Speyer's Kindergarten Welcomes Breads, Spreads...and Best-Selling Author Todd Parr!

What do you get when you take delicious breads and yummy spreads, add some cultural heritage, and mix it all together? Why, Speyer’s annual Breads and Spreads extravaganza! Yes, Kindergarten students and their families were asked to bring a bread and/or spread that is special to their family to share with the community. 

And what a gathering! They munched and shared various breads and spreads from all across the globe in a celebration of our unique cultures and traditions. This event connects to the Kindergarten’s current Humanities unit, which focuses on the exploration of both the individual and the community. It was also an opportunity for the Kindergarteners to read their first published books to their families. Their first book is called "The Me Book" and it is written and illustrated in Todd Parr-style. 

To help in their creative process, the students turned to the man himself! Yes, the Kindergarteners Skyped with Todd Parr this week. He read a few of his books and then the students had a chance to interview him. They asked questions such as "What are your favorite books?" One of the kids asked Parr if he had always wanted to be an author and his response was quite inspiring.

Parr shared the journey on how he became an author, which fascinated the students. He told how he had a difficult time learning to read, that he had to repeat the second grade, so when he was young and as such, he never dreamed of being an author. He followed his first creative passion – art – and created drawings and paintings. At the urging of friends, he explored the idea of turning them into books for children. And now, with more than 50 published books, he’s one of the most popular children’s book authors. It was an amazing story for the kindergarteners to hear: about someone who struggled at school, but was able to push through and achieve and be successful at something he didn’t even realize he could do!

Todd Parr is not the only person the Kindergarteners have interviewed lately. They have had many community members come in to talk to them about what they do at Speyer, including Chef Randy and Toni Ann, Dr. Tischler, the NDI teachers, and the third grade teaching team. 

Stay tuned for more delicious news from the youngest members of our community!