Teachers Write - Weekly Reflection #3

It's the end of week 2 of Teachers Write and the start of week 3.  Jen Vincent (Teach Mentor Texts) has a reflection question up on her website, here. 

My Teachers Write Recap:

The photograph is one that I took as I was in Concord.  Writing is a journey and this path with the trees and the opening reminds me of taking that journey. Since I was traveling a lot last week, I did not get a lot of concentrated time to write but I felt that instead of writing with words, I was writing with images instead. 

While I was on my trip, I was looking for nuggets of inspiration that could be the basis for a story or two. As I am going through my photos and thinking about what I learned while on my trip, I think I do have a few seeds that I can germinate into stories. 

My road trip to Concord made me wonder about what it would have been like to live in a time and surrounded by some of the most influential thinkers and writers of the 19th century. Can a scene be created or even re-created about conversations that happened between Thoreau, Emerson, Hawthorne and Alcott for example?  Or what about the friendship between Ralph Waldo Emerson and a young Louisa May Alcott? Alcott's admiration and respect for Emerson was something that I had not been aware of until now. 

It will be these ideas that I play with during this 3rd week of Teachers Write.

Reflection Questions - Where do you write? 

As Jen talks about in her post, I would love a perfect writing spot, with just the right lighting, a big comfortable chair, and a beautiful view. However that is likely not in my immediate future. I, also, appreciate the quote from Stephen King about writing in the laundry room. Currently, I write from my couch at home or even from on top of my bed. Yet, writing from home can be difficult. I begin to think about things that need to be done, almost as if I would rather do chores than write.

Unlike some people, I can write in a coffee shop, though not all coffee shops are created equal.  Some are just way too busy and distracting, but there is a new place that I have found where I am hoping to hang out a couple of times a week and just write.  The cacophony of voices and background music in a coffee shop seem to form a type of white noise for me. And since I am in another location, my mind gets on board quicker than it does at home. 

As for music, I have discovered that I do not do as well with music in the background, particularly when i am writing from home.  Most of the time, I just enjoy the quiet.  However, sometimes, I will put one song on repeat and let it become both the tone and mood for my writing and the white noise to keep me focused. 

Goal for this week:

My goal for this week is to write for 30 minutes every day. I need to give myself permission to write 30 minutes of absolutely nonsense words if that is what it takes to write.  I find that I try to get the first line to be perfect and I cannot move onto the rest of my thoughts until that first line is completed. However, it is really stifling my creative process.  So, I am giving myself an opportunity to free write and not edit.  

Celebrate This Week - July 19, 2014

This year, I am trying to increase my awareness of the many good things that happen, which are frequently overlooked by me.  To help me, I am joining Ruth Ayers' Celebrate This Week.  

My celebration this week is my recent vacation.  Here are a few of the things I am celebrating as part of it....

Summer Vacation -

A couple of months ago, I realized that I have not really gone on a vacation in several years. I go to a couple of conferences each year and visit my family in Connecticut twice a year, but no true vacations. So, I decided to see about a possible literary mini-vacation. I invited my sister and aunt to join me. Fortunately, Eastern Massachusetts is not far from Connecticut, and has quite a rich literary history. 

As I googled possible places, I discovered that Concord, Massachusetts had a number of homes that belonged to some very influential writers, and thinkers of the 19th century. It was fun to learn more about Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and both Louisa May Alcott and her father, Bronson Alcott. 

In addition to a rich literary history, Salem, Concord, and Lexington have a wealth of our country's history too. 

Lunch with author, Melissa Stewart - 

Melissa is one of my favorite authors of nonfiction for children.  During my first week in Connecticut, Melissa and I worked on a presentation proposal. It was a bit like having a week of professional development as we worked through ideas and wrote up everything.  It turns out that Melissa lives close to where I was going to be for my vacation.  We ended up meeting for lunch at Nashoba Brook Bakery in Concord.  Since I failed to take a picture with Melissa, I created the collage below with a few pictures of her books on display at the Concord Bookstore. 

Summer and Ice Cream -

And ice cream was another part of our trip. New England seems to have quite a few places that have some of the best ice cream around.  (Believe it or not, all the photos below are kiddie cups.)

If you are so inclined, you can check out the rest of my vacation pictures below. 

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - A Home for Mr. Emerson

A Home for Mr. Emerson

by Barbara Kerley; Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham

Scholastic Press (February 25, 2014)

Nonfiction * Biography * American Writers

IndieBound | WorldCat

Teacher's Guide

Description from GoodReads:

From the award-winning creators of THOSE REBELS, JOHN & TOM, a joyful portrait of an American icon and an inspiring blueprint for how to live your life.

"All life is an experiment.
The more
experiments you make
the better."

Before Ralph Waldo Emerson was a great writer, he was a city boy who longed for the broad, open fields and deep, still woods of the country, and then a young man who treasured books, ideas, and people. When he grew up and set out in the world, he wondered, could he build a life around these things he loved?

This moving biography--presented with Barbara Kerley and Edwin Fotheringham's inimitable grace and style--illustrates the rewards of a life well-lived, one built around personal passions: creativity and community, nature and friendship.

May it inspire you to experiment and build the life you dream of living.

My thoughts on this book:

In honor of my recent trip to Massachusetts, I am sharing a few vacation pictures and some thoughts on Barbara Kerley's book A Home for Mr. Emerson. 

Emerson's Concord home was one of the sites I wanted to see while visiting Massachusetts. I have to admit that I did not know a lot about the famous American writer and thinker of the 19th century.  Sadly, it seemed that anything related to Emerson was not to be.  Notice the "closed" sign. 

I felt a bit weird trespassing since there was an actual fence around the property.  However, It didn't stop me from taking pictures of Emerson's home from the roadside.  I had this image in my mind as I read the book.  I love this quote about the house from Emerson included in the book. 

"But we shall crowd so many books and papers, and, if possible, wise friends, into it that it shall have as much wit as it can carry." 

Emerson loved his home, he loved Concord, and he loved the people.  In turn, they loved him. 

In the story, Kerley writes about a fire.  It is through the help and support of his neighbors and friends that so much of his belongings and writings survived the fire.  In Kerley's end notes, she indicates that during the repairs Emerson spent time at the Old Manse Home, as well as, overseas.

As I said, I was two for two in not getting to spend time visiting any of the places that he called home. There was a big "closed" sign at the Old Manse House too. 

The Old Manse home was a gathering place for many of the great thinkers and writers of that time.  Can you imagine a place where Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Bronson Alcott, Henry David Thoreau and many more would have spent time talking with one another? I would have loved to have listened in on these conversations. 

Since I was unable to visit Emerson's home or the Old Manse House, I did track down where Emerson's family burial plot was located. The cemetery was called Sleepy Hollow Cemetery (no connection with the one in NY and the Legend of Sleepy Hollow). 

Apparently, all these amazing writers & thinkers who were friends in real life were buried within walking distance of each other. Some were across the pathway from one another. 

I did manage to get to see Louisa May Alcott's home in Concord where she wrote Little Women. It was during this tour that I was able to get a glimpse not only into my favorite childhood writer but also in the character of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Below is a quote and a paraphrase of how Alcott felt about one of her favorite authors. 

"When the book-mania fell upon me at fifteen I used to venture into Mr. Emerson`s library and ask what I should read, never conscious of the audacity of my demand, so genial was my welcome." - Louisa May Alcott 

As I was on the tour of the Alcott home, the tour guide spoke of Louisa's sister Anna's wedding day.  At the wedding, Mr. Emerson gave the bride a kiss on her cheek in congratulations.  The guide said that Louisa, who never married, commented that she might actually consider marriage if she could also receive a kiss from Emerson. It was evident from the tour that Emerson was a beloved friend of the Alcott family and a wonderful, and kind man.  

And it is also evident from the work of Kerley and Fotheringham that they too discovered that Emerson was a well loved neighbor and friend.  Pick up a copy of A Home for Mr. Emerson at your local indie bookstore or library, and discover the amazing world of Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews:

Celebrate This Week - July 12, 2014

This year, I am trying to increase my awareness of the many good things that happen, which are frequently overlooked by me.  To help me, I am joining Ruth Ayers' Celebrate This Week.  

This week was quiet compared to my last few weeks, but here is what I am celebrating.

1.  Meeting long-distance swimmer, Diana Nyad - Yes, the Diana Nyad who successfully swam from Cuba to Florida last year. There is always a chance that you might run into someone famous when flying from Los Angeles to New York.  Most of the time I choose to respect the person's privacy and keep to myself.  However, when someone introduces herself to me, I am not going to be rude.  Ms. Nyad was very outgoing and friendly and our conversation while we waited for our planes to board was a lot of fun.   

2. My flight not being cancelled and actually making it from Los Angeles to New York.- Since they were predicting thunderstorms and rain on the east coast there was a concern that the flight might be cancelled. After a 3 hour delay, I made it onto the plane. The Virgin America staff were great and offered everyone free movies as a result of the inconvenience. And though, all the delays resulted in me not getting to my parents' home until 4 a.m., I was still glad that I had made it. 

3.  Hanging with my parents in Connecticut. - As my parents get older, I try to visit them twice a year.  My mother has multiple sclerosis and each time I am thankful to just see her. My dad is the other reader in our family. And I am always sharing something with him when I visit.  This trip I shared several graphic novels with him.  I don't think he has read any comic books since he was a kid, but I loved seeing him completely absorbed in reading. 

4. Breakfast, today, with Lynda Mullaly Hunt (One for the Murphys, Fish in a Tree).  - Last year at NCTE, I had a chance to meet Lynda for the first time.  I love her book - One for the Murphys, and excited to see that she has a new one coming out in February 2015.  Lynda found a great place for breakfast that was half-way between her home and my parents. And it even had a bookish theme - Huxley's Bookmark Café.  We had a delightful conversation around books, teaching, children and more.  I hope she makes it to Los Angeles for a visit at some point. 

5. Completing a proposal that I have been working on. - More news to follow in the near future. 

Book Review: Saving Lucas Biggs

Saving Lucas Biggs

by Marisa de los Santos, David Teague

HarperCollins Publishers (April 29, 2014)

Fiction * Mystery * Time Travel * Fantasy

Audience: Grades 5-8

Indiebound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads:

When thirteen-year-old Margaret's father is unfairly sentenced to death by the cruel Judge Biggs, she is determined to save him, even if it means using her family's secret-and forbidden-ability to time travel. With the help of her best friend, Charlie, and his grandpa Josh, Margaret goes back to a time when Judge Biggs was a young boy and tries to prevent the chain of events that transformed him into a corrupt, jaded man.

Carolyn's thoughts on this book:

The book opens with the main character, Margaret, watching as her father is handed down the death sentence for a crime he never committed. As a scientist, Margaret’s father was in charge of ensuring that the fracking done in their small Arizona town was done safely and legally. However, when he discovered that fracking was done neither safely nor legally, he revealed everything; in retribution, Victory Fuels (the energy company he worked for) framed him for arson and murder. There is one thing he has going for him, though: Margaret, like the rest of her family, possesses the ability to travel back in time. She travels back to the 1930’s , wherein an attempt to prevent a young Lucas Biggs from becoming the evil, bitter judge that she knows.

I loved the fascinating premise but also the beautiful solution presented to such a complicated situation. I appreciated that instead of acting in anger or retribution, Margaret decides to act with compassion and understanding. Because of her emotional maturity, Margaret is able to look past (pun intended!) the judge’s actions against her father to see that there is an underlying problem that goes back to his youth.  I found her sensitivity towards others and her actions to be a pleasant surprise; all too often, characters of her age are immature and lash out when upset (usually to teach the general lesson to “be in more control of your emotions”), but I also liked the subtle political messages.

While fracking wasn’t discussed too much in the book, Margaret’s father’s discovery and subsequent trial portrays fracking (and corporations) in a negative light. During her trip to the 1930’s, Margaret sees the sad results of the mistreatment of coal workers (when they go on strike to protest unfair treatment of an injured coal miner, they are fired and evicted); thus, corporations are portrayed as faceless entities that have the potential to use their power for evil.

Overall, Saving Lucas Biggs was a surprisingly excellent read. The mixture of time travel, modest political messages, and wonderful characters make it a perfect book for older kids, teens, and adults alike.