Robert Rubinstein presents

Teaching & Writing Workshops

CREATING IDEAS/ CREATING CURRICULUM

What type of curriculum would we create - could we create - to effectively involve students in successfully learning, acquiring skills, and enjoying learning? How would we implement such curriculum? In this workshop, we will create curriculum.
- from a half-day to an all-day workshop
- Robert Rubinstein discusses creating curriculum in HINTS FOR TEACHING SUCCESS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. Since 1969, he has created over 37 classes that he has taught as part of the elective curriculum program at Roosevelt Middle School in Eugene, Oregon.

TEACHING AND USING LAUGHTER
& HUMOR IN MIDDLE SCHOOL

Join Robert Rubinstein for "Teaching and Using Laughter & Humor in Middle School". This workshop focuses on the importance of humor and laughter for health, to prevent stress and violence, and to enhance skills and curriculum. Through the use of humor in speaking as well as writing, students enjoy learning and achieving benchmark skills. This workshop met with great success in Albuquerque and at the International Reading Association Conference in New Orleans.

Comments on the "Teaching and Using Laughter & Humor in Middle School" workshop:

"I like the laughing and the group participation."

"This was fast-paced and a good length with ideas that actually were done in class."

"I like the presenters ö their depth and expertise. The booklet will help a lot. Thanks! Maybe we can do a staff workshop at my school."

"The laughter, of course! I like the doing way of teaching, getting us up is a much better teaching technique than having us read."

"Nice to see how humor can be incorporated in the curriculum and used as a lead-in to serious matters."

"This was inspiring, relevant, entertaining and practical. Great ideas for the classroom to work with peers, cartooning, ´The Three-Headed Monster,´ and the booklet."

"I liked the new ideas and enjoyed laughing. I can use these ideas with my class to get them to work together and laugh."

"Light-hearted, friendly and usable ideas. Good pacing and variety"

"Thank you again for an excellent and helpful workshop."

"You´re right! When students are laughing, theyâre not angry and fighting. Less stress. More willing to learn"

"Thank you for the "Teaching Laughter and Humor in Middle School" workshop that you gave last weekend at the International Reading Association Conference in Albuquerque. The handouts are excellent to read over again, reflect on the hour spent with you and figure out what I may adapt and try with my 4th grade students.
"We have the new Mexico writing assessment next week and then standardized testing in March. I know that I’ll have some new ways to relieve testing tension. Thank you again for an excellent and helpful workshop."
Sincerely, Anne F. Berlin

BURSTING WITH WRITING IDEAS!

Writing - having fun with writing, writing just about anything - should be a successful adventure for students.
Share writing ideas and experiences with Robert Rubinstein, the author of two young adult novels and short stories.

MONSTER TALES FOR HALLOWEEN & ANY TIME!

To understand monster tales and monster lore, we must peer into the monster´s "eyes." Let´s look at the origin, psychology, symbolism and the human nature of monsters - and the need we have, especially the children, to hear and read monster tales. Of course, we´ll share some monster tales, too! For the past ten years, Robert Rubinstein has taught classes about and for monsters at Roosevelt Middle School in Eugene, Oregon. One of his monster stories appears in the anthology of THE GHOST & I.

TELLING TALES & TEACHING OTHERS TO TELL

Learn to tell tales and develop techniques for teaching young people to tell. Participate, have fun and learn a variety of theatre games to encourage student participation, interaction, build confidence in performing before an audience. Instructor: Robert Rubinstein is founder and director of the Roosevelt Troupe of Tellers and Eugene´s "Multicultural Storytelling Festival & Concert,"; teacher at the National Storytelling Institute in Jonesborough, Tennessee, has been a teacher since 1969. His CD "Strange Tales from Biblical Times" came out in 1999.
- from a one hour presentation to one or two-day workshops

JEWISH FOLKTALES & FOLKLORE:

Folktales and humor are major ingredients in the lives and values of the Jewish people from ancient times to the present. Would you like to gain some insight into Jewish philosophy, perspective, survival through Jewish stories?
. . . So - why not!
- a one hour presentation
- Robert Rubinstein, a nationally-known storyteller, specializes in telling Jewish tales. His latest CD is "Strange Tales from Biblical Times" and his first audio cassette is "The Day the Rabbi Stopped the Sun & Other Jewish Tales."

THEATRE GAMES!

You could become a three-headed monster, try hitchhiking, a three-object tale, or story theatre. You can play these games - so can young people - and have fun learning storytelling, dramatic and speaking skills as well as build self-confidence performing before an audience.

These activities come from Robert´s book CURTAINS UP! THEATRE GAMES & STORYTELLING and have been used by him in a variety of classes to enhance curriculum and to build speaking and writing skills at Roosevelt Middle School in Eugene, Oregon.
- an hour to an-hour-and-a-half