If you have a little time to read, here's pictures of my book! Please enjoy the beautiful illustrations by Cece Colwel!
Here is the video of me reading the book to my students! It was a great experience, and I was able to connect the book with what the students were learning, which is why I talk about the colored zones. The different colors represent different emotions!
Today I got the chance to go back to Mrs. Hart's classroom, and time seemed to fly by! I really missed working with these kids because they are so special. I watched Mrs. Hart teacher her social group lesson, and she did such a great job! I was so impressed with her ability to connect her work to the students. One day, I want to be just like her! I got the opportunity to read my book to the students, and when I read it I was reminded of why I wrote it in the first place: because these kids need the help, and as I read it I felt like I inspired them. It felt like I really made a difference and explained to them why it's important, especially as I connected what I learned with the topics that Mrs. Hart had been teaching. Now, I want to share my book with more kids, and to every special behavior child. It isn't about winning an award at a competition. It is about changing lives, and for me, I feel like I have started to accomplish that: one Spunktacular and Special student at a time! I am working to upload a video. :)
I brought my finished book to the Educators Rising Competition, but it unfortunately didn't win an award. It was a little devastating because I felt like my hard work amounted to nothing, especially because I didn't receive adequate feedback. My score on the writing was a 14/20, which surprised me because the few comments I received were positive. But, if I were to edit this book, I would be cautious with my grammar and target kids' interests to make it more relatable to all students, not only those who struggle with behavior disorders. I think this would bring a new perspective to the text, as not all students struggle. It also could be possible to transform the problem of exclusion to something else. Although this was not a success for me, I am hopeful that I can use this experience to better influence my writing in the future and the students that it impacts.
|
Where to next?As of all journeys, we are traveling up and down hills, so hold onto your seats, as I will do my best to create the best children's book possible! Archives
March 2017
Categories |