Writing for the Curriculum

 Writing for the Curriculum

Tuesdays 

9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT), Writers Workshop

Children's Writers chat - writers and illustrators of children's books meet for specific topics and special guest speakers, moderated by HOST WRTR WBABE & HOST WRTR CGaley, with HOST WRTR sUe & HOST WRTR Neely (Greeters).

Childrens Writers Chat  Log 6/22/99

Writing for the Curriculum

 

Neely f: Type GA for Go Ahead when you are finished speaking.

Neely f: This evening I am happy to have Betsy and Giulio Maestro and Stuart

Murphy as our guests.

Neely f: Guilio's comments will be preceded with his initials  (GM) to make

the conversation clearer.

Neely f: Welcome Betsy and Guilio.

Neely f: Welcome Stuart.

Neely f: Before Betsy and Guilio began working together to create books,

Neely f: they each had separate careers.

Neely f: Betsy was a kindergarten and first grade teacher,

Neely f: while Guilio worked in the advertising field.

Neely f: They are responsible for adding more than ninety titles to the

market.

Neely f: Stuart J. Murphy is a visual learning specialist.

Neely f: He believes that most people learn more easily though the use of

their visual sense.

Neely f: Stuart has combined his writing skills with

Neely f: this belief to create many books for young readers.

Neely f: Again welcome to Betsy, Guilio, and Stuart.

Neely f: Would any of you like to make an opening statement,

Neely f: or would you rather I shoot questions at you?

Neely f: ga

BCMAES: Questions, please

BCMAES: GA

SNKMURPHY: Go right for the questions. GA

Neely f: This question is for any one you.  Please feel free to jump in at

any time.

Neely f: Since you all write for curriculum related books...

Neely f: How do you find out what is needed for the curriculum?

Neely f: ga

BCMAES: We don't always just think of that, but what subjects teachers may

find useful

BCMAES: for discussion and enrichment GA

Neely f: Who suggests the concepts/subjects for your books?  ga

Neely f: Or, do you come up with the ideas yourselves? ga

BCMAES: Also, just to mention, if people really want to know what is in

curriculum 

SNKMURPHY: I spend lots of time in classrooms and review frameworks. GA

BCMAES: for each state, they can look on web. Most states have complete

descriptions - what they cal

SNKMURPHY: I come up with the ideas myself, or teachers and kids suggest

things too me. GA

Neely f: Stuart, what are you doing when you are in the classrooms?

SNKMURPHY: I present to kids and then do projects with them. GA

SNKMURPHY: I often do teacher workshops as well. GA

Neely f: So, Betsy, if a writer is interested to know what teachers are

required to teach at each

BCMAES: Giulio and i also visit lots of schools. GA

Neely f: level that information can be obtained on the web?

Neely f: ga

BCMAES: Yes, each state lists their framework guides. GA

Neely f: Thank you.

SNKMURPHY: I really like the M's book called "Traffic: A Book of Opposites."

GA

SNKMURPHY: What prompted the development of that book? GA

Neely f: Do any of you know how  your books are  actually used in schools?

BCMAES: That book is a really old one. GA

Neely f: What activities/projects have they inspired? ga

BCMAES: At first, we worked mostly on concept books for very young kids. GA

SNKMURPHY: My books are used to integrate math and reading instruction GA

BCMAES: Our books are used instead of textbooks in Social Studies. GA

Neely f: BUt, I see that now the books are very indepth informational books

like BATS NIGHT FLIERS.

SNKMURPHY: They help kids to see math in the context of a story. GA

BCMAES: We try to put as much info as possible in each book. GA

Neely f: Yes, Stuart, I noticed that your books are very interactive.

Neely f: In the Mathstart series there are activities included

Neely f: in the back of the book for parents and children to work on

together.

Neely f: Betsy and Guilio, that is great.  I feel that trade books are much

better teachers

SNKMURPHY: Yes. I try to provide activities that help teachers extend the

learing outside the book. GA 

BCMAES: We did an activity book to go along with our book "The Discovery of

the Americas"  GA

Neely f: . ga

Neely f: Betsy, is thatone of the books that is substituted for a Social

Studies book? the boo

BCMAES: We just did a teachers guide to go with our new book for the Year

2000.

BCMAES: Yes, all of the books we have done on American History.

Neely f: Wow. That is wonderful.  What insightful schools.

SNKMURPHY: Teachers need all the resources they can get. Trade books are

excellent teaching tools. GA

Neely f: Stuart, you don't have to tell me that.  lol

BCMAES: Teachers really appreciate having books with full color

illustrations - not just textbooks. 

Neely f: Stuart, I read A FAIR BEAR SHARE to my first garde class today.

They really enjoyed it.

Neely f: (So did I.)

Neely f: It is right on target for first grade math.

Neely f: We just finished working on place value and tens and ones this

month in math.

Neely f: What a delightful and easy way to teach and reinforce math.

SNKMURPHY: Great! It' one of the few story books out there that deals with

early place value. GA

Neely f: I totally agree, Betsy.

Neely f: It's the first that I have ever come across.  AND it's done in such

a fun interactive way.

Neely f: The kids really got a kick out of a book where the characters were

Neely f: doing math just like they do.  3

SNKMURPHY: And the illstrator, John Spiers, did such a great job. GA

Neely f: Yes, he did. It was atrue delight.

Neely f: Guilio and Betsy,  I also read one of your books to my class.

BATS--NIGHT FLIERS.

Neely f: The children  really enjoyed the information.

Neely f: We had just studied nocturnal animals, so this was great

reinforcement.

SNKMURPHY: I love that book, too! GA

Neely f: And now folks if you have any questions, I would like to open the

floor uo.

BCMAES: Thanks.  GM:  This is a place where the illustrations are really

important.  On one page, I 

Writes4kdz: ?

OtterBabe3: ?

Neely f: Remember to type ? for a question and ! for a comment.

Neely f: Writes, go ahead.

Writes4kdz: Have you written for Homeschooling programs? I've just heard

there's 

Writes4kdz: a big need for writer's in that area.

Writes4kdz: GA

SNKMURPHY: Homeschoolers often make use of trade books that are useful

across the curriculum. GA

BCMAES: Homeschooling organizations frequently recommend our books. GA

SNKMURPHY: I have had the chance to meet with a number of homeschooling

parents. GA

CGaley: Betsy and Giulio, you deal with many subjects, but history seems

especially

CGaley: to interest you.   How do you do your research?  

CGaley: ga

BCMAES: We both need to do lots of research.  We travel. visit lots of

libraries, and also use the i

BCMAES: internet.

BCMAES: GA

MJSmith808: ?

Neely f: Otter...question.

Writes4kdz: ?

OtterBabe3: A question for Stuart: What are frameworks?

Husky 7: ?

OtterBabe3: ga

SNKMURPHY: Individual states have frameworks that describe what is going to

be taught in math GA

SNKMURPHY: at each grade level. GA

Neely f: MJSmith, your question is next.

MJSmith808: who do you contact to get your books in the schools GA

BCMAES: There are frameworks for every subject

BCMAES: - an outine of content matter.

BCMAES: The publishers are supposed to do that.

SNKMURPHY: Also, the National Council of Teachers of Math produces a set of

Standards. GA

BCMAES: Sometimes they do a good job and sometimes, not

Neely f: Teachers also have a good deal of influence in chosing trade books

that they can use in

Neely f: their classrooms.

BCMAES: Good reviews in School Library

Neely f: For example I just put in an order of 100 titles that I hope to use

in my teaching next year

Neely f: .

BCMAES: Journal are very helpful.GA

SNKMURPHY: I agree. They must be used carefully and with teacher input, but

the best are useful. GA

Neely f: Husky,  your question please.

Husky 7: Have any of you ever written for educational publisher's

series--Lucent, Chelsea House, etc?

BCMAES: No, we haven't.

Neely f: The que is open.

BCMAES: We do books for Scholastic, Morrow, HarperCollins

SNKMURPHY: I'm an author on the SIlver Burdett Ginn Elem. Math Program. GA

BCMAES: and Clarion.GA

Husky 7: Thanks.  GA

OtterBabe3: ?

BCMAES: Some of our books have been adapted for use in textbooks.

SNKMURPHY: Also, i was part of the author team on the McDougal Litttell High

School Math programs. GA

Neely f: Go ahead, Otter.

SNKMURPHY: My MathStart series is published by HarperCollins. GA

OtterBabe3: Have you done any books for older readers? Are publishers

interested in books for ya audienc

OtterBabe3: e? ga

BCMAES: Our history books are used in the Middle school.GA

SNKMURPHY: I haven't done ya but I have co-authored an adult business book.

GA

Neely f: On a more personal note.

Neely f: Giulio, how do you and Betsy work together?  Which comes first, the

words or the art?

OtterBabe3: I was wondering if there is much of a market for this type of

writing for ya?

BCMAES: The text always comes first and then the illustrations. So we don't

really

BCMAES: work together.GA

SNKMURPHY: I think there is. Everything suggests that the ya market is

growing. GA

BCMAES: At the same time on the same book I mean.

Neely f: So, Betsy, when you are writing the text, do you have an image in

mind?

BCMAES: Well, it's more knowing what needs to be shown on a particular

Neely f: Do you discuss it with Guilio to maybe get the book to look like

what you might image it.

BCMAES: page to help kids understand the text.

BCMAES: We do discuss and I give him suggestions. He tries to put extra info

in the pictures.

Neely f: Do you discuss the kind of book you each may want to work on before

you come up with a new

Neely f: idea?

BCMAES: GA

Neely f: ga

BCMAES: We have so many books signed ahead of time,

BCMAES: we know what we will be 

Neely f: Or do you tryt mainly to target what you feel the needs for the

curriculum are?

BCMAES: working on for quite a while.

Neely f: Oops. Your last answer answered that.

BCMAES: We have a history series going.

Neely f: Can you tell us more about that, Betsy & Guilio?

BCMAES: We have a history series called The American

Neely f: (The que is open.)

BCMAES: Story.  We are up to tthe American Revolution.

KSzaj1107: ?

Neely f: What other titles have you done in the series?

Neely f: KSzaj, your question wil lbe next.

KSzaj1107: Have any of you written materials specifically for teachers

(rather than students)?

BCMAES: It started with the Discovery of the American and then Exploration

and Conquest an

BCMAES: and two more on colonial period.

BCMAES: We get a lot of publicity from homeschoolers

SNKMURPHY: Yes. My books are used in many home schooling programs. GA

BCMAES: on the web. They like our books.

BCMAES: GA

Neely f: That makes sense since they are very kid friendly with a lot of

information.

Neely f: Besides schools and libraries, what other markets do you have for

your work?

BCMAES: Trade - bookstores.  The internet stores have expanded this. GA

BOEDEN: ©~©~©~ 5 MINUTE WARNING ~ ©~©~©~  

SNKMURPHY: Bookstores, especially children's only stores.

Neely f: Hmmm, yes, Stuart, I can see that easily.

OtterBabe3: ?

BCMAES: Amazon and others have a big list of our books which

Neely f: Do the teacher stores pick up your books?

BCMAES: is very helpful.

Tebbiki: !

BCMAES: GA

SNKMURPHY: Yes, they do. And, the teacher distribution houses and book

clubs. GA

Neely f: Tebbiki, your comment please.

Tebbiki: Just wanted to say that I'm a homeschool mom and I've used some of

Stuart's books, and found

Tebbiki: out about more just tonight (in this chat) and just this minute

requested them 

Tebbiki: on our library web site.  :)  Thanks!  My kids love your approach

to math

Tebbiki: ga

SNKMURPHY: The distribution houses set up entire book stores at teacher

conventions. GA

SNKMURPHY: Thanks so much for your comment. GA

Neely f: Thanks for the vote of confidence, Teb.

Neely f: Any last questions for our guests?

Neely f: Well, folks our hour flew by.

BOEDEN: ©~©~©~  OUT OF TIME ~ ©~©~©~  

Neely f: I want to thank our guests Betsy & Guilio Maestro

Pete n Gun: Thank you guests!

Wendie Old: Great Job, Donna F.        Thanks for coming, Betsy and Guilio.

Neely f: and Stuart J. Murphy for a very enjoyable and informative chat.

Neely f: ()()()()()  CLAPPING  ()()()()()()

CGaley: Yea!  Great job! (clap, clap, clap!!!)

OtterBabe3: Thanks to all!

MJSmith808: Thank you very much!

BCMAES: Thanks. We enjoyed it.

BOEDEN: Thank you guests for an insightful and informative evening. ~Donna,

you are a 

Tebbiki: Great info.  Thanks!

BOEDEN: terrific host. Thank you so much. (Sorry for earlier mistake...)

Neely f: Thank you to my back up host this evening, MR. Chuck Galey.

BOEDEN: †

Pete n Gun: Thanks Boeden, Chuck, donna

CGaley: Donna did a great job, didn't she?

Neely f: And thank Sue Boeden who took over the greeting booth for me back

satge tonight.

Wendie Old: Yea!

BOEDEN: Excellent

Pete n Gun: clapping

SNKMURPHY: I agree. Great job all! GA