How to use this Page

Angela Santomero, co-creator of Blue's Clues and Super Why, plus all-around nice person, kindly interviewed me for her PBS series The Parent Show.

Watch the full episode. See more The Parent Show.

My novel DWEEB, silly as it is, touches on some weighty issues regarding education. Specifically, the role of standardized tests in the lives of the squeaky-voiced, acne-plagued future of our fair land. Look at the cover, for crying out loud. It’s a scantron sheet! I’ve never claimed to have any answers, however. Because I’m far from an expert. I only know that the anxiety surrounding tests can affect administrators, teachers and students alike, and undoubtedly shapes the lives of most of the people who walk through the front doors of our school houses these days.

Last week I walked through the doors of Manhattan Charter School on the Lower East Side of New York City. It was my first experience with a charter school, aside from watching Waiting For Superman and 60 Minutes. What I found there was what an author hopes to find in any school:

Welcoming, bright and hard-working teachers and staff, as well as enthusiastic, curious and  friendly young readers. I was especially honored to meet Ms. Bennett’s 4th grade class. They had all read DWEEB but had held off on reading the last chapter until my arrival. I sat down and read it to them, then we talked about it book club style. Their questions were both astute and flattering. Many were curious about the possibility of a movie (Hear that, Hollywood? I personally think the talky, nerdy hi-jinks might be a good fit for Richard Linklater). They were all bummed to hear they’d have to wait until September for The Only Ones. To top it all off, they had drawn life-size pictures of each of the main characters from DWEEB, and those fantastic works of art are displayed in the hall of their school. Some of the pictures might have even have been larger than life-size. I believe the term is heroic-size.

I didn’t come away from the day with the answers to our educational woes, nor did I formulate a rock-hard opinion on the importance of standardized tests. But I did walk out of that building knowing that 9-12 year-old kids who get excited about books–ones they’ve read, ones they want to read–are kids who care deeply about their education, even if they’re not quick to admit it.

The Manhattan Charter School likes to “celebrate curious minds,” and I can’t think of a better thing to celebrate. Don’t listen to the old adage. Curiosity doesn’t kill cats. Cars, old-age and rabid raccoons do. And don’t ever think that success, in the traditional mold of wealth and prestige, means anything without a healthy diet of curiosity. You can’t possibly be happy and you can’t possibly change the lives of others for the better if you aren’t curious. The teachers and kids of Manhattan Charter School reminded me of that.

It’s my job to keep myself curious. I can’t fall into the trap

On 5/2/11, I had the pleasure of speaking at Johnson Junior High in Las Vegas. Even though I've seen year-round outdoor lockers at desert schools before, I still can't get my head around them.

Something I had not seen before was this kind of screen setup:

Nor had I seen this, a main office counter bedecked with names of colleges:

Every time a student comes to the office, s/he is reminded of college and exposed to an ample choice of colleges. I realize that some young people probably don't notice the little signs, or don't notice them after the first time, but it still seems like a good way to perpetually reinforce the importance of higher education. And it's so easily done.

Carol Gordon Ekster is a former teacher, author and writing tutor, and if you live in the Andover, MA area, she will visit your classroom for free!

Sponsored by this blog as part of the KidLit4Japan auctions, the giveaway runs now to May 15, with a visit to be arranged before the end of the school year.

Carol Gordon Ekster will visit for an hour, read her book Where Am I Sleeping Tonight? and  lead the class in a writing lesson, focusing on the features of good writing. Sending home a note to parents for possible purchase of her book would be appreciated.  And of course she will sign them!

The winning class should be within 25-30 miles of Andover, MA and the visit is most appropriate for 2nd through 5th grade.

To enter, leave a comment telling us why your class would love to win this author visit. The winning class will be chosen on May 15. Good luck!

In the 11/8/10 Newsweek educational article “Class Action,” Sehba Ali writes, “[W]e shouldn’t spend all that extra class time only teaching academics. With budget cuts affecting schools nationwide, fewer are able to offer music and extracurriculars, but if kids are drilled in math and reading all day, they’ll lose interest in learning. Schools should extend their hours if they have the funding for both academics and extracurriculars. They need to provide time not only for remediation but also for sports, languages, performing-arts groups, and clubs for activities like debating that improve creativity and leadership skills.”

I do agree with the overall sentiment, of course, but find one aspect worded a bit unfairly: “…if kids are drilled in math and reading all day, they’ll lose interest in learning.”

For starters, the word “drilled” is loaded. But the bigger point is that a good teacher can spend all day (or at least all school day) on any given topic and make it engaging.

Like with the telling of a story, the teaching of a subject requires finesse. I am realistic. I know not all teachers are of the caliber our kids deserve. Yet I take issue when the very idea of teaching in a school is equated to any degree with causing apathy. We are all in a constant state of learning. School is just the place that makes that overt, so it’s the one that bears the greatest stigma.

Yet this is not the point worth focusing on. The article wisely reminds that learning does work best as a potpourri. We need well-rounded kids, not just so they may know a little about a lot but so they will always have something to look forward to in school. That makes them happier in general to be there, and motivates them to do better at least some of the time, if not all.

Simply put, there is value in learning things that will not be on the test. Because a school test is not always the most effective preparation for a life test.

This week I had the distinct pleasure of visiting two schools in Washington Township, NJ, a charming little community in the northwest corner of the state. According to Wikipedia, Jean Shepherd, author of The Christmas Story, once lived here. I didn’t see any leg lamps in any windows or kids with tongues stuck to poles, so I can’t confirm that fact. But I can confirm that the kids of Port Colden Elementary and Brass Castle Elementary schools are a welcoming and inquisitive bunch, and about the best audience an author could imagine. It was Dr. Seuss’s birthday, otherwise known as Read Across America Day, and the kids were decked out in homemade shirts and hats celebrating the late, great master of Whos, and Yooks, and Sneeches, and Zooks. Too many people complain about how kids have no attention spans. Not so with this crew. They sat quietly and cross-legged in the Auditoria (or perhaps it was a Cafetorium?) and locked eyes with me as I gave a presentation on writing. I could see what they were thinking:

“Entertain us, old man. Tell us something we don’t know, because we are culturally refined and our intellects are not to be trifled with.”

When I finished, they hounded me with brilliant questions. I hope I lived up to their expectations. Don’t believe it? Proof lies in this collection of photos from the kind folks at Lehigh Valley’s Express Times. My favorite question?

“What happens at the end of The Only Ones?”

I informed the young man (probably a junior blogger angling for an unprecedented scoop) that I can’t give out such spoilers, especially since the book doesn’t hit shelves for another six months. But I respect his guts and his willingness to get right to the point. To reward that, I am offering a teaser. The Only Ones ends like this:

…him.”

Intrigued?

On 2/1/11, the forecast called for blizzard-like conditions across thirty states. This happened to be the day before I was scheduled to start a week’s worth of school visits and one conference in Wisconsin, which was one of the thirty states.

I knew I’d have obstacles. In fact, the second leg of my two-flight itinerary was canceled before I left for the airport.

But I also had obligations. I had to get there.

Travel snafus all begin to sound the same so I won’t give the play-by-play. I will show a partial collection of the boarding passes, rebooking slips, standby seat requests, and itineraries I accumulated:

I was supposed to land in Madison at 4 p.m. on a Tuesday. I didn’t arrive until 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday. All things considered, next day is pretty good.

And my Wednesday school was canceled anyway, so even if I had gotten there in time, it wouldn’t have mattered. I’ve been visiting schools since 2004, and flying to do so since 2008. This was the first time weather had caused any to be canceled.

I do have to give props to Delta who handled the madness with great customer service. When weather disrupts flights, I don’t believe the airlines are obligated to put you up for the night or provide meal vouchers. Without being asked, Delta did both (and it was a nice hotel). On top of that, they did not charge me to change my return flight to a day later so I could reschedule that first day’s school visit.

However, the travel madness in getting to Wisconsin was only part 1 of the overall travel madness of this particular trip. Here is part 2 of the travel madness.

On 11/17/10, I made my first visit to Stillmeadow Elementary in Stamford, Connecticut. I was told that teachers there had been using my cartoon vocabulary books in class even before the school thought of contacting me.


Thank you for your support! I am honored whenever I learn a school has incorporated any of my work into curriculum.

Thank you also for selling so many books:

Afterward, I jetted across town for my third visit to Springdale Elementary, where I was welcomed by this (lovely but poorly photographed by yours truly) homemade banner:

A student (4th grade, I believe) from a Houston school I presented at friend requested me afterward. I told him I appreciate that but do not link with young people online. He wrote back to tell me that he understands—and to float an idea that demands to be shared: "I was thinking maybe we can make a story together. Think about it—it can be the first story you made with a kid."

I do love a good hook...and a go-getter. Literally as I was writing this post, I received a second message from him: "Oh, and I won't stop trying. Just like you did not stop." (He was referring to the primary message of my presentation, the importance of persistence.)

While I won't be able to accept the offer, I will keep an eye out for this one...

A big focus of my school presentations is the importance of persistence in the face of rejection. After one presentation, the principal wrote me the following:

Our office manager Brian, his daughter, and his two grandchildren were in the audience for part of your presentation. Brian told me that on the drive home, [his] five-year-old [grandson] James asked his mom for some candy, and she told him no. Every few minutes, James asked again, and again, and again. Finally his mother asked him why he kept asking her when she told him he couldn't have any candy. His response was, "Because the man said if you keep asking, you will get it."

Just finished the most amazing Skype classroom with Mr. Brian Kelley's eighth grade class! I spoke for about half an hour and the kids asked questions for the next 15 minutes. Mr. Kelley had to cut off their questions to get them to the next class. They were thoughtful, listened so well and had tons of great questions.

Thank you, Patton Middle School in Kennett Square, PA, for hosting me! I hope to visit you again one day!

If you'd like to set up a visit via Skype visit www.jessicaburkhart.com and check out my contact page. You'll find all the info you need to get started.

Happy Friday!

After my kickoff school visit of the year, a Connecticut paper ran two photos, which the school was most kind to scan and email:

From 2001 to 2010, I had the honor of volunteering for an enriching New York City program called Authors Read Aloud (part of an organization called Learning Leaders). I was one of a group of authors who visited with students in underfunded New York City schools (mine were always in the Bronx).

Each author would meet with two classes per visit, four times a year; this setup allowed the authors and students to develop more of a personal ongoing relationship. This struck me as the genius of the program. It enabled more growth than a one-off presentation and gave everyone (including the authors) something to look forward to.

During the summer of 2010, I moved from Connecticut to Maryland. Authors Read Aloud doesn't (yet) exist in the Washington DC area. Sad as I was to say goodbye to that program, in my new environment I stumbled upon another program that may help fill that emotional gap.

On 11/4/10, I volunteered for the first time for a Washington DC program called Turning the Page.

It, too, sends volunteer authors to schools in humbler neighborhoods, but beyond that, the structures diverge.

A Turning the Page author goes to schools after hours, as part of what they call community nights. After we eat dinner together, the author gives a short presentation for the kids—and their parents. Then the kids leave for mentoring while the author conducts a (fairly lengthy, as these things go) Q&A session with just the parents. The families get not only a free meal but also a free, signed book.

And therein lies the genius of this program.

Moms, dads, grandparents, and/or guardians who are actively interested in writing and reading send a powerful message to their kids. Motivated parents = motivated students.

Further, TTP buys a supply of the author's books in advance, and each child whose parent attends the event gets a signed copy at no charge. Before that, however, the books serve vital purpose:

On a side note, my book about Superman has given schools an easy way to promote

Houston 2010, week 1 of 2.

Week 2 of 2:







What to do if the wireless microphone is not picking up your voice and is too wee to comfortably hold closer to your mouth for an hour:

0 Comments on Houston 2010, week 2 of 2 as of 11/1/2010 10:04:00 AM