Since 1995
About The Story Train
A literacy program built on one simple belief: every child has a story worth telling.
Where It All Began
In 1995, Sharen Robertson walked into an elementary school classroom with a manuscript in her hand and an idea in her heart. She believed that if children could see a real story being written — step by step, from messy first draft to finished page — they would want to write their own.
She was right.
Long before the website, The Story Train was a traveling literacy program. Ms. Robertson visited elementary schools throughout Massachusetts, bringing her original stories into classrooms to inspire children to want to write. She used her own manuscripts to illustrate the writing process — showing students that real stories come from real imagination — and then invited the children to draw their own illustrations for her stories. Many of those drawings were gifted to her, and she treasures them to this day.
In 2000, Ms. Robertson earned her Master's degree in Education, specializing in Language and Literacy, from Harvard University. She is a Massachusetts certified Reading Specialist and Elementary Teacher.
Upon receiving her degree, Sharen opened The Story Train Literacy Center in Middleboro, MA to serve the needs of children who were struggling with reading, comprehension, and writing.
The heart of the program
The 5-Step Writing Process
Every student in The Story Train program follows the same five steps that real authors use. The process demystifies writing and gives children the confidence to call themselves writers.
Brainstorming
Students explore ideas freely — no wrong answers. Every great story starts with a spark of imagination.
Rough Draft / Sloppy Copy
Get it all down on paper. The first draft is called the "Sloppy Copy" — it's meant to be messy. That's the point.
Revising
Read it again with fresh eyes. Add details, move things around, make the story stronger and clearer.
Editing
Polish the spelling, grammar, and punctuation. This is where the story gets cleaned up and ready to share.
Publishing
The big finish — students read their original stories on local cable television, in front of a live audience. Real authors. Real readers. Real pride.
Step 5 — Publishing — was the crown jewel of the program. Students didn't just finish a story; they performed it. On camera. For a live audience. That's what made The Story Train unlike anything else.
Step 5 in action
Lights, Camera, Publish!
The Story Train Cable TV Show
After completing all five steps, the entire class — students, their teacher, and parent volunteers — was bused to the local cable company's studio. A guest speaker opened the show: a reading coordinator, language pathologist, principal, or superintendent.
Then the children took the stage. They read their original stories aloud, on television, and took questions from the audience. Real authors. Real readers. Real pride.
WGBH Senior Editor Kathy Waugh wrote: "It was just wonderful watching your students read their stories and take questions from the audience! Those are the kinds of experiences that can really enhance a child's success in school."
The Story Train Today
Presently located in Lancaster, NH, The Story Train continues to serve children and families with the same passion that started in a Massachusetts classroom in 1995.
Today the program offers free consultations, one-on-one tutoring, homework support, educational testing and evaluations, and an elementary school literacy program tailored to the individual needs and budgets of schools.
The Story Train has earned praise for student improvement and consistently high levels of parent and teacher satisfaction — from Harvard to WGBH to local superintendents and principals across Massachusetts.
And the writing? It never stopped. Ms. Robertson's own original stories — written using the same five steps she teaches — are now available as children's books right here on this site.
Sharen is currently composing new music and actively submitting her latest children's manuscript, Parade Pandemonium at Pleasant View Lodge, to traditional publishing houses.
What we believe
Our Philosophy
Education is a basic human right and as such should be accessible to all people everywhere.
Children, as bearers of our future, deserve and need our guidance.
Teachers should be grateful for the opportunity to shape the future through the minds of the children they instruct.
Teachers should inspire and motivate their students to want to learn.
Beyond the classroom
Also a Singer / Songwriter
When she's not inspiring young readers, Sharen is writing and performing original music. Her songs carry the same warmth and storytelling spirit that have made The Story Train a beloved literacy program for over 30 years.
Visit sharenwendy.com