December, 2012

Thoughts on the Common Core Standards: English Edition

There’s been a lot of chatter about the new Common Core Standards. We have a set for English and a set for mathematics. As a math teacher who writes novels, I have thoughts about both, but I’ll focus on the English standards for this post.

The big attention-getter for these new standards is that it calls for more reading of informational, non-fiction texts, going from 50% of reading material in elementary school and gradually increasing to 70% in high school.

That’s where the chatter comes in. Many are upset about the units on classic literature, beloved favorites, and poetry getting cut from the curriculum, as noted in articles here and here.

I have thoughts on both sides of this. I’ve seen personally that students are definitely lacking in their ability to read text for factual information, to reason through technical material. I agree that more focus on developing these types of reading skills is necessary.

I also agree that nurturing a love of reading for pleasure is important. Reading fiction has boundless benefits, especially for children and teenagers.

I’ve heard some say that technical reading is for science class. Basically, let the science teachers handle all that, along with the social studies teachers for historical documents. Leave the English teachers to focus exclusively on the fiction side.

On the other side, content area teachers say they don’t teach reading and writing—that’s the English teacher’s job.

Which side do I fall on? Both, or neither.

From my time working in a school for the deaf, I have it ingrained in me that all teachers are language arts teachers. We don’t all cover all aspects of language equally, but we all have parts we can build up, develop, and reinforce. I see no reason that shouldn’t carry over to non-deaf education.

At the same time, English teachers are in more of a position to focus deeply on the nuances of non-fiction, informational writing without splitting as much attention with the concepts and other skills to be mastered. They also have more training in the teaching of reading and writing.

So ideally, a balance between both. Teachers brainstorming about texts that fit within their curricula, including English class. Working together. Supporting each other.

As much as I love fiction, it’s not the be-all, end-all.

As much as I love math and science, they’re not the be-all, end-all.

So my first step? Try to open some dialogue with the English teachers at my school … because without Twitter, I wouldn’t have even known as much as I do about these new standards.

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Another Contest? But Wait, This One’s Weird!

If you’re anything like me, you probably find it easier to rave about your critique partners’ work than your own. Maybe even easier to pitch theirs than ours. To explain how that skill could come in handy, we interrupt our regularly scheduled blog posts for a message from Mindy McGinnis.

I know what you’re thinking.

Another contest? Seriously? But I absolutely despise all these chances to expose my work to agents!

Well, don’t worry. Because I’m me, when I decided to do a contest I knew I had to make it Mindy-Style, which means it had to be different from everyone else and slightly offensive. I wracked my brain about how to do this, as there are a plethora of writing contests out there. And I came up with something that I think fulfills the Mindy-Style requirements.

Introducing the Pitch-A-Partner Festival! Yes, that’s right, it’s the PAPfest. Coming at you during the month of February 2013. Why February? Well, because you want to show your partner you love them, and also because I have a badly timed reoccurring annual exam that makes me think February = PAPfest.

When it comes to my writing I value my Critique Partners above all else. My CPs deserve a lot of credit for helping to improve my craft, and I’m sure there are a lot of aspiring authors out there who feel the same. So what better way to show them you love them than to pitch their project? Don’t worry, there’s something in it for both of you.

I dragged my CPs, MarcyKate Connolly and R.C. Lewis, into the PAPfest as co-hosts, because it’s only fitting. In our model, writers will pitch their critique partner’s project, and our team will decide whose pitching abilities are so strong that we’re interested in seeing their own project. And of course, if the premise of the partner’s project is so enticing that we can’t help ourselves, we’re free to request material from them as well.

The blogging team will narrow the final hopefuls down to 30 entries, at which point we’ll ask our participating agents to cruise our blogs to bid on projects that catch their eye. We’ve got an excellent team of agents lined up, both established and brand-new hungry types.

• The PAPfest is open to completed MG & YA projects of any genre
• Be sure to have your CP’s permission before pitching them
• If CP-X successfully pitches CP-Y, then CP-Y gets a query critique, and we ask for the first 5 pages of CP-X’s ms to use in determining who moves on to agent judging
• 100 initial entries accepted
• 30 finalists move on to agent judging
• Finalists will provide query & first 200 words for agent judging

Are you confused? That’s OK. We’re planning on walking you through the process as February gets closer. All kinds of fun things are in store to clarify all your questions. I mean that. I intend to amuse the hell out of you while explaining this contest.

Why am I telling you this now? Because I want you to stress over the holidays.

Not really. I’m telling you this now because it’s important that you have your CP’s permission to pitch their project—they’ll be getting a query crit out of the deal (and possibly a request for more if we’re hooked by their concept, pitched by you). And of course in order for you to pitch something in the first place, you need to have read it. So polish off your WIPs or breathe new life into a trunked novel and get that ms in front of your CP!

Stay tuned to Writer, Writer, Pants on Fire for more details! And feel free to ask questions, always. Comment on one of the participating blogs, email Mindy, or tweet using the tag #PAPfest.

And yes, I’d love to see that trending. 🙂

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Laser-Guided Ears and Conquering Copiers

When we think of talents, we often think of the obvious. Someone’s good at drawing or writing or singing or playing an instrument. The arts come up a lot. Or they’re an amazing runner, swimmer, or basketball player. Sports come up a lot, too.

I have some of those. I imagine many of you reading this post do as well. But I have other talents that are much more rarely acknowledged. My secret superpowers.

In my years of working in schools, I’ve yet to meet a copy-machine paper jam I couldn’t unravel. And in a classroom with nearly forty teenagers, I can hear a student use an inappropriate word from twenty feet.

I know, I should get Lynn Phillips to draw me as a superhero, right?

Okay, maybe not so much.

My paper-jam and other tech-related powers mostly come down to an ability to read directions. Or in the case of copy machines, the ability to decipher cryptic diagrams that think they’re showing you what to do under the ridiculous assumption you can tell which portion of the machine is represented in the drawing.

I really doubt my hearing is all that good. In fact, given the volume I’ve been known to set the music in my car to, I’m pretty sure there’s at least a little damage in my cochlea. It’s just often the kids whose voices carry best (and who have a natural tendency to loudness) who go blurting things they shouldn’t.

But the kids sure seem to think it’s amazing that I can hear them. And the other teachers definitely don’t mind when some of us know what to do with the new machine. So I’ll bask in it a little longer.

Do you have any uncelebrated “superpowers”? Go on and brag and a little.

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‘Tis the Season for Good News from Friends!

It’s been a good week for several of my friends on AgentQuery Connect.

First off, MarcyKate Connolly finally got to shout from the rooftops about news she’s been sitting on for-e-ver. (At least, I imagine it feels like it to her.) Her debut Monstrous will be published by Harper Children’s in 2014. Oh, and in the process, it’s going to morph from young adult to middle grade. I read and critiqued for her before she started querying, and I’m looking forward to seeing the changes. MarcyKate definitely has the chops to pull it off.

The same day, Stephanie Diaz announced her own book deal. Extraction, the first book of her YA sci-fi trilogy, will be published by St. Martin’s in 2014. I read some of this early on in a critique group, and I’m RIDICULOUSLY excited to read the whole thing.

Why do we have to wait?! (Yeah, I know, you have to wait for mine, too.)

Speaking of waiting, we also know exactly how long we have to wait for Mindy McGinnis‘s debut, Not a Drop to Drink. She has a release date of September 9, 2013. If you haven’t heard how her editor describes it, think Little House on the Prairie … on steroids.

As for someone who doesn’t have to wait much longer, Robert K. Lewis (no relation, a.k.a. Thrownbones) got his very first ARCs for Untold Damage. (Those are advance reader copies.) They’re real, tangible objects with pages and covers and everything!

If you’re on Goodreads, you can add the books to your To Be Read list using the links below.

Monstrous by MarcyKate Connolly

Extraction by Stephanie Diaz

Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis

Untold Damage by Robert K. Lewis

Who’s going to be next with some good news?

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Mathematical Constipation

Have you ever had some kind of information you were trying to take in, but your brain just clenched up and would NOT let it in?

Yeah, I think I’m going to create some interesting visuals in this post.

I have students who go through this all the time. They’ve decided they don’t get math, so they won’t get math. Sometimes it’s because someone (even a previous math teacher) told them they couldn’t.

Excuse me. Must calm down the rage.

Other times, the mental block is self-inflicted. I have one particular student who spends so much time and energy declaring she doesn’t get it and complaining about how hard it is, her brain forms a rubber wall my words bounce right off of.

Once I get her to slow down, take a breath, and listen, she gets it fine. I’m trying to get her to stop “clenching up” … to relax and believe that even if she doesn’t get it instantly, she will get it eventually.

Sometimes the old, trite sayings are true. Try this one on:

If you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re probably right.

Habits are hard to break, though. Getting students to loosen up their brain cells isn’t easy. Building confidence in people who are at a stage of life where they’re hormonally inclined to beat up on themselves is … well, not impossible, but there are days where it almost feels that way.

I’m not into blowing sunshine at kids. I’m not going to tell them they’re a math genius when they’re not. I will tell them honestly that math doesn’t come easily to them, and that’s okay, because they CAN get it. They just have to let themselves. And put in a little work (or a lot).

Anyone have other ideas on getting this through to kids?

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