Marcia Thornton Jones's Blog, page 70

Smack Dab News

Wonder Women of Science, by Tiera Fletcher and Ginger Rue, releases March 23rd! In a starred review, Kirkus calls the nonfiction title, which profiles twelve modern-day female STEM geniuses, "A fine choice for inspiring future scientists." Booklist also gives it a starred review, adding, "In this unusually appealing guide to STEM career pathways, students will find inspiration, motivation, and useful information in equal measure." And School Library Journal says, "This collection can spark readers to follow their passion. Great for those looking to expand their STEM biographies and collected biography sections." 

This Poem is a Nest by Irene Latham received a 3rd starred review! ★ ★ ★
This one from Booklist says the "nestlings" "offer much to ponder: beauty, as in “Violet” (“morning’s / glittery web / coated in / woodsmoke); whimsy, captured in “While You Sleep” (“moon / stocks poems / with dreams”); and even wisdom, like that in “A Definition of Maybe” (“hinge between / wild / and safe”). Above all, they encourage metaphorical thinking in young readers."
The review ends with this line: "This clever poetry exercise will inspire reflection, recreation, or simple enjoyment."

Work Ethic + x = Success

Hello, Willard Wild Cats! Thanks for letting us get in on the CLAWS thing!

For my post today, I'm going to focus on the W, work ethic, because I think it's the key to success in any endeavor.

In my latest book, Wonder Women of Science, my co-author Tiera Fletcher and I had the pleasure of interviewing a dozen extremely smart women who are killing in right now in various STEM fields. (Tiera actually rounds out the baker's dozen: she is a rocket scientist working with NASA on the Mars mission!) Some of the women we interviewed were blessed with natural talent. They never struggled in school and were always at the top of their classes. But a few of the women in our book did struggle. So how'd they make it?

In 2017, Dr. Mareena Robinson Snowden, now a senior engineer at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, became the first black woman to earn a Ph.D in Nuclear Science and Engineering at MIT. Not too shabby! 

You'd probably assume that she was naturally great in her STEM classes, but that actually wasn't the case.  She told us, "There were other students in my classes who 'got it' immediately, whatever the concept was. That wasn't me. I absolutely hated those math problems that said things like, 'It is intuitively obvious that...' or 'It can easily be derived...' because math wasn't intuitively obvious to me or easy to derive." So Robinson Snowden put in the work, and that's what she credits for her success. "There are a lot of talented people who never realize their goals because they don't have the work ethic," she told us. 

I am so grateful that Dr. Robinson Snowden shared that with us. When something isn't easy, it's so tempting to just say, "That's not my thing," and give up too quickly. But people such as Robinson Snowden can inspire us to keep working towards our goals. 

Maybe someday, someone will be writing a book about highly successful people and include YOU!

Ginger Rue's next book, Wonder Women of Science, is now available for pre-order. Co-authored with rocket scientist Tiera Fletcher, who is currently working with NASA on the Mars mission, the book profiles a dozen amazing women (besides Tiera!) who are blazing new trails in their respective STEM fields.  

Even When I Don't Want To (Holly Schindler)

Most students I talk to want to know where I get my ideas. I think most students (and even young writers) believe it happens this way:

Idea First. Writing Second.

Truth time: It doesn't happen that way at all.

One of my favorite quotes about creativity comes, I believe, from Stephen King: "Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration. The rest of us just get to work."

The thing is, I work usually ten hour days. That's ten hours of actual work. The clock stops when I'm cooking or walking my dog or doing anything non-writing-related. Do I always know exactly what I'm doing when I sit down to write? Nope. In fact, some days, I feel totally lost. I feel like every sentence is wrecking a project I'd loved just a couple of days earlier. 

But I don't quit. I keep going.

That's the thing about doing something creative. Yes, sometimes, it's a ton of fun. Other times, it's confusing and hard. Still others, it feels like there are no good ideas to come by. 

That's when it's most important to show up and get to work. To brainstorm. To talk the problem through with someone I trust. If it's a technical problem (something's going wonky with software or I can't get a cover to come out like I'd like), I hit YouTube for some instructional videos. 

I know, as a student, there are times when your least favorite subject (mine was math) makes you feel like you're slamming your head against  the wall. It feels tedious and boring and pointless. But in all honesty, it's great training. In order to do any job, you'll have tasks along the way that feel boring and pointless. You have to do the boring, unfun tasks right along with the fun ones. 

You have to show up, even when the work doesn't feel good. You have to show up when you have no answers for the questions you have. 

You don't wait for inspiration. You just work through it.

That's what having a great work ethic is. It's showing up even when you don't want to. It's working through the hard patches and making sure the job gets done. Without it, the job very rarely gets done. I know I never would have ever finished a book, let alone published one. 

So do yourself a favor. Show up today. Do the work. The math problem. The history chapter. Work through it.

Trust me. You'll thank yourself later.

What Does Your Imagination Serve? Smack Dab in the Imagination by Dia Calhoun

Writer and psychologist James Hollis invites us to ask: What am I living my life in service to? What ideas? Whose ideas? If we don't consciously ask ourselves this question, we will often live it out unconsciously, destructively, materialistically. Money. Stuff. Likes. Processed Vanilla Wafer Ideas. Contemporary Pop Culture's Vanishing Point. Mind-numbing Entertainment.

As a writer, I like to ask this related question: What is my imagination in service to?" This doesn't mean what "message" do I want to communicate through my work. It means what values do I want my imagination to serve. Truth. The quiet moment that will hum through time. The bigger picture conveyed through the exquisitely chosen detail. Our inseparable inter-connection with the good, green world. The spirit that wants to flower. The hum of the honeybee making sweetness.

What do you want your imagination to bring into the world? Our world, with its blizzard of troubles, needs what can only be born into the world through your eye, your pen, your paintbrush, and the lens of your own heart.

What will your imagination serve? Decide. Then bring it.

Just Lead the Way

by Charlotte Bennardo
Of the five traits, I think leadership is the hardest to be successful at. It demands that we step up to a challenge, step out of our comfort zone, and step into the unknown. It takes guts to convince people to do something, to put yourself out there, knowing there is a chance (sometimes a good one) that you'll fail. 
But I believe we all have it in us- if we feel the need is there. I live in a suburban neighborhood. The bus stop for our block and the next one over sits at the corner. Too many times drivers (young and old alike, certainly those who should have known better) zipped around the corner. When confronted the excuse was always the same: "Well, there's no stop sign. I don't have to stop." After one particularly harrowing experience where a former neighbor, speeding to get his child to daycare almost ran my kindergarten son and me over, I'd had enough. I called the town, the police, and the highway department about getting a stop sign put there. Of course I got the run around from every authority. I even offered to buy the sign, but was told, "Oh no, you can't do that." Did they really think I was going to be okay with letting my child, and all the others, stay in a dangerous situation? Hardly. It would have been easy to say "I tried" and I did, but I wasn't accepting defeat. 
I went right to the mayor. I pointed out that when a child got killed, it would be too late to do something then, and I would be the first to tell my story about how I petitioned for a stop sign but was turned down.
Here's my sign:

 And, because I'd added that there was another intersection as dangerous just down the block, they put a sign there, too. My friends teased me saying I needed to get a sign in their neighborhood. (I don't know if any of them followed my example.)
There are opportunities for leadership everywhere, even if you're a kid. Think of Alexandra Scott, the young cancer victim who started a lemonade stand to help fight cancer. Today, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation continues, even though she died. Think of Anne Frank, trying to keep up the spirits of everyone around her during the Nazi hunts. Everyone knows Helen Keller and how she became the world renowned advocate for the blind and deaf. Do you know about Yash Gupta, a 9th grader who started a foundation to donate used eyeglasses to kids in thir world countries who couldn't afford them? Or Kyle Freas, who wanted to help homeless, abused, and critically ill children and animals, and the Dallas Zoo, so he started the Youth Together Foundation. 
While ficitonal stories may be fun, the non-fiction stories about the people in our world who stood up and became leaders is far more fascinating- and inspiring. In your own town, you may know of a boy who uses his birthday money to buy food for someone. Or a girl who uses her sewing skills to make blankets for shelter dogs. 
If it's important, it needs to be done- and someone needs to lead the way. Why not you?

Kindness in Five Minutes or Less

Five ways to choose kindness in five minutes or less:

Take five minutes to write a quick note to a friend letting them know how much you appreciate their friendship.  Send is snail mail.  Your friend will receive a surprise that will keep them smiling much longer than five minutes.

Take four minutes to do a household task for a family member.  Their pleasure in finding the task completed will last much longer than four minutes.

Take three minutes to leave a post-it note for a family member somewhere in the house thanking them for something they've recently done for you.  Their gratefulness for your thanks will last much longer than three minutes.

Take two minutes to use social media to thank an author for one of their books.  You'll be encouraging them and promoting their work all at the same time.  An author's gratitude for this will last much long than two minutes.

Take one minute to thank the Wal-Mart worker who helps all the hurried and disgruntled shoppers struggling through the self-checkout lane.  That employee's appreciation for your thanks will last much longer than one minute.

So, the dividends of small acts of kindness are much greater than the time it takes us to do them.  Just think of how many more smiles, how much more gratefulness, how much more gratitude, and how much more appreciation would be all around us if we all took five minutes or less for kindness.

Happy Small Acts of Kindness,

Nancy J. Cavanaugh

www.nancyjcavanaugh.com    

Acts of Service in my Writing and Life

When I began to write, I explored topics I loved, was motivated towards and believed in. 

Cats. 
But also, service. Cats across the globe who are homeless and live without care or love. Lack of education that lead to more and more kittens and over-run, poorly-funded animal shelters. 
Growing up a country kid, my family saw our share of stray animals. Often, a car would drop them off in our yard and leave. It saddened me to no end. 
After penning my first two middle grade mystery novels featuring Ace the Cat, I wanted to give Ace a voice big enough to serve and educate people and cat lovers about the issues pets face. Several of the felines in the mystery live without a companion or a steady home. They create networks between themselves, even work to find homes for their kind. It was my way of giving the nameless, faceless cats at shelters and in the streets a voice. 
I also became a volunteer with a local pet food pantry. Often, people find themselves in dire needs or out of a job and cannot afford to keep their pet or pets. Thus, many are left on their own. Our program was non-profit and we worked to stock a pet food pantry. With vouchers, pet owners came to us for cat or dog food in all varieties to better help them get through rough patches and still have their buddies warm and safe with them. 
I still believe in taking care of animals and providing service to give these furry buddies a voice. 
Last summer, my fiancé and I adopted a cat from a shelter - Emma. It turned out Emma herself also believed in service. She was a homeless young mom with her own kittens - already hard without a home. But when a stray bunch of older kittens without a mother found Emma’s family, Emma took them in, too. Emma was the last one left at the shelter. All her kittens had been adopted. She’s now 2 years old and an absolute joy. 
Happy reading!
AM Bostwick

                                                                                        Emma

Inspired, Compassionate, Involved

        Three little words. 
    No. Not those. 
    These three little words were chosen years ago at my school.  They encompass all that we hope our students can be, and all they will become. Inspired. Compassionate. Involved. Of course, our job as educators is to help kids learn reading, writing, math, science, and social studies. To show them the importance of art, music, and exercise in the creation of a balanced life. But our role doesn't end there. We also have a responsibility to do our best to elevate our students to greater things. Hence, those three little words.     We've inspired our students by bringing in successful athletes, authors and artists to speak to classes and to work with them. Nick Hanson, who is known as the Eskimo Ninja Warrior, Nicole Johnston, one of the most successful athletes in the history of the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics, and Olympic cross-country skier Aelin Allegood, have spoken, done demonstrations, and taught at our school. Matt de la Peña, Tricia Brown, Mary Shaw and "String Man" David Titus have visited, reading their books and interacting with students. And one of the best things that happens regularly at our school is the Artist in Residence program, where a local artist spends two weeks at the school and works with students to create some form of art. Cartoonist Jamie Smith, painter Iris Sutton and glass artist, Margaret Donat are some who've spent time at Pearl Creek in recent years.    Compassion is something that our staff works to instill in our students, through classroom lessons, thoughtfully selected literature, and special events. When the remote and isolated village of Kaktovik lost its school to a fire last spring, Pearl Creek's community came together to provide hundreds of books to start a new library for them, and a parent who worked for the Fish and Wildlife Service arranged for free delivery on a supply flight. Previously there had been a winter gear collection for the village of Savoonga, a coin drive for Becky's Fund, annual food drives to support the community food bank, a pet food drive for the local animal shelter, a Math-a-thon to support St. Jude's hospital, and another collecting special items for The Door, a shelter for homeless teens.     We have a school garden, and all classes find some way to become involved in spring-time planting and fall harvest, which then culminates in an annual Harvest Festival, which many people think is one of the best days of the year. One of our first-grade teachers has developed a relationship with the elders of the Fairbanks Native Association, which has evolved into a yearly schoolwide potluck, and an enduring friendship. Our school demographic is not terribly diverse, and is primarily white collar and privileged. It's so important for children who tend to have their needs met to recognize that there are many others who do not. We help them recognize that they can do something about the ills they see in the world, that they too can become involved.
    I have been so fortunate that three of my own children have been able to go through Pearl Creek Elementary. Not only did they get a great education, but I believe that it made them better people. After all, school is not just about teaching the traditional "Three R's." It's also about helping our students become the best people they can be, so that they can grow up to be caring and contributing human beings.     

A Message from Bobbi

 Life has gotten a bit too demanding of late. Just wanted you to know that I'll be taking a hiatus for a bit while I take care of a few things. Hope all is going well with you, and I'll see you soon!

--Bobbi

Take One, Leave One (Make a difference!) by Jennifer Mitchell

As an educator, I believe providing students with an education is more than just academics.  Over the course of my career I’ve realized how important it is to build character education within the school.  One of the ways I try to promote leadership is by hosting an after school Service Club with some colleagues.  Service Club fosters the belief that we can make a positive impact on the lives of others.  At our meetings we ask the students how they can make a difference within the school, or the community.  We take the ideas and then vote on which ones to implement first. 

In the past, we have picked up trash around the school, collected toiletries for overseas soldiers, made Valentine Cards for the patients at Children’s Mercy, created bulletin boards promoting leadership in our school, collected money for Alex’s Lemonade stand, and the list goes on.  One of my favorite projects we have implemented is called, Take One, Leave One.  This idea came after I went to an art fair at the Plaza, in Kansas City.  At one of the booths someone had taken baseball card holders and placed tiny sketches in the pockets.  The idea was that you took one, but created one to leave in its place.  I loved the idea, but wanted to add the twist of leaving a positive message to go with the artwork.  I loved how these tiny messages could change the attitude or outlook of someone’s day.  Our Service Club placed some baseball card holders in the hall and left the first batch of positive messages.  We then left blank cards on a desk for students to create one and leave once they took one.  For me it was such a simple idea, but has instilled in our students how small acts of kindness can make a difference in your day.  

As a teacher, academics is obviously our top priority, but when students leave us with both academics and leadership skills it makes you feel proud knowing these are our future leaders!

Happy Valentine's Day!
Jennifer