Award-winning singer/author visits Seeliger

Two-time Grammy award-winning author/singer and master storyteller Bill Harley entertained students at Seeliger Elementary School Monday.

Using humor, songs and stories to create pictures of growing up that children can relate to, Harley encourages children to be the best they can be.

On Monday, he had youngsters laughing, clapping and singing. He also asked for song name ideas - and received something like, "How do I teach my dog to fetch?" Harley immediately created impromptu lyrics and melody for the title, which had the entire cafeteria laughing hysterically.

Entertainment Weekly labeled Harley "the Mark Twain of contemporary children's music." He is a regular on NPR's "All Things Considered" and tours nationally as a performing artist and keynote speaker.

"I believe everything is educational ... they (children) learn vocabulary and language, not from a dictionary or worksheet, but from conversation. They learn songs not from reading music, but from singing with someone who loves to sing, and they learn hope and kindness and cooperation not from being told to have them, but by experiencing them," Harley said.

A grant made available from Target stores was written by Patrick Flynn, a Seeliger 4th grade teacher.

"After using Bill's songs and novels in my classroom for years, I am thrilled to host him," Flynn said. "Our students are overjoyed to have an author they love perform here. I hope we get to see more authors visit our schools."

For more information about Harley, go to www.bill

harley.com.