Children's Literature in Religious Education

Using recently published children's literature with Biblical or Quakerly themes (such as Peace, Simplicity, Equality, or Quaker history) we will discuss how they could be used in the following settings:
First Day school classes for children
First Day School classes for adults
multi-age groups or workshops
at gatherings such as Yearly or Quarterly Meetings
for visiting children in Meetings that do not have children attending regularly
Every participant will be asked to bring two items to the workshop. The first is a recently published children's book which they will share with the group. The book should have a Biblical or Quakerly theme. The second is to be one of the following: a songbook or hymnal, a book on games or a book with craft ideas. We will use these resources to write actual lessons featuring books brought to the workshop by the leader or participants. The leader intends to make these lessons available electronically to all participants.
The format of the class will include worship (20-30 minutes), lecture, discussion, and finally writing lessons (in small groups). We may try out games, songs, and crafts as part of the process. Our goals will be to become more familiar with contemporary childrens' literature and to develop some lessons which we or others could use.

About the leader :
My only experience leading at FGC was as a Junior Gathering Leader. I worked in Junior Gathering twice. The year I led the group, my daughter Beth was in the High School program. I seldom saw her so it was great having a group of children, who wanted to eat a meal with their teacher and introduce her to their family. I must have done an acceptable job as the next year I was contacted and asked to take a class. I have attended FGC 6 times going back to when my daughter was in preschool. I also attended the FGC Religious Educators Institute in 2000. I have also attended numerous We Can Do It Days (PYM). I have led many programs-from leading a Brownie meeting to a parents' workshop on financial aid. I have 34 years experience as a public school educator. Several years ago, I was asked to come back to my former school to fill in for a few months for a counselor on maternity leave. I also teach classes at a Lifelong Learning program affiliated with the University of Delaware. In 2008, I went to Hungary with Global Volunteers to teach English. During that trip, I taught adults, elementary, and secondary students. The classes with the younger children consisted mostly of games and songs. With the adults, I used an illustrated dictionary for children to start the conversation. The teens were preparing for their oral exams (for university admission) and had assigned topics to discuss.