Random Acts of Writing

What Makes a Writer a Writer?

It's probably more honest to title this musing "What makes me a writer" or "What should/am I doing to be a writer", even "...to become a published writer" (cuz inclusion in my college and high school literary magazines doesn't really count.)

As of this afternoon, here are my answers:

1) Write

2) Revise

3) Read writing by good/great writers (and/or if I don't like the writing I'm reading, think about why.)

In supplement to these basic practices, the following seem to be helpful as well:

a) Connect with other writers

b) Critique their work, and be critiqued by them

c) Attend select writers conferences and/or programs. (I recently had a great week at Vermont College's Postgraduate Writer's Conference, and plan to attend SCBWI Michigan's event in October)

I hesitate to add d) Read books about writing, because for many many years I read writing books but didn't write. Okay, I journaled, but didn't take the next step.  So, approach the reading about writing with caution.

Your thoughts?

- aae

Special Guest for Autism Preconference

I am thrilled to announce that Nora Baskin, the award-winning author of Anything But Typical will join me and Patty Saidenburg in presenting the Library Service for Preschool through Elementary Aged Children along the Autism Spectrum preconference at ALA on June 25.

 The hardcover edition    The new paperback

There's still time to register for this program at The American Library Association's annual conference in Washington, DC!

Friday, June 25, 1:30-4:30 p.m.

As a follow-up to the ALA 2009 program "Serving Students along the Autism Spectrum" this preconference will focus on specific activities for librarians working with ASD children, in both school and public library settings. This hands-on interactive workshop will feature the following:

·       An overview of the Autism Spectrum Disorder, and related behaviors seen in children

·       General guidelines of creating programming for ASD children

·       Specific examples of programs and activities for ASD children in libraries

·       Discussion of support of ASD children’s families and caregivers in the library setting

 
 

Holly Black at the ISS Social

Attention independent school librarians, and/or people who like to hang out with independent school librarians:

At the ALA conference, where the tribe gathers annually to bond, debate, and grab as many ARCS as possible, the Independent School Section (ISS) of AASL is hosting several greatevents, including a tour of local schools, a dinner out, an autism preconference, and the ever popularISS Social. Which brings me to the point of this post.

The fabulous and prolific author Holly Blackwill be a guest speaker at the ISS social, Sunday 6/27 - 1:30 - 3 p.m.  Ms. Black has written middle grade stories, YA novels, short stories and graphic novels. She's also served as editor of story collections. Her books include the Spiderwick Chronicles, The Good Neighbors graphic novel series, Geektastic, and newly released, The Poison Eaters.

So, if you are an independent school librarians, or just want hang out with us and hear Holly, please be sure to preregister for this special event. 

 


 
 

Autism Preconference at ALA Annual 2010 in DC

Attention librarians working in school or public libraries:

Are some of your young users along the Autism Spectrum Disorder?  Have you been yearning for a program to help you work effectively with these children with mind differences and developmental challenges?  Please consider attending the following preconference program at the American Library Association's annual conference in Washington DC this summer. 

Library Service for Preschool through Elementary Aged Children along the Autism Spectrum
led by Alison Ernst and Patty Saidenburg
Friday, June 25, 1:30-4:30 p.m.

As a follow-up to the ALA 2009 program "Serving Students along the Autism Spectrum" this preconference will focus on specific activities for librarians working with ASD children, in both school and public library settings. This hands-on interactive workshop will feature the following:

• An overview of the Autism Spectrum Disorder, and related behaviors seen in children

• General guidelines of creating programming for ASD children

• Specific examples of programs and activities for ASD children in libraries

• Discussion of support of ASD children’s families and caregivers in the library setting

The program fee varies depending on your ALA membership level (if any) and ranges from $79 - $184. 

Click here for more American Association of School Libraries preconference offerings 

For more information please see the ALA Annual Conference Registration site.

Please also share this information with others who might be interested.  Hope to see you in DC!

Pecan Pie Lava - A Thanksgiving Hazard

It is only Thanksgiving eve, and the dinner preparation mishaps have already begun.

It started benignly enough. I thought there were two pie plates in my cupboard. Alas, there was but one. Undeterred, I pressed a tart pan into service, the kind with the bottom that pops out. The pumpkin pie, which takes longer to bake, would go in the official pie plate. The pecan would bake in the tart pan. I dutifully put cookie trays (ones with no edges) under the baking pies to keep any filling spilling contained.

It turns out that the pecan pie did not want to be in the tart pan. The crust (a gluten-free attempt at dough) combined with the corn syrupy filling to produce a substance similar to molten lava. Copious amounts of this matter flowed to the bottom of the oven. I could almost hear it gloat “Cookie sheet? I laugh at your cookie sheet!” as it had its way with the heating element.

I removed the pecan tart/pie (with cloth potholders) and thought it would be a good idea to separate the pan from the cookie sheet (to which is was firmly adhered). I was wrong. Oh folly! Oh frizzle! Oh fudge! I now have some impressive blisters along the side of my left thumb, where the filling/lava and my skin connected for far to long.

Oh what will tomorrow, the day of cooking the 15-pound bird, crafting stuffing, smashing potatoes, bring? I really will try to be careful…

Live from "Partnership for 21st Century Skills" program @ AASL

Rumor has it Mark Twain said something to the effect of "don't let your schooling get in the way of education"

Are our students:

-       critical thinkers

-       problem solvers

-       good communicators

-       good collaborators

-       information & technology literate

-       flexible & adaptable

-       innovative & creative

-       globally competent

-       financially literate

For more info see: http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/

AASL is Imminent!

The American Association of School Librarians 14th National Conference is on!  This coming weekend thousands of librarians will descend upon the sleepy hamlet of Charlotte, North Carolina. Once there, the hordes will meet and talk and learn and hobnob and recharge and get overwhelmed and reflect.

I have the honor and pleasure of participating in providing several conference activities.  I'll be wing-woman to ISS chair Cheryl Steele, who is hosting the Independent School Section's Social on Thursday 11/5.  Over 100 people have registered for this event!  On Saturday 11/7 I'll participate in two programs, the first with Patt Moser and David Loertscher:

Learning Commons, Information Commons, Library Media Center - What's in a Name? 

What is an Information Commons? A Learning Commons? And is there any difference between these and the Library Media Center?  What library models currently used in Higher Education are applicable to the K-12 world? What does all this have to do with Information literacy? Join your colleagues for a spirited discussion about the evolution and possibilities of "The Library" in our schools.  

And the second with a whole bunch of folks, led by Dorcas Hand, our fearless editor:

INDEPENDENCE: Leadership to Learning, Information, and Access in Independent School Libraries 

Program to feature ten chapter authors for a forthcoming Libraries Unlimited book on Independent School Libraries, topics include Library 2.0, accreditation issues, advocacy in a broader context, library communities of support, bridging library skills between levels, and programs beyond the curriculum. Author/speakers are all practicing librarians in independent schools nationwide who will offer a breadth of experience to support their insights in to best practices as we look  further into the 21st century.

Let the learning continue!

Why Barnes & Noble is great for latte but sucks for research

Let me say at the start that I like B&N. I like that in any city I find myself in, chances are good a familiar and predictable Barnes & Noble bookstore will be there. It's a great place to spend some time, to browse bestsellers, and use the now-free wifi whilst sipping an extra hot decaf mocha (my personal favorite). But B&N is not, I repeat NOT a place for book related research (unless you are interested in observing people, how people move through & B&N bookstore, and/or in what manner they utilize the cafe space.)

I know better. I'm a librarian by profession and inclination. Though some libraries are considering a more bookstore-based display system, I'm a big fan of keeping the current classification systems. Dewey Decimal, Library of Congress and an online catalog make locating a particular book easy peasy.  Really.  I just spent the past hour in B&N trying to locate several children's picture book for an MFA project. In a good public library it would take maybe 5 minutes, 10 tops to locate the 3 titles I eventually found here at B&N. But that's okay. I came for the coffee, the no-direct-cost-to-me internet access and thought I might find a few more books for my MFA project.  It's good reminder...independent booksellers, chain bookstores and libraries all have their purpose and place.

And now, back to my latte (which costs me less than one at a stand alone Starbucks thanks to my B&N member card.)             - aae

Back at Boarding School

Not that I have a flock of readers who desperately missed my entries about the library world or fresh produce, but I'm back to blogging. The tsunami that is the beginning of the private boarding high school year, welcoming back and settling in 640 students, has swept through this campus and my life. The students are mostly New Englanders but plenty come from around the U.S. and the wider world.  In my advisee group, which meets once a week, I have kids from China, Switzerland, as well as Vermont, New Jersey, Connecticut and cosmopolitan Greenfield, Massachusetts (no disrespect to this fair city.) The past 4 weeks have been nonstop immersion - all teens all the time. Not to mention the abrupt transition those who work the academic year face, no time for summer vacation withdrawal when one slams back-to-school.

Boarding school life is an odd little subculture of the private school universe, which is itself tiny.  Something like 1% of students in this nation (U.S.) attend a private school.  I will wait for my retirement from working at this lovely and complex New England boarding school before writing (thinking out loud) about the experience in general and this institution in particular. But for the moment I will reflect on a rather lovely experience I had last evening, a unique boarding school high school moment.

I had ASA duty. Assisting with Student Activities. Translation: helping to chaperone weekend non-academic things for the young people.  All faculty at my school are expected to participate. The ASA duty I was assigned to was helping monitor an "after hours" dodge ball tournament pitting dorms (divided along gender lines) against each other. I was dreading it. It started at 10 p.m. on a Friday night, which is when I usually hope to be in bed with a good book. But I showed up in the gymnasium as scheduled, along with 6 other faculty colleagues. The students had not arrived yet, so a couple folks started shooting baskets, and I ended up bashing a volleyball around with a few others.  This was the sight that met the students as they sauntered in, us grownups playing.   

One side of the gym was for the boys' dorm matches, the other for the girls'. Brackets drawn on giant post-it notes helped organize the chaos of adolescent warriors. Spectators crowded the sidelines as dodge balls hurled through space. I found my self jumping up, yelling and pointing whenever a caught ball sent another kid to the sidelines. Students not involved in the games or the spectating shot hoops and threw other spherical objects at each other.

In short, it was fun. I had fun. Spending an hour on a Friday night with a gym full of teenagers who were playing, talking, laughing, posing, running, sitting, shouting, watching, participating.   It was an exquisite way to be with 100+ young people. 

Image from: http://ccumc.net/407482.ihtml

School Library Journal Article About Autism

A day or two before facilitating the Serving Students Along the Autism Spectrum program at ALA 09 in Chicago, I received a call from SLJ reporter Debra Lau Whelan. She was working on a piece about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and got wind of the ISS/AASL program.  I was very glad to talk with Deb, and to put her in touch with Bernadette Nowakowski, director of children’s and young adult services at the Chicago Public Library, who is doing great work with the TAP program training librarians in the CPL system.

Check out the School Library Journal Article: The Equal Opportunity Disorder by Debra Lau Whelan, in the August 1, 2009 online issue.

The stars are aligning, or more accurately, interested librarians all over the US are doing the footwork necessary to develop and provide responsive services to individuals and families impacted by the Autism Disorder Spectrum.

Battle on!