Children who read are children know, believe, and act as if they have limitless possibilities. They have an internal source of power and freedom that no one can ever take away from them. My mission is to share this love, this joy, this precious gift with as many young readers as possible. – Jaminnia R. States
Cultivating Creativity, Imagination, & Curiosity for All Ages
I create learning experiences that cultivate imagination, creativity, and curiosity in children and adults of all ages. These three skills are the foundation of all learning, growth, expansion, and “real world” problem-solving. When we imagine, create, and ask questions, we begin to see God (life force, or the ultimate power source) in the world around us, in one another, and most importantly in ourselves. By exploring and re-imagining our inner and outer worlds, we begin to be able to see and honor the interconnectedness of all things. Through imagination, creativity, and curiosity, we begin to develop compassion and empathy. Some of my offerings are listed below.
In lieu of a menu of course titles, I've provided broad descriptions of my offerings below. Since I am able to share these classes and courses across ages groups and subject interests, I often tailor them to fit each group's needs. If interested, feel free to get on my calendar for a free consultation and quote.
Rates are start at $52 per hour + preparation and materials, if applicable.
Rates are start at $52 per hour + preparation and materials, if applicable.
(Click any of the names/links below to jump to that section on this page.)
Critical Thinking and Informed Citizen Training | Creative Writing Workshops | Cultivating Creativity | Languages of Life | School Libraries & Early Literacy | A Note About 21st Century Learning
Critical Thinking (Informed Citizen Training) (All Ages)
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Are your children critical thinking, problem solvers?
Can they identify and avoid fake news? Can they navigate the internet safely and keep their private information protected? Can ask a question and set about finding a quality, comprehensive answer doing their own research? School librarians play a key role in teaching information, digital, and media literacy. By developing these assets, people of all ages become informed citizens in our Information Era. Informed people think critically about and question information, can spot fake news, and have sense of wonder and imagination that elevates them from knowledge consumers to knowledge producers.
Offerings include:
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"Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality” – Lewis Carroll
Creative Writing Workshops (Ages 8-15)
Reading is input, writing is output. It is important that young scholars and young artists be encouraged to do both. Like reading, writing should be fun for young learners. Creative writing provides the low-stakes, follow-your-own-creative-impulse environment that helps children develop a love for writing outside of the boundaries, rules, passes, and failures of the classroom. Most importantly, it is a wonderful way for children to develop imagination and writing skills at the same time, a practice that makes writing in formal settings much easier. To that end, I offer exploratory, process-based, heart-opening creative writing workshops for all ages.
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Cultivating Creativity (Ages 8-18)
"We must accept that this creative impulse within us is God's creative pulse itself." – Joseph Chilton Pearce
Many people think that creativity is a trait we are born with: some people have it, some people don't. The truth is that creativity is available to all; it is a matter of opening to receive and developing the habits to keep it flowing. These workshops are designed to develop exactly that. They can take the form of art and writing classes that focus on the process instead of the product, or more straightforward workshops that isolate imagination and creativity as habits we can form and maintain over time. Like all offerings from Kioni Speaks, these classes require us to sit at the crossroads of the spiritual and material realities and blend the two.
Cultivating Creativity workshops that focus on consciously cultivating the creativity habit are perfect for those who don't think they are creative as well as for artists who want to shake up their routines and get back in the flow of creativity, aka Good Orderly Direction.
Cultivating Creativity workshops that focus on consciously cultivating the creativity habit are perfect for those who don't think they are creative as well as for artists who want to shake up their routines and get back in the flow of creativity, aka Good Orderly Direction.
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Languages of Life (Nakina Collective) (All Ages)
As a member of the Nakina Collective, I offer a learning setting that celebrates the art of being human and takes joy in exploration via holistic explorations of nature, science, art, and culture. We offer five different courses as a part of our "Languages of Life" series. You can learn more about us at our website or contact me directly for more information.
"Through use of our personal forms of art--visual, literary, dance--we create spaces and provide opportunities for children of all ages (0-199) to embrace and eventually master many modes of creative and personal expression. We encourage mastery of languages ancient and modern, physical and mental, emotional and spiritual. Ultimately, The Nakina Collective is dedicated to empowering all people of all ages to master the art of being human, with a special emphasis on the youth." – Nakina Collective Mission Statement
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School Library & Early Literacy Consulting
As a trained librarian with a special focus on K-12 learning, I am able to offer trainings and one-on-one coaching to districts, schools, new librarians, and parents about a variety of topics related to teaching skills that help young learners to thrive across the curriculum both in academic and non-academic settings.
For parents and caregivers, I offer “Bright Beginnings” early literacy workshops for adults and young adults with children ages 0-6 years. These workshops empower caregivers to have more ownership (and joy!) in their role as their child's first teacher by connecting them with the tools and resources to give children a bright beginning, or an early start to life-long learning.
There are four sessions available:
For parents and caregivers, I offer “Bright Beginnings” early literacy workshops for adults and young adults with children ages 0-6 years. These workshops empower caregivers to have more ownership (and joy!) in their role as their child's first teacher by connecting them with the tools and resources to give children a bright beginning, or an early start to life-long learning.
There are four sessions available:
- Bright Beginnings Overview: What’s the science?
- Bright Beginnings: Building Vocabulary
- Bright Beginnings: Play is a Full-Time Job
- Bright Beginnings: Easy Science and Math at Home
For professionals, I offer training, multi-day workshops, and individual coaching on the following for grades K-12:
- culturally relevant and diverse text selection for your reading instruction, writing workshops, and school or district ELA curriculum
- library curriculum development: unpacking and leveraging AASL standards, 21st Century Learning Framework, Common Core or state learning standards, and/or International Baccalaureate frameworks to create rigorous, engaging library programs on any budget
- year round, cross-curricular, and cross-school (all grade-levels) lesson planning that maximizes learning with minimum effort
- creating safe productive learning environments for all library learners
- creating plans, habits, and procedures to maximize the use of learning technology in the library classroom for both teacher and student on any budget
- working with stakeholders to advocate for library programs (Everyday Advocacy)
- building library collections that reflect all readers and the world-at-large
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21st Century Learning
These offerings are fully aligned with my passions. I love teaching, sharing, and learning alongside my students.
These classes also happen to implicitly teach the skills and habits that the next generation of leaders, artists, and way-showers will need to create lasting positive changes in this topsy-turvy world. Our children will need to go beyond book learning because they are already facing and will continue to face challenges, such as global warming, potential food and water shortages, and divisive ideologies, that will require them to throw out the books and get innovative. Many of the skills that will be most useful in that process are not taught and/or are difficult to teach and learn in traditional formal learning environments.
As a school and children's librarian for nearly a decade, it has always been my work to facilitate the spaces where these skills come easily and are practiced naturally. My offerings primarily require learners to practice the 4cs: creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. Yet, 21st Century learning encompasses so much more. Some resources are listed below.
Ultimately, my work is not about getting ahead or surviving the world. These offerings are about cultivating a lasting holistic vision of personhood in which all people are able to imagine, dream, and bring their visions to fruition in service to the greatest good of the entire planet.
These classes also happen to implicitly teach the skills and habits that the next generation of leaders, artists, and way-showers will need to create lasting positive changes in this topsy-turvy world. Our children will need to go beyond book learning because they are already facing and will continue to face challenges, such as global warming, potential food and water shortages, and divisive ideologies, that will require them to throw out the books and get innovative. Many of the skills that will be most useful in that process are not taught and/or are difficult to teach and learn in traditional formal learning environments.
As a school and children's librarian for nearly a decade, it has always been my work to facilitate the spaces where these skills come easily and are practiced naturally. My offerings primarily require learners to practice the 4cs: creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. Yet, 21st Century learning encompasses so much more. Some resources are listed below.
Ultimately, my work is not about getting ahead or surviving the world. These offerings are about cultivating a lasting holistic vision of personhood in which all people are able to imagine, dream, and bring their visions to fruition in service to the greatest good of the entire planet.
I believe that when we are armed with knowledge and creativity, we can do anything we set our minds to do. This is my calling, my service to humanity.
21st Century Learning Resources:
"Imagination should be used, not to escape reality, but to create it” – Colin Wilson