Virtual Author Visits

Alongside in-person visits, I am now offering a choice of bespoke pre-recorded or live virtual learning options for schools across the globe.

I have worked with teachers on a number of projects to help them deliver reading and writing activities for in school or home-learning.

“Thanks for the visits today. The students were apprehensive but you helped them feel at ease and able to chat. This was their first zoom with a new person. We will continue to read your books – they are proving very popular.” Applefields School

I can work around your needs or choose from my downloadable list of Virtual Workshop Options here.

“Loving working with @tompalmerauthor during lockdown. He’s providing a series of bespoke story planning and and writing videos, with a story relevant to both our unit of work and our local area. The man is a genius – eye-opening stuff when it comes to planning and writing” Aidan Severs, Dixons Allerton Academy

I have worked with Zoom, Skype, Facebook, Microsoft Teams, Crowdcast, YouTube and other platforms or can send a pre-recorded film for you to share.

In short, I can offer:

Presentations. An online version of my assembly-style author presentation.

Q&A. Children email questions to their teacher, I respond to them all via a recorded YouTube film. (This works particularly well as follow up to looking at my website or especially to reading one of my books.) I can also host a mediated, timed Facebook Live session alongside a teacher or TA, responding to questions in comments. Or Zoom sessions more suited to smaller and older groups.

Careers in Reading and Writing Talk & Q&A. More here

Workshops. A virtual version of my in-school writing workshops relating to:

ideas and planning
drafting and editing
writing about history
exploring what I am currently writing
See full list here

Writing competitions. Setting titles, judging and constructive feedback for entrants, video announcing winners.

Writing a story together. Developing a new bespoke story with a school, working together on research, planning, drafting and editing process.

“The pupils really enjoyed your session and it was highly unusual to have such engagement from our pupils. It is the first time we have attempted learning virtually in this way and it has given us the confidence to do more of this in the future.” Academy Transformation Trust

Dixons Allerton Academy (with permission) …

Feedback from their recent virtual visit
“- great use of your personality to engage children even over distance
– excellent metacognition and explaining your thinking makes it clear for children how to approach the task
– great modelling and questioning (even by distance!)
– resources prepared and ready and working wall built up gradually throughout the lesson. Great for supporting children’s learning and giving them independence to complete the task
– constant linking back of writing to the purpose of entertaining the reader

I also want to use this in a teacher CPD session on supporting the planning process” English Lead, Dixons Allerton Academy

St Benedict’s School (with permission)

More here https://www.stbenedicts.org.uk/book-week-at-st-benedicts

Howden Juniors (with permission)

Sun Academy Bradwell (with permission) …

“Re virtual author visit with Tom Palmer 25 September 2020. Just wanted to say a huge thank you for your time yesterday. All of the children and staff enjoyed it – it was a real insight into the life of an author. You were informative, interactive, funny and honest. ” Sun Academy Bradwell.

Edith Moorhouse School (with permission) …

“A fantastic virtual day had by all of UKS2 with @tompalmerauthor. So many inspired children, the discussions about books after was fantastic. Highly recommended all schools try a virtual author visit if in person is not an option” @TeachmLowry Edith Moorhouse School

Please get in touch with me to discuss any ideas you have or for more information. Email me here or use admin (at) tompalmer (dot) co (dot) uk or use the form below:

Please be patient. Our replies are not automated so you will get a personal reply.

Booksales

Children can be thrilled to have the opportunity to buy their own signed and personalised book by an author and this can still work with virtual author visits.

I am very happy to work with your local bookseller but if you do not have one, Rosie Hill is our recommended independent book seller, with over 20 years experience of selling to schools. She offers competitive 20% discounts on all books, free next day delivery (orders over £50) and advises on buying fiction and non fiction.

Rosie can provide books and I can send signed and dedicated stickers so children don’t miss out.

Visiting Speaker provisions

I will work with you to ensure that …

Any messages communicated to pupils support fundamental British Values and your school values.
Any messages communicated to pupils are consistent with the ethos of the school and do not marginalise any communities, groups or individuals.
Any messages communicated to pupils do not seek to glorify criminal activity or violent extremism or seek to radicalise pupils through extreme or narrow views of faith, religion or culture or other ideologies.
Activities are properly embedded in the curriculum and clearly mapped to schemes of work to avoid contradictory messages or duplication.
Activities are matched to the needs of pupils.

More examples of virtual work in progress:

“Thank you so much for not 1, but 5 fantastic virtual visits to us! It really was such a pleasure to see you and hear all about your work. Thank you for answering all the questions and telling us so much about your novels; those that were on the shelves are now on their way to being borrowed and I know waiting lists will be building up for ‘Armistice Runner’ and ‘After the War’ in particular.” Librarian, Sullivan Upper School

Thank you Churchtown Primary for inviting me to talk to your year 6 classes : (photo with permission)

Thank you Kirkstall Valley Primary for a lovely virtual visit through Zoom (photo with permission)

Thank you Dixons Allerton Academy for a great series of writing sessions via pre-recorded films (photo with permission)

Thank you Bo’ness Academy for a great chat session through Microsoft Teams (photo with permission)

Thank you Ribblesdale School for commissioning a bespoke story and sharing my writing process along the way via pre-recorded films (photo with permission)

Thank you to Llansannor Primary School (photo with permission):

Thank you to Mr G for using my creative writing films here (photo with permission) :

Thank you to Portsmouth School Library Service for a day of multiple school virtual visits on multiple platforms:

“A huge thank you for today. It has been a great day and technology all worked! Four fantastic sessions and such engaged pupils and great answers. Lots of enthusiastic and inspired children.

One of the schools said: We appreciate your time and interaction with the school. We all loved your answers to our questions. The information you gave us was very interesting. You have inspired us to start writing more stories and to make improvements with our writing – we might even start using plans. We particularly loved your cat!

Another said: We all agree that it was brilliant! What a lovely man and so engaging. Of course the dog made all the difference… “

Portsmouth School Library Service

Thank you RBWM Libraries and Friends of the Libraries for setting up a day of multiple school visits …

“Thanks very much Tom. You were brilliant today in all 3 sessions and we really enjoyed working with you. We have had feedback from the schools already to say you were great. You make reading accessible to all which is a really important message.”

“What a fantastic day! Tom informed and entertained the pupils in equal measure with his interactive assemblies. The children were inspired by his stories and motivated to follow in his footsteps-a MUST for every primary school!” Neil Homer, Primary School Teacher and Education Project Leader, Shrewsbury Town In The Community

There are also lots of free materials you are welcome to share with your pupils available from my website:

FREE videos of reading from my books,new ones added daily here
FREE reads – first chapters of my books here
FREE colouring here
FREE literacy resources here

Buy Books

Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available personalised to order from my local independent children’s bookshop “The Thoughtful Spot” here.