Raquel Rivera
Literary
Specialities: Creative writing, Non-fiction writing
Contact Info
Email address
Website address
Resides in
English Montreal
Experience working with
Student In
- Early childhood
- Cycle 1 Elementary
- Cycle 2 Elementary
- Cycle 3 Elementary
- Secondary 1 & 2
- Secondary 3 & 4
- Secondary 5
- CEGEP
- Senior Citizens
Lifelong Learners
- Adult Learners
I regularly explore the following Broad Areas of Learning/Themes in my work
- Health and Wellbeing
- Personal and Career Planning
- Media Literacy
- Citizenship and Community Life (Identity & Belonging)
I've received CHSSN Mental Health Initiative training for:
- Youth
Listed in the Quebec Culture in the Schools Repertoire
- Yes
I have experience working with
- Listed with QWF's Writers-in -CEGEPS; author-mentor with Quebec Roots (Blue Metropolis Foundation) ; writing mentor through the QWF Mentorship program.
I can facilitate virtual creative experiences
- Yes
Travel
- I am available for travel within the same day
- I am available for travel overnight
- An extended residency is an option
Other ELAN ArtEd Links
Stories and News:- Creating Graphic Novels at St. Thomas High
- Creative Writing at Heritage Elementary
- Students Write Mystery & Monster Stories at Joliette High School
- Literary Arts in Schools: Writing to Understand Ourselves, Our Experiences and teh World We Live In
I’m a writer, artist and performer who’s lived and worked in Washington DC, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Barcelona. Since settling in Montreal, I’ve pursued my interest in children’s and Young Adult literature, publishing books for young readers and leading writing workshops in schools and communities across Quebec and Canada. Awards and honours include the QWF Prize for Children’s and YA Literature (twice); USBBY Outstanding International Books; Quill & Quire’s “Best of 2007”(Children’s).
Creative Approach and Experiences Offered
In the classroom, I connect with young readers and writers through a balance of group activities and individual writing time. My workshops focus on material produced by the students; through the lens of their own writing, we discuss creative and expressive techniques in telling stories of all kinds. Having lived and worked in a variety of cultures around the world, I encourage varying perspectives and a positive, open exchange. My education and experience in the visual arts allows me to incorporate visual literacy and/or image-making into writing workshops for younger students, and on projects such as website-building and graphic/comics-related works. I also deploy performance techniques, using storytelling, movement, and percussive techniques, to embrace different learning styles. My goal is for participants to understand themselves as creative contributors--and how they can hone their communication skills, for use in a variety of contexts.One-Day Event Description
The Read-and-Write Mini-OlympicsA series of writing and reading games in a gym setting, for classes of up to 30 students, divided into small 'teams' of 4 each. Over the course of the day, the gym hosts the participation in 'heats', that combine reading games, writing skills, and simple athletics. Events include the "Rhyming Relay Race", "Unscramble the Story" and more. Each 4-student team will circle through several events during their allotted time. Index cards and pencils are provided for writing portions of the games, and kept for the end-of-day 'ceremony', in which ALL participating students attend my artist talk—that also incorporates the student's written contributions, created over the day.
0-30 students per group
The Read-and-Write Mini-Olympics focus on cooperation and small group-learning, rather than competition and prizes. (Although there may be treats for all participants, as part of the artist talk/"closing ceremony'). The presence of school staff (class teachers and aides) is needed to facilitate the gym activities.
Video
Artists Inspire Grants (ELAN Quebec's ArtEd Initiaves)
Spreading the Word (Blue Metropolis Foundation)