How to use this Page

Something strange arrived in the mail yesterday. I’m worn out from the wondering,

tuckered out from the thinking….

It’s not a rejection, because Mom didn’t put it into the shredder (to destroy the Karma). It’s not a bill, because Mom didn’t get online (and mumble) and pay it. It’s not a catalog, because she didn’t order me ( or herself) a new dress or toy.

Is it…? Could it be…? It IS! It’s an acceptance from Turtle Magazine. 

They are buying one of Mom’s stories! Yay!  The contract is signed and ready to go, and the letter is hanging on the bulletin board.  It’s not Book #2, but it’s an acceptance, and we LOVE that!  Look for Mom’s story, Waiting For Petey in the November/December issue of Turtle Magazine for Preschool Kids.  That’s if you can find a copy.  Mom might go mental with excitement and buy them all herself. 

I wonder if Turtle Magazine tastes as delicious as the rent bill…..

Speaking of delicious things … and happy things, I’d like to thank our friends at DogDaz for giving us another Addictive Blog award, and our friend Chelsea at The Jenny Mac Book Blog for saying we’re Lovely again.  Both these blogs are fun to laugh with and learn from. See more about these awards here and here.

By Alice M. Hammel and Ryan M. Hourigan

While standing at the local superstore watching my children choose their colorful binders and pencils for the upcoming school year, I saw another family at the end of the aisle. Their two sons had great difficulty accessing the space because of the crowd and they were clearly over-stimulated by the sights and sounds of this tax-free weekend shopping day. One boy began crying and the other soon curled into a ball next to the packets of college-lined paper. My daughter, empathic to a fault, leaned down and offered her Blues Clues notebook in an effort to make the boy happier. When we finally walked away, I saw the same pain and embarrassment in the eyes of the parents that I have often seen at parent-teacher conferences and IEP meetings.

For many families, the start of a new school year is exciting and refreshing. The opportunity to see old friends, meet new ones, and the ease of settling into a fall routine can be comforting. For families of students with special needs, however, the start of a school year can be anxious, frustrating, and filled with reminders of the deficits (social and academic) of their children. This dichotomy is clear and present as some children bound off the school bus with their shiny new backpacks hanging from their shoulders, while others are assisted off different buses as their eyes and bodies prepare for what sometimes feels like an assault on their very personhood.

These differences are apparent to parents as well as teachers and administrators at schools. Professionals often ask: “What can we do to be the best teachers for these students?”

Consider what school can mean for students who are different and how to create ways to welcome everyone, according to their needs. Before the school year begins, these longstanding suggestions still resonate as best practices for parents and students:

(1) Contact the student before the school year begins to be sure the student and family are aware that you are genuinely looking forward to working with them and have exciting plans for the school year! Everyone learns differently and wants to be honored for their ability to contribute. In the Eye Illusion not everyone is able to see the changes in the dots as they move around the circle. What you see isn’t better or worse — just different. When we think of students and children in the same way, by removing the stigma of labels and considering the needs of all, we become more of a community and less of a hierarchy.

(2) Be aware of all students in the classes you teach. Know their areas of strength and challenge, and be prepared to adapt teaching strategies to include them. We cannot expect students and children all to be the same. Use a fable to illustrate that everyone has strengths and can become an integral part of the learning experience.

(3) Review teaching practices: modalities, colors, sizes, and pacing. All students enjoy learning through various modalities (visual, aural, kinesthetic), love colors in their classroom, appreciate sizing differences to assist with visual concepts, and can benefit from pacing that is more applicable to them. Find ways to include these practices in an overall approach. Universal design (applied to the classroom) means that all students receive adaptations to enhance their learning experience, and no one is singled out as being different because of the adaptations applied.

(4) Create partnerships with all professionals who work with special needs students. A team approach is a powerful way to include everyone effectively. When we work as a team, everyone benefits and the workload is shared by all. This community of professionals creates a culture of shared responsibility and joy.

(5) Provide a clear line of communication with parents of students with disabilities. Often children cannot come home and tell their parents about events, assignments, announcements, and other important parts of their school day. Parents may not be able to gauge whether their child had a good day or if there are concerns. A journal between teacher and parent(s) can be a comforting and useful tool. This communication may also be done electronically through a secure Google or Yahoo group. Reading Rockets provides other useful tips in this area.

(6) Leave labels out of the conversation when communicating with parents. Parents can be sensitive to their child being known only by their diagnosis. In addition, some parents may be still processing the life change that comes with raising a child with special needs. When entering into a conversation with a parent, focus on your classroom and the needs of the student. If there is a concern, try to put the concern in the most positive light as possible. The Parent-Provider network at Purdue University offers some great tips as well for communicating with parents.

(7) Let parents know of student accomplishments even if they are small. Students with special needs often encounter failure. Parents attend countless meetings that remind them of all the challenges their children face. A note home when something goes well can make all the difference.

(8) Allow the parent and the child to visit prior to the start of school if the child is new. Students who are enrolling in a new program or a new school may have difficulty with this transition. Often this transition can cause anxiety that will hinder a child from seeing school as a comfortable, safe place. Walk them through the routines: where they sit, where materials are, etc. Social stories (short stories written in third person to illustrate an everyday situation) can also be useful in this circumstance. When read prior to beginning school, these stories help them move through their transition.

A culture of acceptance and compassion must permeate our educational institutions. By categorizing, labeling, and noting differences, we are often putting children in boxes that can then, unfortunately, define them for the rest of their lives. Every child wants to be part of the school experience and seeks to participate to the best of his ability. When the class and school culture are created to honor the personhood of every child, and each child is considered valuable to the success of every school experience, all children begin to enjoy the same childhood experiences.

Alice M. Hammel and Ryan M. Hourigan are the authors of Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs: A Label-Free Approach. Alice Hammel teaches for James Madison and Virginia Commonwealth Universities, and has years of experience teaching instrumental and choral music. Ryan Hourigan is Assistant Professor of Music Education at Ball State University and a recipient of the Outstanding University Music Educator Award from the Indiana Music Educators Association. The companion website to Teaching Music to Students with Special Needs provides more resources.

Subscribe to the OUPblog via email or RSS.
Subscribe to only music articles on the OUPblog via email or RSS.
Subscribe to only education articles on the OUPblog via email or RSS.
View more about this book on the

Image credit: Having fun in a music class. Photo by SolStock, iStockphoto.

Things always work out even-steven for me.  If I lose a ball, I find another one on the field.  If I accidentally eat the wing off my stuffed chicken, Mom buys me a stuffed goose. 

Sometimes I fall off the chair.  Other times I fall off the couch.  Sometimes, I’m naughty, and sometimes I’m super-cuddly.  Even-steven.

Mom was even-steven yesterday.  Early in the morning, she got an acceptance for her story Too Many Pets from Stories for Children Online Magazine.  She printed it out, hung it up  on her bulletin board, and said, “Yay!” and “Yay!” and “No, you may NOT eat the thumb tacks.” 

Then the mailman brought her an envelope from Highlights Magazine.  Mom said, “I bet this is another acceptance!” and “We’re on a roll!” and “Yay!”  Then she opened it (insert dramatic music here).  I was hoping she would take out the box of thumb tacks (which I’m DYING to taste), to hang it up next to the other one, but nope.  No hanging, no tacks, …no yay.

Mom said, “Bummer.” and “Rejection.” and “At least she personalized it with a little note.”

Sometimes, even-steven stinks!  But not for me! Later I plan on being super-cuddly….

Mom likes holding me. 

People at the Veteran’s Home like holding me.

I like holding my toys, sometimes in my paws and sometimes in my mouth. 

Holding is good, no it’s GREAT.

Humpty Dumpty Magazine is holding one of Mom’s stories.  It’s a little rebus story about show and tell.  Holding is not the same as buying.  But it’s also not the same as rejection.  So, for Mom, holding is GOOD,  but not great.

There are a few things that scare me – motorcycles, pumpkins, soccer players, power tools, the mailman, basketballs, the front seat of the car, mechanical hamsters…..

OK, I lied.  There are MORE than a few things that scare me.

Not Mom, though.  She is fearless. She said, “Writers MUST be fearless.” and “We can’t shy away from putting ideas on paper, sharing them, scrapping them if necessary, revamping them when possible, and submitting them when they sound right.” and “It’s the toilet brush! Are you afraid of the toilet brush, now?!”

OK.  She lied.  She doesn’t use paper.  She puts ideas in the computer.  And I’m still not sure it’s the toilet brush.  What if it’s a snake wearing a wig?!  I’m afraid of snakes. And worms, and maybe wigs….

Mom is not even afraid when lots and lots of rejections come.  She said, “That’s part of the job.” and “Don’t worry. Book #2 could be right around the corner.” and “You need to toughen up, little girl.”

Last week, I did toughen up. The lawn guys came and made a TON of noise with banging tools, growling machines, clipping, digging, humming, screeching, blowing stuff off the sidewalk, and yelling to one another.  Normally when they come, I alternate between throwing myself against the window, barking till my throat hurts, and hiding in the kitchen.  Now that I am toughening up……

Maybe I should be a writer!

.

Here’s my question about gay superheroes (and superhero sexuality in general)…

If one reads the old Golden Age stories of Superman or Batman (pre-1960), and assumes the main characters were gay, would it change the stories any?

Were there any overt romantic relationships?  The unrequited love quadrilateral of Lois Lane – Superman – Clark Kent – Lana Lang was resolved in a few “imaginary” stories, but did Clark Kent ever date?  (There is the “Woman of Kleenex” hypothesis…)

Northstar has been gay since Alpha Flight #1, although editorial dictates prevented this announcement until Alpha Flight #106.  (Has Jim Shooter discussed this decision publicly?  John Byrne comments over at Byrne Robotics. Some point to the Comics Code, which wasn’t amended until 1989.)  Do those stories read differently with this new knowledge?  How subtle was the inference?

10 Comments | Previous | Top | Next

By: Genevieve Petrillo, on 5/22/2012
Blog: Cupcake Speaks (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:  kidlit, acceptance, writing, children's literature, picture book writing, countdown, Add a tag

Today, we are counting down about fear. Mom is writing a story about courage.  I have no experience with courage, but fear is my specialty. 

Things That Scare Me

3. Squeaky Wheels – There’s an old saying that the squeaky wheel gets the oil. I would like to say to the lawn guys, “GET SOME OIL!” Last week, they rolled around a wheel barrow with a squeaky wheel that scared me half to death. The wheel sounded like a screaming panther, a crying poodle, and a baby who wants a lollipop. I ran and hid and ran again and hid again. Mom said, “What are you afraid of?” and “It’s a wheelbarrow!” and “I’m trying to write a story about a brave chef, and you’re NOT helping!” 

2. Cats – A cat down the street watches me all the time. Whenever I walk down that way, I see him staring out his window wondering how he can kill me. I slick my ears back as far as they go, and walk as fast as Mom will let me.  Cats – ugh. 

1. The golf cart – Sometimes people in my neighborhood ride in a golf cart.  I have seen it many, many, MANY times.  It scares me anyway.  Yesterday, Mom brought me right over to it so I could smell it and stop being afraid.  I was reluctant at first.  Then I took a sniff.  OMG! It smells more terrifying than it looks and sounds.  It has clearly run over a squirrel or two, driven through some mulch and fertilizer, and was filled with *gulp*power tools – yes, tools scare me too! The driver was a fire breathing DRAGON.  After he talked to Mom for a while, he pulled a burning stick out of his throat and crushed it into an ashtray.  Then he drove away puffing smoke out of his mouth. *shiver*

Things That Scare Mom

3. Being a one-book-wonder. Mom loves her book named Keep Your Ear On the Ball.

It helps kids understand how to be a friend, and it gets good reviews from people who read it.  Mom calls it her “first book” and hopes nobody asks, “What’s the name of your second book.” Lots of times, she visits schools to talk to kids about being an author, and she play games with them (while I wait at home hoping the golf cart doesn’t come back). 

2. See #3

1. See #2

10 Comments on Countdown Wednesday, last added: 5/23/2012

 4 stars Everything frightened Harry.  A true scaredy-cat he was . . .Until one day an unexpected journey led Harry deep into the ocean where being scared was no longer an option for him.  He had to be brave, very brave.  Risking his own life to save another fish in desperate need of help, his [...]

Today, Mom gave me something different to snack on.

It’s cabbage! I never even had that purple-y, crunchy thing before. It took me a long time to eat the tiny piece she gave me. I chewed it, spit it out, licked it, made a sick face, chewed it again, spit it out again, licked it again, and made a sicker sick face. Finally I swallowed it. It was good! 

Something different happened to Mom, today, too.

Acceptance email! To an online magazine she’s never been in before!! Yay!!! Her story Fly Fishing will be published in the August/September issue of Stories for Children Magazine. A link to the magazine is in the Blogroll on the right. I can’t wait to see it!

I’m glad the story will be on the computer.  Otherwise, Mom might chew it, spit it out, lick it, and make a sick face, because that’s what you’re supposed to do with something different… Right?

A to Z Challenge Day 18: R . 4.5 Today, the A and Z letter of the day is R, and it brings you two things: The author, whose last name is Richmond (Millie), and the word Relief. By the end of the review, relief will become apparent, and not because what I have written [...]

Today is my 100th blog post! Yay, me!  Mom said, “Let’s celebrate with 100 MilkBones.” and “What a fun party!”

and then, “Sorry, Sweetie.  You can only eat one of them. The rest are just for the picture.”  So the party wasn’t quite as fun as I was hoping. 

Mom changes her mind a lot about the number 100.  Long ago when she first started writing, she said, “I’ll try submitting this and see what happens.” and “This pile of rejections is starting to grow.” and “When I get 100 rejections, I’ll give up and stop trying to get published.”

Well, she did get 100 rejections, but she changed her mind and kept trying.  101 – still trying. 102 – still trying.  I think you get where this is going…. She never did give up.  After collecting and counting those rejections for a while, Mom decided they had bad karma.  She put them into the shredder one by one. 

Now she says, “Each rejection is like a stepping stone that takes me that much closer to a contract for Book #2.”

That’s fine with me, but I’m keeping an eye on that bowl of MilkBones, in case she decides they have bad karma and decides to pour them into the shredder.

A to Z Challenge Day 13: M .  5 Stars Miss Emily the cat can’t catch anything!  William and Thomas are determined to help her be like other cats.  They decide that she just needs a few lessons on catching.  With the help of the local baseball coach they’re certain Miss Emily will finally learn.  [...]

I was dressed up and looking my best for Easter. Seersucker isn’t just for humans, you know! With the bunny ears or without, I think I looked awful pretty (which is way different than pretty awful). 

Mom is always careful that her stories are looking their best before she sends them anywhere. It’s almost like every day is Easter Sunday for a writer. A spelling mistake, a missing word, or a wrong homophone would be like a cracked egg.

A slow opening, a lame ending, or an unnecessary sentence would be like a basket filled with Easter grass and nothing else.

Epic fail.

Yesterday, when I was running around in circles and digging in the mulch and sniffing my friend, Lila in some unmentionable places, Mom said, “You can dress her up, but you can’t take her out.”  Stories are not like that, though.   Mom dresses her stories up in their Sunday best and then sends them out.

Bye-Bye stories. I hope everybody says you’re adorable.

Your intentions don’t create footprints, your actions do.

-S.Whyte-

My footprints are the CUTEST! They’re tiny and round with little marks from my little nails. When I walk in the wet grass, I leave perfect footprints in the street. When I get inside, Mom says, “Stand still.” and then she cleans my feet with a baby wipe, and it’s goodbye adorable footprints and hello feet that smell like baby powder.

Mom doesn’t like footprints OR intentions. She remembers a long time ago, when she was reading a story in Highlights Magazine. She said, “Cute story.” and “I totally could’ve written that!” and “What did you step in now? Ugh!” Then she got the baby wipes out - again!

Mom was absolutely right about Highlights. She COULD’VE written a cute story for them, but she DIDN’T and somebody else did. She had intentions, but what she needed was action. After reading and reading in Highlights and intending and intending to write, she finally took action. And guess what – the magical people at Highlights thought her story was great, and they bought it!  Ever since then, Mom writes all the time and sends stories and poems to tons of magazines for kids. Then she says, “Yay!” and “Look at my name in this magazine!” and “You’re filthy. Get in the bathtub.”

Goodbye footprints…..