Audience Comments - JOAN MARIE GALAT

SIS Canada, a British Columbia offshore school located in South Korea was fortunate to welcome Ms. Galat to present to our students during our annual summer camp. A great time was had by all as Ms. Galat taught our students about the constellations and shared many of her wonderful books. What a terrific experience it was for our students to get to meet and interact with a real Canadian author. Ms. Galat is a warm, friendly, and knowledgeable, so if you have the chance to welcome her to your school, go for it!
Marc Daneault, Principal, SIS Canada, Sokcho, South Korea

Joan, thank you so much for fabulous sessions filled with science, stories and helpful tips for keen young authors! Your passion for reading, writing and learning is contagious. The students also enjoyed discovering some of your special talents and hobbies…all inspired by reading!”
Lori Thomas, Teacher/Librarian, West Vancouver, British Columbia

The Alberta grade 6 sky science unit was greatly enhanced by an online visit with Joan Galat. The class was engaged and enthusiastic for the entire 45 minute presentation/conversation. Joan told some great stories, gave us some wonderful astronomy tips, and answered some great questions that she herself had inspired. Teacher’s comment: “The visit with Joan Galat was time well spent to further enrich the students’ curiosity, engagement, and knowledge. We are grateful to have had such an opportunity.”
Cindy Kilpatrick, Library Manager, Swan Hills School, Alberta

If I had heard your presentation when I was in school, I would have liked science.
Darlene Hofer, Librarian, Fort Macleod Public Library

Great to hear from a non-fiction author!! Engaging, interesting and entertaining. Very captivating speaker, and made fun with music, juggling, and pictures. Joan Marie Galat kept the kids and adults spellbound with her stories. We do not have many author visits from non-fiction authors. It was refreshing and fits in with our hope to help our kids read and understand more non-fiction. Engaging kids in non-fiction text is a school goal of ours. Also good to get writing tips from an author.
Bev Olsen, Stavely Municipal Library

The literary presentation by Joan Marie Galat at Saipoyi Community School was amazing. Our students learned so much. The upper elementary grade students were most fascinated and they asked many questions. We appreciate Joan’s wonderful presentation. Students were inspired!!
Sharon Tailfeathers, Librarian, Saipoyi Community School, Alberta

Having Joan travel to our schools in Cambridge Bay and Kugluktuk during TD Canada Book Week was a real treat. Her practical approach to science helped our students understand the physics behind the phenomena of the northern lights. Her writing workshops helped inspire our students’ ideas. We were all impressed by the level of writing our students completed while working with Joan. She even gave our teachers a few ideas for new writing activities!
Shawna Thomson, Language Arts Consultant, Kugluktuk, Nunavut

Joan does a great job explaining the mysteries of the night sky! The children were captivated as they walked into the room to find Joan spinning poi balls and performing a Polynesian art form. Joan was warm and friendly, and offered students an interactive reading including props, visuals, and sound. At one point, Joan invited children to volunteer, acting as the Sun, Earth, northern lights, and solar wind. Joan will have your students wanting to know more about the stories surrounding each constellation!
Nancy Edgar, MA, MLIS, Head of Children’s Services /Chef des services pour enfants, Fredericton Public Library

Joan was an awesome presenter; her enthusiasm is contagious. Joan is a great speaker that taught me a lot about astronomy during her presentation. I appreciated learning about the stars, planets, and constellations. Joan made the factual information interesting and fun, and provided activities to send away with the participants. Joan is a fun presenter who educated us while we were having fun. We would love for Joan to come and visit us again! Joan you rocked!
Christina Petrisor MLIS, Head Librarian, Mary C. Moore Public Library, Lacombe

Joan’s presentation brings the universe down to Earth in a way that kids (and adults) can understand. Her books are informative, colorful, exciting and fun – just like Joan.
Monique Roy, Children’s Librarian, Greater Sudbury Public Library

Many of our communities in Northern Alberta are small rural settings and when an author is brought in every student in the school attends. Joan frequently presented to a mixed age-range simultaneously. At one school, 80 students from K-6 were hosted together, and in the case of the home educators association, 35 grade 1-9 students were in the same group. She managed both opportunities effectively, spreading her attention and interaction across the audience.

One public library invited two schools that together packed in 75 grade six students. Joan kept their rapt attention for the hour. Joan also presented well to the younger audiences of K-4, and one young student commented afterwards, “That was a good one.” A librarian made this unsolicited, glowing remark, “I had the most favourable response that I have ever got from any author visit. The teachers raved about her. Thank-you for bringing her.” A grade eight student later exclaimed “That was an hour?! That sure didn’t feel like a whole hour!” Such is the power of fascinating subjects and a good presenter.
K. Wiebe, Peace Library System

After listening to your presentation, my Grade 1 students came back to class and wrote in their journals. Several of them told me that they had re-read what they had written, then made changes to make their writing more interesting because, “that’s what the writer told us to do.” Thank you for inspiring these young writers!
Diana Weber , Grade 1 Teacher, Cold Lake Elementary

“I’ve never seen 80 kids so quiet! Our grade twos were very excited to try the National Geographic book about cats. From animals in our own backyard to constellations from outer space, Joan Marie Galat seems to have it all covered.”
LaDawn Funk, Grade 2 Teacher, Canyon Elementary School, Pincher Creek, Alberta

Thanks so much, Joan, for coming to our island! I was able to attend two of Joan’s book talks while she was on tour here, and I enjoyed both of them very much. She is a natural, enthusiastic speaker, using her voice and gestures so effectively to augment the wonderful stories and interesting information. In addition to my own pleasure, I was pleased to see how engaged her audiences were, people from small children to seniors. What a gift!
Kate Thompson, Manitoulin Island, Ontario

We were fortunate enough to have author Joan Marie Galat visit our school. Joan did two presentations for the students from grade 1-8. Joan was well organized, personable, and engaged with the students during her presentations. She shared excerpts from her books and made her material very student friendly. Both students and teachers really enjoyed her visit. It was a pleasure to meet her and hear her wonderful storytelling.
Michele Kettles, Library Manager, Bonanza Municipal Library

The students loved have the opportunity to interact with you. Students were able to meet a real author and listen to you share the story that you wrote. The students enjoyed being engaged in the dialogue with you!. It was just a wonderful learning opportunity.
Pam Swanson, 2nd Grade, Grandview Elementary, Erie, Pennsylvania

All the teachers were impressed with Joan’s relaxed approach in making what can be a very complex subject so fun and easy to understand. The grades one and two teachers were very excited at how engaged their students were while she told her stories. One Grade one teacher remarked that she later overheard one student explain to another that he was going to put “mud” on his moon when drawing a picture of a bat flying at night!

The Div II teachers were equally as enthusiastic in giving praise to her animated stories and tidbits of interesting facts, all the while maintaining the students’ interest from start to finish.

Thank-you so much for a thoroughly enjoyable day! We would not hesitate to have you come to our school again.
RoseAnn Johnston, Librarian, Fort Saskatchewan Elementary School, Alberta

You inspired us to write!
St. Charles Parish, Writers Camp, Lousiana (presentation via Skype)

The kids cheered when I showed them that we had purchased your books.
Jennifer Compagnon, grade 7/8 teacher, Ahlul Bayt Islamic School (ABIS)

Thank you so much for coming to Rosemary School. It is so wonderful that you take time in your schedule to come and visit and make a difference in the student’s lives. Every single group of students that came to listen to you, found what you had to tell them interesting. I have had many students come into the library asking for your books to read, and also asking more about other nonfiction books like you suggested. You have been an incredible roll models for the students. Again, Thank-you for coming to visit us.
Vanessa Plett, Library Manager, Rosemary School

I would love to express how much we enjoyed your presentation—not just the students but also the teachers. You presented it in such a way that all who listened could hardly wait to go out and try all the methods on the night sky. I heard them talking to each other about the different methods for finding certain stars, etc.

The teachers felt it would be wonderful to have you be the one to teach sky science to our children and the children thought that was a good idea too. Along with your knowledge of the subject you also have great storytelling skills. Thank you again for sharing with us.
Irene Portsmouth, Information Specialist, Hines Creek Composite School, Alberta

Thank you on behalf of the students of A. B. Daley School for your excellent presentation to our school. The students have shown a lot of interest in astronomy as a result of your presentation and even the younger grades have been looking at books on planets.
Louise Adie, A. B. Daley School, Nanton, Alberta

Joan Galat’s visit to École St. Thomas was a sheer delight. During her presentations she captivated students with her storytelling and her great passion for astronomy, planets, and the night sky. As she presented stories from her books, fiction and non-fiction were woven together to keep the students engaged. Her candid talk on being a writer helped inspire our young writers to “shoot for the stars.”
Ila Androschuk, Teacher, École St. Thomas

Our staff and students thoroughly enjoyed Joan Marie Galat’s presentation. She was very informative and entertaining. Not only did we learn about astronomy, but she also touched on how her books came to be and about being an author. Thank you so much for such a great presentation.
Marcelle Velve, Librarian, St. Patrick Catholic School

Joan was our Hackmatack author, presenting to the Perth-Andover Middle School students. She was fun and kept our attention throughout the 1.25 hour session. The students were encouraged to participate by acting out parts of her story. She also read, shared pictures using a projector, did a dot-to-dot white board activity, and even included dramatic action. Very entertaining!
Tammie Wright, Library Manager, Perth-Andover Public Library, New Brunswick

Thank-you so much for the talk and workshop. Our patrons loved it and so did we!
St. Paul Municipal Library

Thank you for helping inspire our students to look up in the sky at night and to keep writing stories. Great presentation!”
Wild Rose Elementary School

I want to thank-you again for coming to our school and presenting to the students. They enjoyed the stories and myths you shared and were very interested in how you became a writer.
Hugh Sutherland School, Edmonton, Alberta

Joan Galat, author of Dot to Dot in the Sky gave an outstanding set of presentations to Ecole Meridian Heights School. This versatile author was able to connect with each of her four diverse audiences (K-9). As well as talking about her book with regard to stars, constellations, and mythology, she shared secrets of publishing which captured their attention-especially of the division 3 students. We highly recommend this author to your school or classroom.
École Meridian Heights School, Stony Plain, Alberta

Joan Galat held everyone’s attention for a full hour, changing the topic, changing the pace, and involving the students. Dot to Dot in the Sky keeps appearing during independent reading times. Students are really interested in the stars and the stories.
Norwood Elementary School, Edmonton, Alberta

In response to a virtual visit for a school in Erie, Pennsylvania, using Skype.

The students loved have the opportunity to interact with you. Students were able to meet a real author and listen to you share the story that you wrote. The students enjoyed being engaged in the dialogue with you!. It was just wonderful learning opportunity. Thanks for sharing your time.
Hilary Gehrlein, Grade Two Teacher
Pam Swanson, Classroom Technology Integrator
Millcreek Township School District, Grandview Elementary

Joan Galat visited the Girl’s Book Club. We had 35 kids and quite a few parents. The girls were fascinated with the stories.
Kathleen Moore, Nepean Centrepointe Library

The grade 4/5 students from Manor Park School who attended Joan’s presentation at St-Laurent really enjoyed it. The combination of factual information, storytelling, background on Joan’s childhood, the writing process, and participatory activities was really effective. She had the young audience’s full attention.
Megan Clare, St. Laurent Library, Ottawa

Joan Marie Galat captivated the students with her informative yet entertaining description of the stars and mythological stories. She is a gifted presenter.
Lori Fielding, Carp Branch, Ottawa Public Library

Joan is a great storyteller. She held all 75 kids attention as she told ancient tales of the stars and moon. She brought out the curiosity of the audience, as they asked thoughtful questions about her works. The teachers were thrilled that Joan’s talk and her books were curriculum related for grades 4 and 5. I personally bought three of Joan’s books and one teacher bought four titles. I would have Joan again.
Sandra Burke, Ruth E. Dickinson Library

Thank-you on behalf of the students, staff, and parents at Clara Tyner. It was an inspiring day for us all. It is a treat to meet an author and learn about what is involved in being published.
Clara Tyner School, Edmonton, Alberta

Thank-you for sharing your time with us. When I made it home, I recounted my evening with my husband. I said, ‘Now here’s a woman who kicks ass—if she doesn’t know something, she finds out; if she wants to go somewhere, she makes the trip!” Joan, you were inspiring and motivating with your great attitude and bottomless determination. As well, your speaking style was lovely, totally captivating.
Shannon

Joan is an quintessential speaker for a post-secondary audience. She has a natural eloquence, a gift with relevant anecdotes, and an impressive store of experience and knowledge to share. My class of second year professional writing students were intensely engaged from the start to the finish of her 45-minute talk; their only complaint was that the class ended too soon! They wanted to ask more questions.

The students—many of whom are uncertain about the directions they’ll take in their own writing careers—were especially impressed with Joan’s sheer breadth of writing endeavors and her willingness to follow many different threads of opportunity; she rolls through disappointments and makes the most of successes.

Joan opened their eyes to possibilities that had never occurred to them before, and showed the rewards that come from a consistently positive attitude and steady perseverance. She really made a difference for my students, and I hope to have her as a regular guest speaker in the Professional Writers Program in the future.
Christina M. Grant, MA English
Instructor: MacEwan Professional Writing program,
MacEwan English BA program, and NAIT Liberal Arts program

Thank You for your inspirational and informative workshop on ‘Public Speaking for Artists’. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and came away with many useful tips and tricks to help curb the jitters and feel more confident in front of a group. The exercises you incorporated into the session were a fun way to have us all do some improvisational work in a safe, yet public setting. I highly recommend this course to other artists.
Kim Blair
www.kimblairartist.com

Student Comments

Students in Canada

I think these books are quite incredible.

Are you going to write more books about the stars? I think you should.

You are really creative.

You wrote the Dr. Bufflehead books? I love those books!

You’re my favorite author.

The information she presented to us is quite interesting and was something we all needed to hear. Before this presentation I never knew we were affecting the world by just simply flipping a light switch.

I’m now also trying to cut down on my light pollution so that less bugs and birds die. I also told my grandma and the rest of my family about this and now they’re trying to cut down too.

On the bright side you have made a change in my family. And I believe that’s why you should come back. Because there are more people like me that are willing to make a change. Over the years these families will start to add up. So then light pollution will go down.

Your concern for light pollution really made me think. I want to learn the full extent of light pollution.

I was engaged and wanted to know more.

Students in South Korea

I learned that reading is important to our lives. (JM)

We should read to be good writers. (GP)

I learned about the stars. It was fun. (J)

We need to check our work a lot when writing a story and we need to think “what if” to think of an idea. (G)

Writers are not born writers. (M)

I’m interested in the stars and sky so I like your books. Thanks for your lecture! (PJ)

The way to find Polaris easily is very wonderful!!! Thank you for your great lecture. It was very exciting. (JIS)

Thank you very much for teaching us about supernovas. I learned many things. (KHK)

The story about when you were young is very cool! (S)

Joan Galat is a great author. (E)

I think your stories are very fun. The bear story is a little sad. I want to read your many interesting books. “Stories of the Aurora” looks very interesting.

During the meeting with the writer, I thought she was very happy to write books. She enjoys her job. Someday in the future I hope to write my own book. I was happy to meet you. (CSJ)

I learned about space in science class but your lecture is much more interesting. Thank you for your lecture. (NL)

I want to read “Stories of the Aurora.” I’m interested in aurora because I want to be a pilot. I am not a good writer but you taught me how I can be a good writer. I want to be a good writer like you. Thank you. (PJY)

Thank you for your lecture. Today I learned about stars and black holes and the Moon. I am very interested because my favorite habit is looking at stars with a telescope. I will go to the moon in the future. (JYJ)