Edition Inspirational North Star T-Shirt from FableVision
available now 
Follow your dreams - follow your North Star! And now you can
share the journey with others. Simply give the funky black
North Star t-shirt to a friend and create a new lifelong learner!
Designed by the author and illustrator, Peter H. Reynolds.
Read the book that started it all at www.fablevision.com/northstar.
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We've
Only Just Begun! |
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Inaugural
Constructivist Celebration a Success! 
The day before the NECC conference started, people
gathered at the idyllic Botanical Gardens in Atlanta
for the first 'Constructivist Celebration', an all-day
mini-conference celebrating the constructivist approach in
education. The event, one of the first from the Constructivist
Consortium, was sold out with over 100 enthusiastic attendees
- who shared the excitement of finally being connected with
other like-minded educators who are dedicated to a more creative,
authentic, learner-centered approach to education.
The day was dedicated to Dr. Seymour Papert, one of
the pioneers of constructivism who is now recovering from
a serious head injury he received while traveling in Vietnam.
While Dr.
Gary Stager, Executive Director of the Constructivist
Consortium, and FableVision CEO Peter H. Reynolds keynoted
the session, most of the day was left to the participants
to try new ideas and think about ways to add, even in small
ways, project based learning where the students can be in
charge of the learning process. The six founding members of
the Constructivist Consortium (FableVision, Inspiration,
School KiT, Tech4Learning, GenYES and LCSI) were
all on hand providing important hands-on tools and "learning
adventures" for the day.
FableVision's activities used stories and other materials
to help participants remember to be brave themselves as
they try new things, to remember the fear of failure which
stifles our students, and to map their own constellation
for learning with FableVision's North
Star Inspiration for the Classroom. By the end of the
day, North Star constellations were mapped on the walls.
Peter H. Reynolds encouraged attendees to release their
creativity as they watercolored alone or in groups. Dr.
Peggy Healy Stearns was on hand to help with using Stationery
Studio to write inspiring stories, and Bob
Barboza and Lauren Elliot (PNN
- Personal News) shared ways to create your own radio
programs with Kids Talk Radio, the kit that uses software
such as BrainCogs and EssayExpress (to name a few) as support
strategies for successful journalism or even stardom!
The buzz on the Constructivist Celebration and the Consortium
continues in e-space with people blogging about the experience
- read one blog entry here.
Stay tuned for more events coming soon!
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The
North Star Light Shines On |
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North
Star Musical Kicks Off 3 Day National Conference 
We started the opening day of the NECC conference in Atlanta
with a stellar public performance of FableVision's The
North Star: A Musical Journey, featuring local children
from the High Point Elementary School. As Peter Reynolds
reminded the audience, "Before we get lost in the chaos of
the conference - let's remember that our kids are our mission
- and helping them follow their dreams."
Special thanks to the students themselves, plus our dear friend
Guidance Counselor Jan Waring and Music Educator Stephen
Gamba for bringing the production to life. We are also
proud of the ISTE team who runs the conference, especially
Donella Evoniuk and Nancy Hawthorne for making
the musical an official part of the NECC experience. We hope
to make this an annual event!
Read more about the musical performance at NECC (and see
a photo of Peter and the kids) on the Fulton Schools
website article at www.fultonschools.org.
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Reynolds
Delivers Commencements, Receives L.H.D. |
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Encourages
Graduates to Be Brave Enough to Follow Their Dreams 
Peter H. Reynolds made a trip in the way-back machine
to his alma mater of Fitchburg State College (FSC)
to deliver the commencement address and to receive an honorary
doctor of humane letters degree (pictured here with FSC President
Bob Antonucci). Peter presented the address to graduates of
Fitchburg State College's 111th commencement ceremony on May
19th, and was awarded the title Litterarum Humanarum Doctor
(L.H.D) because of his substantial contributions to education
and the arts. Since graduating from FSC with a bachelor's
degree in communications media in 1983, Peter received a Distinguished
Alumni Award in 1999 from the college.
As a vocal advocate of public schools and the state education
system, Peter spoke to over two thousand Fitchburg State
graduates, family, friends and members of the college community.
He also spoke at the annual Chelmsford High School commencement,
his first alma mater. His wish for every graduate is to
"make your mark and see where it takes you."
Peter also studied at Massachusetts College of Art
where he was honored this spring with a huge banner
showcasing him as a distinguished alum. Mass Art is another
example of the best in the state educational system - and
we're cheering them on too!
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FableVision
At-a-Glance Calendar of Events |
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News
From The Road: Celebrating Our Ambassadors 
We had a wonderful time at NECC this year in Atlanta and were
so glad to see and meet many friends there. We were extremely
lucky to have some of our FableVision Ambassadors on hand
to help out this year. Major kudos go out to the Ambassadors,
they share from firsthand experience how Peter H. Reynolds'
stories and FableVision's products help children discover
their full potential in creative ways.
Uber-thanks to Stationery Studio's Designer Dr.
Peggy Healy Stearns, and Ambassadors Terry Shay
(Man of the Year), Agnes Zaorski, Cristine Goldberg,
Bob Barboza, Lauren Elliot, Shelley Paul, and Norma
Dodson who helped out in the FableVision booth and presented
both riveting and fun sessions (including singing the Kids
Talk Radio song). Those of you out there who are interested
in telling folks how YOU use our products for professional
development or with students, please let us know by contacting
Bill Norris, The Dot Connector via email Bill@fablevision.com
Here's what the FableVision team is up to in the coming
weeks . . .
July 19 ECPC Creative Journey in Kearney,
NE - Peter H. Reynolds, Wade Whitehead and Bill Norris will
provide the culminating activity for those who have trained
to serve English Language Learners over the past five years.
8am - 4pm
July 27 Community of Caring Conference, Las
Vegas, NV - Peter H. Reynolds will keynote at this character
education conference.
Sept. 15 Boston Globe Bookfest, Peter H. Reynolds
featured author on the Target Big Stage.
Sept. 18, 19 Florida School for the Deaf and for
the Blind, St. Augustine, Florida. Peter H. Reynolds
Author Visit.
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