Programs for Parents

PROGRAMS

Plan an author visit with Maryann Cusimano Love for your library, book club, conference or event.  Dr. Maryann Cusimano Love is an award winning international educator and author. A winner of Harvard University’s Pew Faculty Fellowship for teaching, and Catholic University’s Teacher of the Year Award.  She is an effective presenter who favors participatory techniques. Maryann has a proven track record as a writer, communicator, and expert, giving addresses to institutions such as the United Nations, the Vatican, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Brookings Institution, Notre Dame University, Georgetown University, University of Milan, University of Ireland at Galway and the Conferences of Latin American, Canadian, and U.S. Bishops.  Additionally, Dr. Love has done numerous interviews for ABC World News Tonight, CNN, CNN International, NPR affiliates, and other media outlets. Children’s book author appearances include the National Institutes of Health Children’s Inn, Georgetown’s Holy Trinity School, Kutztown University Children’s Literature Conference, George Mason University’s Fall for Books Festival, and the Audubon School in Williamsville, NY. She teaches groups as diverse as grade school assemblies to military officers at the Pentagon. Maryann is outgoing and down-to-earth, and can make the program topics clear and concrete to the novice. She has been working with children since she was a teen–as a clown, story-teller, singer, puppeteer, and caregiver, and those skills keep her presentations moving at an upbeat tempo.

  • Around the World: Children’s books are a global business. How might this change the world?
  • How to Write Children’s Books. What does it take to write and publish your children’s book?
  • Reading Together: Strategies for adults and children to read together and love it!
  • Writing Together: Tips and projects for encouraging writing together.

FEES, LOCATION, TECHNOLOGY

Honorarium and fees are negotiable based on the length of the appearance, the distance, and the number of presentations given in a day. Organizations without a designated events or author appearances budget often are able to host such events via successful prior fund raising. Discounts are given to Maryland schools and libraries, and to groups that arrange for advance sales of Maryann’s books. Send an e-mail to Maryann to learn more.

Maryann lives in Maryland, and can access schools in the Washington, Baltimore, and Annapolis metro areas easily. Travel is generally easy to Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and parts of New York. Travel outside Washington, D.C. requires mileage and meal reimbursement; train or airfare and hotel accommodations may also be needed. Low tech presentations are possible to small groups. Larger assemblies require microphones, and either PowerPoint projection (preferred) or overhead transparency projection (can accommodate), with a designated tech person from your organization to facilitate.

RESOURCES

Parent Programs vary in length and size, from small writing workshop to large assembly, but all focus on the importance of reading and writing, and the process of reading and writing.

Reading Together This workshop for parents and children focuses on the emotional and educational value of reading together. Reading together costs nothing, but is a priceless gift we can give each other. How can reading together fit into a world dominated by films, television, computer and video games with high tech graphics and special effects? Reading provides quality together time, check-in time, and a quiet space where bonds to each other and to learning can grow. The benefits go both ways. Children enjoy undivided parental attention, learn, and improve reading, attention, and retention skills. Parents enjoy some quiet time, learn about their children’s evolving personalities, and get a chance to create memories which will last a lifetime. The benefits of reading together, the obstacles to creating quality together time, and strategies for reading together, including reading on the run, are discussed. The workshop also stresses the importance of children reading to parents. My recent books, You Are My I Love You and You Are My Miracle, and other good read-together books are discussed. Reading is not just the teacher’s job. We are all teachers. Reading is an opportunity for enjoyment and enrichment for us all. Especially appropriate for literacy programs.

Writing Together. This workshop for parents and children focuses on the emotional and educational value of writing together. Writing family memories from adult and child points of view. Writing and sharing family history and the family tree. Writing through family problems and growing pains. Joint diaries. Good writing together books and resources are discussed.