CHER N. GAUWEILER, PH.D.ST. PETERSBURG COLLEGETARPON SPRINGS, FLORIDA

Author to Author: Preservice Teachers and Children Unite to Write

In the beginning…

What they don't understand about birthdays and what they never tell you is that when you're eleven, you're also ten, and nine, and eight, and seven, and six, and five, and four, and three, and two, and one. And when you wake up on your eleventh birthday you expect to feel eleven, but you don't. You open your eyes and everything's just like yesterday, only it's today. And you don't feel eleven at all. You feel like you're still ten. And you are—underneath the year that makes you eleven…because the way you grow old is kind of like an onion or like the rings inside a tree trunk or like my little wooden dolls that fit one inside the other, each year inside the next one. (Sandra Cisneros, “Eleven”)

The Magic of Janet Stevens

Just passing it along…

When you attend the international conference I think you should stress the importance of how authors like Janet Stevens inspire teachers and students to become better writers, artists and readers. (Kristin, preservice teacher)

What’s happening with education?

Holding onto Good Ideas in a Time of Bad Ones by Thomas Newkirk

Sometimes the stars align…

Involvement in Pinellas Reading Council

+ Children’s Literature Class (EDE 4226) =

Funding…

Student Government Association…

The blank page…

“Creativity does not have any rules…there is no wrong way to do art…that is what makes art uncertain, and thus, uncomfortable. What if my art doesn’t turn out – or, worse yet, what will others think? – Janet Stevens

Still…

“Anything I did that was ultimately worth doing initially scared me to death.”

Motivation…

When I mentioned to them that they would be becoming authors and illustrators they couldn’t be more excited. They wanted details. I let them know that we would be writing a sequel to this book on what happens next. They wrote for at least 20 minutes with no talking to be heard in the room. Again these are Kindergarten children. When I brought the finished product in and they saw how REAL their book was they wanted to see it and touch it and read it. (Jennifer, preservice teacher)

More fun than school…

As a rule, these students don't enjoy writing, but I heard laughter, discussion and brainstorming as I circulated the classroom.  I discovered that when you use appealing literature in a fun format, the students will want to participate. Upon completion of the lesson, one female student approached me and said, "Thank you so much for coming today!  It was so much more fun that school!"  (Susan, preservice teacher)

In a classroom of ASD students, we spend a lot of time working with the students and focusing on our concerns for them. By creating this class book based on Help Me, Mr. Mutt, the students focused their concerns on themselves. We (the teachers) received new insight as to what they think about during their school day. And the kids got to make something that was all their own, enjoy puppet theater during read aloud, and be a part of something that extends beyond their world. How excited they are going to be when I show them that the author of their new favorite book has signed the book they created! (Laura, preservice teacher)

Puppet theater…

Age has no limits…

There were ups and downs as well as excitement and frustration. I learned that even the youngest students can come up with the most interesting ideas. They followed the story line and came up with all the ideas by themselves. The only thing I had to do was put their ideas into words on the paper. They loved writing and coloring and ALWAYS asked "Mrs. Shaw, when can we work on our project some more!?!?!?“

Passion…

It gave the students an opportunity to write about something passionately and with 100% full heart as they understood that an acclaimed author would be reading their book. (James, preservice teacher)