About Dr. Betsy Diamant-Cohen

A renowned national speaker and accomplished author, Dr. Betsy Diamant-Cohen is best known as the creator of Mother Goose on the Loose, an award-winning early literacy program. Her charismatic presentations always include an easily-understandable combination of research and practice. Recognized by the ASCLA Leadership and Professional Achievement Award for “revolutionizing the way librarians work with children from birth to age 3” and the 2018 Vattemare Award for Creativity in Libraries, Betsy’s passion is for helping children and the adults in their lives be the best they can be while sparking a love of reading.

Busy March finished, busy April coming up

| Mother Goose on the Loose, nursery rhymes, One Book, Research, Rhyme Time, SRCD Conference, ,
Share

In March I attended my first SRCD (Society for Research in Child Development) conference. It was very different from the typical library conferences I have attended.  One of the coolest things was meeting (in person) some of the people whose research I have read and whose names I have been citing in my bibliographies for years.  Some of my favorite researchers were there including Clancy Blair, Adele Diamond, Roberta Golinkoff, Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, and Allison Gopnik.  If you’d like to read more about the SRCD conference, have a look at the most recent MGOL monthly newsletter at http://us9.campaign-archive1.com/?u=df06df4c99dd5cf4c9aafe975&id=4878f5a79d

While trying to expand examples of  nursery rhymes for use in library programs, I have asked readers to send in links to any library websites that contain videos of librarians reciting fingerplays or rhymes.  We just sent out the newsletter this morning, and have already received six!

Toward the end of March, I presented a MGOL workshop in East Hartford, Connecticut. After being rescheduled because of the enormous snowstorms, we finally met to have a fun day together in a wonderful building in a room with a working fireplace. Librarians were in the minority there; most of the attendees were people from the East Hartford area who work with early literacy such as home visitors and childcare resource center staff.

In April, I’ll be presenting a MGOL program at a Baltimore City Public School followed by a mini workshop for Baltimore City School Librarians. For two weeks, I will be traveling throughout Pennsylvania presenting “Nurturing the Brain through Storytime” workshops for the Pennsylvania One Book Professional Development Day 2015. Then, it is off to Ocean City to present a session for the Maryland State Child Care Association Conference.

In between all of this, there will be our family celebration of Passover, work on a grant, a new book, and writing the newsletter for May! Plus, the MGOL office has expanded going from one small room upstairs to our entire downstairs family room. It’s time to go through files and organize materials, plus weeding the collection of books and papers I have accumulated throughout the years.

I feel lucky to be so busy doing work that I am passionate about.

Have a wonderful month, everyone.