.
Breaking News:
April's poem, "When Mom Plays Just for Me" will appear on Children’s Poet Laureate Kenn Nesbitt's homepage www.PoetryMinute.org at 8:00am Eastern Time on Thursday, October 3 and will remain there for 24 hours, when it will be replaced by another poem. (April's poem will remain on the site but not on the home page.) Its permanent link (which won't work until 10-3-13):
http://www.poetryminute.org/when-mom-plays-just-for-me-by-april-halprin-wayland/Howdy Campers!
Remember to enter our
current giveaway of Alexis O'Neill's book,
The Kite That Bridged Two Nations ~
Welcome to another edition of
TeachingAuthors'...
Okay...raise your hand if you've never been bullied.
Yeah, me, too.
Mary Ann kicked off our discussion on bullying for
National Bullying Month (who knew?) with a deeply affecting post,
I Wonder What Happened to Todd: A Bully's Tale.
Bullies I've known remind me of turtles: mostly they stay in their civilized shells, and then, without warning, they stretch their heads out and snap off someone's finger.
I had to chair a meeting of a non-profit organization this weekend to decide what we were going to do about a member who is a bully.
I'll call our guy Bluto. Bluto, like the turtle, was usually friendly--he'd come early to set-up chairs, help collect dues, etc. Every once in a while, though, he'd explode at someone shy, someone weak, someone Not Important. In the latest incident, the atmosphere in our meeting was so toxic, people felt afraid for their safety. Things had clearly gone too far.
Attending a meeting to figure out how to handle Bluto was not on the top of my list of fun things to do on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Ahead of this would have been eating a porcupine, finding out my father was a single-celled alga, and staying in bed all day.
Staying in bed all day--
a great alternative to being a grown-up....
In preparation for this meeting, I spoke at length with an expert on disruptive behavior. I learned:
1) Bullies pick on people who are weaker than they are.
2) You need to stand up to a bully.
3) Be empathetic.
4) Create clear boundaries.
I can always use a good script. She gave me words to use (or not):
We need you to take a time out from our organization for six months. This is the natural consequence of your actions. We hope you understand. This is also hard for us. We're saddened. We hope you will use the next six months to work on this. At the end of six months, if you chose to come back (and we hope you do) we hope you'll have taken the opportunity to work on this. We'll meet with you and talk with you before you come back to a meeting. We hope you do work it out. People are afraid of you and you need to look at that. If you cannot, boy, we're sure going to miss you. This is a great loss for us. (Hug him.)
At the end of six months, here's what's expected: Civility. You can't yell. You can't create a threat. You need to listen.
Interestingly enough, during the meeting on what to do about Bluto, Mary Kate shot out an angry comment. At that moment I realized that I'm as afraid of Mary Kate as I am of Bluto. I remembered what I had learned from the expert, took a deep breath and said, "Could you not speak so angrily to me?"
Mary Kate's response was dramatic. She looked at me in surprise--almost as if I had awakened her from a dream. She apologized. During the rest of the meeting she was kinder to all of us than she'd ever been.
Amazing how that works. And that sense that I awakened a bully from a dream? That's sometimes how I feel when I eat too much...suddenly I wake up and say, "Whoa! I think we're finished with lunch!"
I wouldn't be surprised if bullying behavior was an addiction, like smoking, drinking, overeating, compulsive spending, hoarding, etc. Hmm.
So, today's
Wednesday Writing Workout focuses on 2013 National Bullying Month's theme
, The end of bullying begins with me.
Here's your writing workout:
1) Who
is a bully? Choose
Bluto (of the
Popeye fame),someone who once bullied you, or someone who intimidates you today.
2) Pretend that bully is in front of you now. Jot down how you feel or how you felt as a child facing that bully. Include details of the place, smells, physical sensations (has your stomach turned to acid? Are your palms sweaty?). Include weather, background noises you hear or can't hear because you're so frightened, what gives you courage or how you ate a box of cookies later to blot out the fear.
4) Now: make a boundary. Write what you wish you could have said to the bully. Scribble to your heart's content. Be annoyed. Be angry. Be clear. Tell that bully to BACK OFF!
5) That's your raw material. Now go ahead and write the bully story or poem you really, really
really need to write.
P.S: I'm pleased that one of my poems appears in the terrific book,
THE BULLY, THE BULLIED, THE BYSTANDER, THE BRAVE edited by David Booth and Larry Swartz (Rubicon Publishing)
~ posted by April Halprin Wayland who is no longer afraid of Tom P, from second grade.
.
Howdy Campers and happy Poetry Friday!
See the end of this post for a link to the Poetry Friday round-up at Amy LV's and for info on our Book Giveaway.
Today we're celebrating author Alexis O'Neill's newest book with Book Giveaway! Hark! Here comes Alexis now:
Yes, that's Alexis wearing the crown--and she deserves it as the author of
THE RECESS QUEEN (Scholastic),
THE WORST BEST FRIEND (Scholastic),
LOUD EMILY (Simon and Schuster),
ESTELA'S SWAP (Lee
& Low) and her newest offspring,
THE KITE THAT BRIDGED TWO NATIONS:
Homan Walsh And The First Niagara Suspension Bridge
(Calkins Creek). She's also written fiction and nonfiction for
Cricket, Spider, Cobblestone, Calliope, Faces, and
Odyssey.
I've known Alexis since
Janet Wong founded the
Children's Authors Network (CAN!) during the classical era of the children's literature movement.
Alexis is an absolutely amazing teacher. In one memorable workshop, she taught CAN! authors how to create and present teacher inservices. It was an extraordinary presentation and it formed how I respond and present to teachers to this day.
Alexis has golden credentials in the field of education: she's a former elementary teacher with a Ph.D. in teacher education, she's an instructor for the
UCLA Extension Writer’s Program, a museum education consultant, a
Regional Advisor for SCBWI in California, and a contributor to the
SCBWI Bulletin, writing her column, “
The Truth About School Visits.” Her blog,
www.SchoolVisitExperts.com, offers practical advice to published authors and illustrators who are trying to navigate the world of public appearances.
This August, she was named
SCBWI Member of the Year --and though it was a complete surprise to her (though to no one else), she sang a sea shanty as she accepted the award.
Because that's who Alexis is--generous, original and dramatic. It's as if her goal is always to bring the classroom, the auditorium, fellow authors--whoever is around--together. As if she is a shepherd and we are the community she's teaching and keeping safe.
This is Alexis, keeping us safe.
Her new book,
THE KITE THAT BRIDGED TWO NATIONS: HOMAN WALSH AND THE FIRST NIAGARA SUSPENSION BRIDGE (Calkins Creek, September 2013) tells the true, dramatic story of how an ordinary boy earned an extraordinary place in history, using his kite to lay the first line for the first suspension bridge at Niagara Falls in the winter of 1848. Watch this 1:42 minute book trailer for a taste of the book:
So, Alexis, how did you become a TeachingAuthor?
I’ve been a
TeachingAuthor all my life! As a kid, I convinced my dad to hang a blackboard in the garage and persuaded the neighborhood kids to sit in my “class.” After school, I wrote (and sold) a neighborhood newspaper which I composed on my mom’s portable typewriter. As a grown up, I’ve taught elementary school students, teacher education candidates, and, as a published author, writers.
What's a common problem/question that teachers or students have and how do you address it?
Students of all ages are so afraid of being “wrong.” My advice to them is to just play with words! Don’t worry about what other people think of your work. Can’t find a word? Make it up! Or make a mark to come back to that spot later. Just mess around, and in that mess, you might find the seed of an idea that can sprout into a full-blown piece of writing that you will want to share later on. To address this problem when we do writing exercises, I tell students up front that no one will collect their writing – and that they can decide when and what they will share with the group.
Was there a moment in your life when you knew you were a writer?
The moment I knew I was a writer was when my sixth grade teacher read my report on Ireland out loud to the class. Instead of a dry, factual presentation, I had “pretended,” in my narrative, to be a tour guide who was taking the whole class with her on a trip. First, I was surprised that he read it out loud, then I was really surprised when, at recess, my classmates came up to me and said how much they liked what I had written. That’s when a big light bulb went on over my head. “Wow! I can write for an audience, and not just for my teacher!” I thought.
From that moment on, I made all of my reports as creative as possible. For example, my report on the Alamo was told from the point of view of the only survivor (there were none in reality, but that didn’t stop me.) Now I know I was writing historical fiction. But I kept doing this, and teachers kept reading my work out loud in my classes. The birth of a writer – writing for an audience and not just for a grade from my teachers!
And finally, since it's Poetry Friday in the Kidlitosphere, do you have an original poem you'd like to share with our readers?
THE FALLS
by Alexis O'Neill
I am thunder and roar
I am rain and river
Green and white magnificence.
You try to tame me
and you fail.
In barrel and boat
I spin you,
plunge you
crush you,
drown you.
A filmy fairy curtain?
Not I!
A lacy veil?
Not I!
I gnaw at rock
bite through cliffs
claw the very bed
across which I race
oceanward.
Out of my way!
I am the great Niagara
poem © 2013 Alexis O’Neill. All rights reserved
Wow--what a powerful waterfall of words! Thank you for stopping by and thank you for offering our readers a chance to win a copy of your new book (details below), Alexis!
Here's a peek at Alexis's touring schedule for A Kite that Bridged Two Nations. Be sure to visit her at AlexisONeill.com, follow her on Twitter, and friend her on FaceBook.
And now, for the Book Giveaway details:
We use Rafflecopter. If you've never entered a Rafflecopter giveaway, you may want to read their info on how to enter a Rafflecopter giveaway and/or the difference between signing in with Facebook vs. with an email address.
To enter for a chance to win an autographed copy of The Kite That Bridged Two Nations log into Rafflecopter below (via either Facebook or an email address). You'll see that we've provided three different options for entering the giveaway--you can pick one or up to all three.
The more options you choose, the greater your chances of winning. While
we haven't made it a requirement for entering, we hope that everyone will WANT to subscribe to the TeachingAuthors
blog. We give you several ways of doing so in the sidebar, for example,
via email, Facebook Networked Blogs, Jacketflap, Bloglovin', etc.
If you're already a TeachingAuthors subscriber, you need only click on the first option below and tell us how you follow our blog, which will give you THREE entries in the giveaway! (If you received this post via email, you can click on the Rafflecopter giveaway link below to enter.)
As it says in the "Terms and Conditions," this giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.
You must be 18 or older to enter. And please note: email addresses will
only be used to contact winners. The giveaway will run from now through October 9, 2013.
If you have any questions about the giveaway, feel free to email us at teachingauthors [at] gmail [dot] com.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Posted by April Halprin Wayland with help from the Link Fairy.
So you have a written and successfully gotten a publisher to offer you a contract. Now is the time to start thinking of how you plan to market your book. One of the first things that comes to mind are school visits, but you could use some help in figuring out how to maneuver that whole avenue. Well, I am going to point you to a great site – School Visits Experts. Once you visit them I am sure you will agree they share great information on there site. It was founded by Alexis O’Neill. You may already know Alexis, since she has been the SCBWI Regional Advisor in California for the last 18 years and has helped so many children’s writers and illustrators. I know everyone who reads the SCBWI Bulletin and everyone on the West Coast knows Alexis, but for those who live in other places, have a stack of SCBWI Bulletins waiting to be read, or haven’t read one of her books, this might be your first encounter with Alexis.
ALEXIS O’NEILL is the author of THE RECESS QUEEN(Scholastic), THE WORST BEST FRIEND (Scholastic), LOUD EMILY (Simon & Schuster), ESTELA’S SWAP (Lee & Low), THREE IRISH TALES (Kindle), and other award-winning picture books as well as a museum education consultant and an instructor for the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program. Her nonfiction works have been published in Spider, Cobblestone, Calliope, Faces, and Odyssey. Her newest book, THE KITE THAT BRIDGED TWO NATIONS: HOMAN WALSH AND THE FIRST NIAGARA SUSPENSION BRIDGE (Calkins Creek Books, September 2013) will be launched this fall at Niagara Falls in both New York and Ontario, Canada. Alexis writes “The Truth About School Visits” column for the SCBWI Bulletin, offering advice to published authors and illustrators on the art and business of doing presentations. www.alexisoneill.com . www.SchoolVisitExperts.com .
She was also the recipient of the California Reading Association’s Dr. Marcus Foster Memorial Award 2010 for making significant and outstanding contributions to reading throughout California. www.californiareads.org
Thought I would share this book trailer for Alexis new book, since I’m always pointing out good trailer, so a little bit will wash off on you and help you down the road. Here is the book trailer for The Kite That Bridged Two Nations — coming September 2013!
Here’s Alexis:
Mistake #1. Opening weakly
Solution: Get attention! Invite the audience in immediately with a startling statement or image, a communal action (singing, chanting, clapping in rhythm) – anything that commands attention and shows the kids that the program is in your capable hands.
Mistake #2. Being unaware of audience reaction
Solution: Learn to “read” the room. Are kids getting restless? Beginning to chat? Turning away from your presentation? Time to switch up the content or pace and get them refocused.
Mistake #3. Speaking too softly, quickly or monotonously
Solution: Practice breathing, projecting, slowing the pace and speaking with lots of expression. Even if you think you have a voice like a foghorn, it will sound strained to those in the back of the multipurpose room. Be sure to use a microphone. And don’t talk to the screen or easel – face your audience.
Mistake #4. Using visuals or props that are hard to see
Solution: Aim for the kids in the back of the room. Make props oversize. Be sure everyone has a clear view of your props and the screen.
Mistake #5: Going overtime
Solution: Appoint a timekeeper to give you warnings at 10 minutes, 5 minutes and the end. Keep your eye on the clock so that you can adjust your pacing.
Mistake #6. Failing to create an ending with impact or with a call to action
Solution: If you like to incorporate a Q & A into your assembly, don’t end with it – place it just before the ending. Wrap up by sending the group out with one last anecdote, a summary of the points you made in your presentation or an appeal for them to do something (Be sure to read! Write! Start a book club!)
SchoolVisitExperts.com is a place for published and soon-to-be-published authors & illustrators to find and share advice on how to create and deliver quality programs for kids, teachers and librarians. This is the place to find guidance on
- Designing meaningful programs
- Managing the business side of school visits
- Getting hired
- Evaluating the impact of your program
- Working effectively with children, teachers, librarians, booksellers, and hosts
The ultimate purpose of SchoolVisitExperts.com is to help you deliver presentations that have a positive, meaningful and motivational benefit for students, teachers, librarians, educational specialists, administrators and parents, increase your visibility and assist you in your quest to secure engagements.
For Advice on how to start looking for a school visit, read this article from Alexis: http://schoolvisitexperts.com/?p=589
Talk tomorrow,
Kathy
Filed under:
Advice,
article,
demystify,
How to,
reference Tagged:
Alexis O'Neill,
SCBWI,
School Visit Experts,
school visits,
The Kite That Bridged Two Nations 
If you have the opportunity to visit the Ventura County Museum - now it the time! Six local children’s authors and illustrators are being be featured in an exhibit called, “Picture This! The Magic of Children’s Books.” The exhibit will be at the museum until July 5th. Fans of children's literature will be delighted to experience the art and writing of Mary Ann Fraser (Mermaid Sister), Carol Heyer (Humphrey’s First Christmas), Alexis O'Neill (The Recess Queen) Amada Irma Perez (My Very Own Room), Jody Fickes Shapiro (Apple Picking Time), and Caldecott Award Winner, Simms Taback (Joseph Had a Little Overcoat.)
If you would like to meet some of the authors and illustrators in person, stop by on May 17th. Alexis O'Neill, Carol Heyer, and Jody Fickes Shapiro will be featured. Book signing will be available and art activities are also planned. The event is from 1:00-3:00. Best of all, it's free!
Many local supporters, including SCBWI members, helped to celebrate the opening of "Picture This! The Magic of Children's Books." The photo above features Jean Castaing, Barbara Bietz, Eloise Freeman, Dianne White, Tina Nichols Coury, Alexis O'Neill, and Yuki Yoshino (courtesy of Jean Castaing).
The Museum of Ventura County is located at 89 South California Street, Ventura, CA 93001. For more information, go to www.venturamuseum.org
Busy is a word reserved for the few, the proud, the busy. But when you are so busy, you cannot pursue your complete pursuit of happiness… Sometimes you have to change the order of the to-do list.
Easier said than done, when the government has deadlines, and bill collectors have their deadlines, and publishers have their deadlines. When they all converge at once, it sometimes helps to apply that old test-taking philosophy: Do the easy questions first, then go back to the hard ones if you have time at the end of the test.
So, after doing the fun, but tiring things (like volunteer for ISU Skating Worlds), and the pressing things (like finishing up work on “Breaking Bad”), my April Fools Day was spent doing taxes.
I also managed to fit one more thing in– a revision that I am actually happy with on my manatee picture book. I have been wrestling with the concept of this book for years, going through many critiques from fellow writers and editors alike — and I am going to declare that I found it’s voice. It’s truer to me now, and I know there will be editorial revisions in the future, but finally to me the story is clear. It hit me as I did the dummy on it, and with the non-verbal “editing” skills that I use at work with ease, I cut and pasted my way to the heart of the story.
Thanks to Alexis O’Neill and the blank book from Santa Barbara retreat, it has been my work horse.
When I got home from my taxes appointment and flipped on the t.v. - this is what I saw:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lacanada-crash2-2009apr02,0,6454829.story
I have gone to several Writer 2 Writer events here, and was thinking of doing a birthday detour to it this Sunday…I hope the bookstore and everyone who worked there can survive something as freakish as this. My sympathies go out to those hurt and to the families of the victims of the crash.
Posted in Kid Lit, Other Trains of Thought Tagged: Alexis O'Neill, Busy, Flintridge Book Store
point taken….. lol
Thanks for sharing your story of an adult bully, April, and for this great writing workout.
Congrats regarding your poem appearing on the Children's Poet Laureate site AND another in the anti-bullying collection. You are one BUSY TA!
This is a great post, April. (Hi, Carmela!) There's been so much focus on bullying in schools, but more attention needs to be paid to the ways adults bully.