A new classroom setting for Meadowbrook

A new classroom setting came to Meadowbrook Elementary School in the East Meadow School District on Jan. 8, when students in Kara Riley’s third-grade class transformed their classroom into a Personal Narrative Café.

The café was opened to celebrate the students first published personal narrative writing. For the past two months, they had been working on short stories by going through the phases of brainstorming, revising, editing, publishing and celebrating.

During the celebration, the students completed a full “book tasting menu” by reading a different peer’s book for each of the four courses (appetizer, salad, main course and dessert). After completing the book “meal,” students turned to their “reflection napkin” where they shared notes on how each of the authors “glowed,” by providing highlights of their books and how they can “grow” by sharing constructive feedback.

The café allowed students to celebrate, share and reflect their two months of hard work.

—Brian Stieglitz