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May 15, 2018

Three Authors to Read (and Know) This Summer

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    I don’t know about you, but I love stories about authors. I think that when I get a little tidbit about them that I somehow know them, which enhances my relationship with their books. Yes, I have relationships with the books I read. Have you felt that way, too? Here are three authors, with a book by each that I think you should read this summer, and a little story that will help you see them as people, not just authors.

Larry Ferlazzo

The ELL Teacher’s Toolbox: Hundreds of Practical Ideas to Support Your Students

    Larry Ferlazzo was the first person I remember being kind to me on Twitter. Right before my first book was published, my husband made me get an account because he recognized the great networking and publicity possibility Twitter had. I was at a conference, and it was that time of night when you decide if you should get fancied up and go out with the “cool kids” or if you should put on your PJs and order room service, with dessert. This particular night, I decided that a room to myself was simply too tantalizing, so I stayed in. This was my chance to try out a “Twitter chat.” After lurking for a bit, I jumped in, and Larry responded warmly. When the chat was over, I felt pretty good that I’d figured out how to do this Twitter thing. I googled the guy who was nice to me, and found out that he is a big deal. He’s the author of many books, an Ed Week teacher advice columnist, and writes for the New York Times. He has 65,000 followers on Twitter. At that moment, I had just two. This first interaction with a fellow teacher had hooked me into a very positive and progressive writer PLN (personal learning network), and to Larry, I am grateful. (He later reached out to me to write for his Ed Week column, and I wanted to tell him this story, but I somehow found it too embarrassing)

    Larry is your go-to resource for all things ENL (English as a new language), but I read everything he writes. He’s kind of famous for his super comprehensive lists, which I always start with if I need information. Larry is an amazing example of what professional learning networks on Twitter can do.

Angela Stockman

Hacking the Writing Workshop: Redesign with Making in Mind

    Angela Stockman met me at a TGI Fridays on a blizzardy Tuesday night in Buffalo, N.Y., so that we could talk about writing a book. I’d been lucky enough to land a contract with Routledge, but there was a secret I was keeping—I did not know how to write a book. I Googled everything: “How do you write a book outline?” and “What is the average length of a chapter in an education book?” I had started to feel anxious that I was a big fat fraud, pretending to know what I was doing. Was I taking that “fake it until you make it” thing too far? Would I embarrass myself? I had first met Angela when she was a consultant for my school district and had done some training, but I also knew her from the writers’ studio she ran. We were basically Facebook friends, yet she met me to encourage me through my bout of insecurity, after she had worked all day and attended her daughter’s hockey practice. In Buffalo, after 4:30 p.m., it is dark and cold and snowy, and you just want to get home; however, when I asked her to meet me, she made it a priority. We talked our way through my anxiety, and she was a big fan of “making it up as you go along” too, so I left refreshed and ready to tackle writing a book! She was an amazing pep squad of one, and I know that her books serve the same purpose as our talk: She wants to help people become the best writers they can be.

    Angela is busy. She’s all over the place doing trainings, staging pop-up writers’ studios, and engaging makers to be writers and writers to be makers. Her website is a good place to get lost for a while. I promise, you’ll leave with some new ideas!

Kwame Alexander

Rebound

    Last summer, at the American Federation of Teachers TEACH conference, I gave a speech. To say I was nervous is a serious understatement. When it was over, I walked off the stage and was whisked to a side, “backstage” area. I felt a little like I was on an episode of “The West Wing,” but that says way more about me than the actual situation! Nevertheless, I decompressed there while I watched Kwame Alexander’s inspirational and engaging message using poetry. Suddenly, he is whisked off stage as well, and he is surrounded. Did the fans rush backstage? They might have wanted to, but AFT members were on their best behavior. Nope. Kwame’s wife and kids were there, and they all embraced in a big family hug, and there I stood like a weird gawking fangirl. I was too stunned to actually talk to him, but fortuitously an AFT friend staged a picture for me.

    After the picture was taken, I was lucky enough to be stuck there for a few minutes. I stepped out of the way and let his family have full access. What struck me was how he was just dad to them. They talked about regular things, like a normal family, and I overheard Kwame say to his wife, “She’s just tired.” Kwame was going to be signing books, but before he did, he made a point of having lunch with his family. I loved this detail because it showed me exactly where his priorities were. He had a huge, captive audience of people who wanted to buy his books and merchandise, but he ate with his family first. The beauty of seeing all these interactions is that as I read stories about his wife encouraging him to sell books at the Reston Farmers Market back in 2015, I can actually see it.

    I’m sure that this summer you’ll love these books by Larry, Angela and Kwame. The authors each approach creativity in their own way, and as a teacher, I am able to appreciate their nuances. As a reader, I’m just lucky to have been a part of a story!

Amber Chandler

Amber Chandler is a National Board Certified middle school ELA teacher in Hamburg, New York with a Master’s Degree in Literature, as well as a School Building Leader certification.

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