Wanda Luthman's Blog, page 43
October 1, 2016
BIG NEWS! PiBoIdMo CHANGES!
Join me in this fun adventure in January!
Writing for Kids (While Raising Them)
Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-CHANGES!
You heard right, PiBoIdMo, your beloved Picture Book Idea Month, is growing up and making some moves.
First–it will take place in JANUARY 2017 instead of NOVEMBER 2016.
Next–it will have a NEW NAME.
Finally–the focus will become broader, welcoming all kinds of writers and creative folk, from students to professionals.
MORE INFO SOON!!!
September 26, 2016
Suicide Awareness Week
This week in Brevard County Schools in Florida is Suicide Awareness Week. This is such an important topic, even though it’s a very heavy.
It’s important to note that suicide is the second leading cause of death in 10-24 year olds.
That’s a sobering statistic.
I’ve worked with many people who have felt suicidal in my nearly 30 year career between mental health and school guidance counseling. It is so heart-wrenching to look into the eyes of a teenager and know they have contemplated taking their own life. Maybe they felt their life didn’t matter, no one would miss them, no one would care or maybe the pain of being bullied was just too much and they couldn’t see things ever changing or maybe the pain of depression with a darkness so deep they couldn’t imagine things ever being bright again made them consider it. No matter the reason they thought about ending their life, the fact that they considered it seriously and maybe even attempted it, is incredibly sad.
Especially when I know that things do change, things do improve, there is help, there is hope.
I want to encourage you to know the signs and symptoms and seek help whether for yourself or for someone you know.
Some symptoms include the following:
Behavioral Symptoms:
Giving away prized possessions
Talking about death, dying
Using phrases such as “when I’m gone…” or “I’m going to kill myself”
Getting affairs in order
Saying goodbye to loved ones
Obtaining items needed for suicide attempt
Decreased social contact
Increasing drug and alcohol usage
Withdrawing from once-pleasurable activities
Increased risky behaviors
Physical Symptoms:
Scars or injuries from past suicide attempts
Changes in eating or sleeping habits
Chronic and/or terminal illness
Cognitive Symptoms:
Preoccupation with death and dying
Belief that dying by suicide is the only way to end emotional pain
Psychosocial Symptoms:
Feeling helpless; trapped by emotional pain
Psychosis
Self-loathing
Hopelessness
Paranoia
Intense emotional pain
Feeling hopeless about a situation
Mood swings
Sudden changes in personality
Severe anxiety and agitation(list taken from Valley Behavioral Health System – to read more, here’s the link http://www.valleybehavioral.com/suici...)
Seek Help
Talk to a trusted friend, or adult such as a parent, a teacher, coach, guidance counselor or pastor.
Call a help line like 911 (in Brevard County, FL, you can call 211 and speak to a trained professional)
See a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Psychologist, Psychiatrist, or Pastor.
There is treatment. Sometimes “talk therapy” is all that is needed, sometimes medications are required. Sometimes in very serious cases, hospitalization is needed to become stabilized.
You are not alone. You can feel better. There is hope.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and hopefully, share this with others. I encourage your feedback and thoughts.
September 24, 2016
LET YOUR KIDS FALL
I’m reblogging this post because what it shares is important. Failure teaches important skills, so does allowing your child to fall, sometimes.
The most experienced part of our lives is – failure. Failure so that we can rise up, learn and don’t repeat the same things again. The same thing goes with children. Let your little ones fall and it’s OK for them to fall. When children fall, they learn to get back up all by themselves and wipe them off. Falling is also a part of the learning process for your child. As kids fall, their brain learns to adapt and tries to moderate changes in hand and leg movements. As they fall more and more, and get practice of it, they prevent themselves from falling by shifting their body weight to the other side.These adaptive responses help children organize incoming sensations, to create a more mature brain.
Cautioning the child is a very common thing one does, when a child tries to explore foreign territories like climbing stairs, or climbing…
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September 19, 2016
Respect, the Character Trait for September
The State of Florida has legislated that schools must teach Character Education. Since that’s what this website is about, I thought I’d do a little research into what other schools and Districts are doing.
According to the Niagara Falls School District (I love Niagara Falls, so even though I don’t live in this District, this site interested me), September is the Month of Respect for Character Education.
They have a calendar for the 10 months of school that correlate one aspect of good character with each month. Here’s their calendar
10 Monthly Character Traits:
September – Respect, Opening of Schools
October – Responsibility
November – Citizenship, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving
December – Kindness (Caring, Empathy, Generosity)
January – Tolerance (Forgiveness), Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
February – Integrity, African-American History Month
March – Perseverance (Diligence), Women’s History Month
April – Courage, “Stand Against Racism”
May – Self- Control
June- Honesty
There are many ways to teach respect. One could approach it overtly such as creating interaction rules for the classroom. There’s also the less obvious way and that may include allowing the class to create those rules with the teacher’s guidance. This is a subtle form of showing respect by allowing the students to be co-creators of their class. Combining this exercise, combines the overt and subtle form of teaching the concept. Professional teachers do this well. On this website, is provided a list of 100 ways to teach character education. On the list is some overt ways and some more subtle ways to teach character education.
Further diving into this website, is an Overview of their Philosophy on Character Education. I particularly like that their self-view as an Internationally known District requires a responsibility to the world as stated thusly, our city “deserves well educated ambassadors who can foster a sense of respect and goodwill to people of all walks of life.”
The school District takes a concerted effort to encourage good character by awarding the Pride of NFT Award for students showing good character; encouraging Interpersonal Non-Violence Prevention; and School-Wide Positive Behavior Supports which is a chart showing three aspects of each character trait (Academic Achievement, Communication, and Ready-to-Learn).
By having the whole school focus on a particular trait each month and providing clear guidelines for what that character trait “looks” like and by rewarding exceptional examples of good character with an award, plus personal responsibility the District is creating a school culture or climate in which good character is encouraged. This appears to be a good system.
I enjoy researching what other schools and Districts do to teach Character Education. I will bring you more as I research them.
If you’d like to check this website out yourself, here is the link http://www.nfschools.net/Page/234
I’d love to hear your thoughts and/or share with me what your school or District is doing regarding Character Education.
September 12, 2016
The Book Giveaway Program
Today I would like to introduce you to someone very special. In my opinion, she’s a local hero (although she’d be embarrassed if I called her that because she’s so humble)
Rita Hewett–she’s a retired Elementary Teacher. She also started a fabulous program to give children a book AND a matching stuffed toy who would otherwise not even own a book, it’s called simply The Book Giveaway Program.
Here’s her interview…
Please tell me something about yourself…what grade did you teach?
I grew up in Chicago, Illinois. I went to Chicago State University for my undergraduate degree and got my graduate degree from Governors State University both in Early Childhood Education. I taught 7 years in Chicago teaching kindergarten to fourth grade. I moved to Florida and taught Title 1 and the rest of my teaching years in kindergarten. I did teach as an Adjunct for 1 semester at a local college on Children’s Literature, Math, and Science. I am retired from my 38 years of teaching career. Teaching was not a job to me, it was a passion, and I loved it!
What made you decide to become a teacher?
I was a babysitter, and worked in my church’s nursery since I was 12 years old. I loved working with children. What better field of a career to go into than what I love to do?!
What was the best thing about being a teacher?
What I loved best about teaching is teaching young children something new for life. I love to teach skills they would use to make their future a success. I love to make every lesson exciting that the children want to come back and say what are going to learn today. It gave me great satisfaction to watch the children’s faces smile and light up with the joys of learning.
What was the worst thing about teaching?
The worst thing about teaching for me was children’s behavior. Their behavior became such a challenge to teach. Children are coming to school with too many issues beyond our control. I believe that if the appropriate lessons and tests were given, their challenged behavior would be minimized.
When you retired, what made you decide to start the Book Give Away Program?
After I retired I joined the Brevard Federation of Teachers the Retired (BFTR) chapter.
We were giving books to a school from a book club. Every child got the same book. Many boys did not like the book. I wanted to get rid of my teaching materials I had stored in my house. I knew I had many books and items. I told the group that next time I will bring my books and stuffed animals that match with the book. It was a great success. All the children picked a book that interested them. Then, we did another school and another and it became our new program.
How have you gotten the word out about the program?
We call a Title 1 school up and ask if they would like free but used books. They all were very excited to get the books for their students. A lady over heard me tell someone about our program and she asked if she and a friend could join us. They helped get many books and stuffed animals from people they knew and the clubs they were in. I asked my retired friends, parents, and church members. We also bought or they gave us some from thrift stores.
How many people are involved?
Total of 5 people from the BFTR
What do you most need help with now?
We need a storage place for the books, items, and space for us to work in. We need 1 and 2 gallon size clear plastic zipped locked baggies. We also need young children’s books for ages 4 to 6 years old. We use recycled books and stuffed animals that are gently used or new items. They are washed and dried. We need people to help get the materials, match the stuffed animals to books and put into the clear bags and then 10 in larger bags to store away.
Is there a way to contact me?
Contact the BFT Office. (321) 636-3323 Tell them it is about the Book Give Away.
What has been your favorite thing about starting this program?
I love to see how excited the children are to select the book they are interested in. I like to see the children waiting in line talking about their book.
What else do you do in the community?
I am a member of the League of Women Voters, I tutor sometimes, I volunteer in my church, Drive seniors to appointments, belonged to a neighborhood watch, and I help out in a library’s children program.
Thank you, Rita, for taking part in this interview and all the wonderful things you are doing to make your community a better place to live! You’re my local hero!!
September 9, 2016
Special price on books
Both available on Amazon.
Little Birdie Grows Up
A Turtle's Magical Adventure
September 6, 2016
Q&A With Children’s Author Wanda Luthman
Thank you, Shana, for this lovely interview!
Shana Gorian is a wonderful children’s author, please check out her site for more information about her and her books at http://www.authorshanagorian.wordpress.com
Rosco the Rascal's Reading Room
Today I’d like to introduce a fellow indie author to the Reading Room. Please welcome picture book and chapter book author Wanda Luthman.
Wanda Luthman
Q. Please tell us a little bit about yourself and your books.
A. I’ve been a self-published children’s author since 2014 and have published 3 books so far (2 chapter books and 1 picture book). I started writing when I was very young. I remember my first book and the words weren’t spelled correctly so I’m assuming that was 3rd grade or earlier. I wrote poetry in middle school and loved my English Literature classes in High School. I took 16 credits of Literature in College but ultimately majored in Psychology. I have worked as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and am currently a High School Guidance Counselor. I love people, especially kids and I want to encourage children to be the best little people…
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September 5, 2016
Labor Day Fun
If you’re looking for something fun to do today and live near Central Florida–I’ve found a really fun place!
It’s the Crayola Experience at The Florida Mall!
You can turn your coloring page into a 4D adventure, name and wrap your very own Crayola crayon, design a unique piece of art from melted wax, watch your paper creation dance to music plus a whole lot more of coloring and sculpting and play in a 2-story playground!!
In the store just outside the experience (and also in the experience itself), you can make yourself into your own coloring page!!
It’s normaly $22.00 but if you buy your tickets online it’s only $18.00.
I’m not getting paid to write about this, I just had a ton of fun in the store and plan to go back and enjoy the whole experience one day soon.
If you go or have been, please feel free to comment here.
Enjoy your Labor Day today!
September 2, 2016
Kid Lit Blog Hop
I’ve joined the Kid Lit Blog Hop for September 21, 2016.
It’s my first time participating but I’ve already met some amazing children’s authors.
Please check them out, I’m sure you’ll find some that will become your new favorites!
Nearly 2/3 of low-income families in the U.S. own no books…that’s messed up…
What a wonderful thing to do! I’m so glad it’s catching on. We have a similar group put together by Retired Teachers in my County. I donate to them regularly.
According to Reading is Fundamental (RIF), Nearly two-thirds of low-income families in the U.S. own no books. That is just plain wrong. But, we can help fix it.
I recently started a literacy initiative encouraging people to donate new or gently used books to needy kids, locally-wherever you are. It has caught on in the US, and we also have people passing it on in the UK and Australia. Many children’s book authors are participating by giving local kids in need copies of the books they’ve written.
We now have a shiny new badge. Please feel free to copy and paste the badge. Add it to your blog, post it in your tweets, or use it however you see fit to promote Picture Book Pass it On. Remember to share your giving story on our new Facebook page Facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/PBPiO
A Child’s Picture Book Bill of Rights…
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