Nick's Picks—Selected Resources from TeachingBooks.net
Nick Glass, TeachingBooks.net for Curriculum Connections -- School Library Journal, 12/13/2007
Some noted authors began their careers as teachers, and their classroom experiences have inspired the creation of memorable book characters and school-related stories. This sampling of multimedia materials from TeachingBooks.net will enliven discussions about the work of the author/educators Esmé Raji Codell, Sharon Creech, Chris Crutcher, and Rick Riordan. Add the names of your favorite writers—who are or were teachers—to the TALKBACK box on the right and together we will create a list that honors the convergence of these two professions.
Sharon Creech
View Sharon Creech as she explains her use of Reader’s Theater with students
The writing of Creech, a former high school English and writing teacher, often includes poignant school scenes. Readers will affectionately recall Miss Stretchberry’s encouragement of Jack’s poetic voice in Love That Dog (2001) and Dinnie’s friendships at a Swiss boarding school in Bloomability (1998, both HarperCollins/Joanna Cotler Books).
Practicum: In these TeachingBooks.net original movies, watch Sharon Creech with Avi, Walter Dean Myers, and Sarah Weeks perform and explain how to do Reader’s Theater in the classroom. Warning to educators: Have a tissue in hand while watching Sharon Creech and Walter Dean Myers’s performance in Love That Dog.
Chris Crutcher
Hear Chris Crutcher lament the connection between his moniker and his academic record
Crutcher credits the decade he spent teaching at-risk K-12 students at an alternative school in Oakland, CA, as a great influence on his writing. His on-target, empathic writing about teens won him the ALA’s Margaret A. Edwards Award in 2000, honoring his lifetime contribution to young adult literature. In an accolade that would be the envy of any writer, Joan Atkinson commented, “Readable, humorous, immediate, and unforgettable, Crutcher's stories give hope to young adults struggling with the eternal questions of who they are and where they belong."
Practicum: Every name has a story. Listen as Crutcher links his initials to his high school grade point average. Then, ask students to create stories associating their names with their own school experience.
Esmé Raji Codell
Stimulate discussion about Esmé Raji Codell’s books with this collection of reproducible guides
Codell’s inner-city teaching experience motivated the creation of her memoir Educating Esmé: Diary of a Teacher's First Year (Algonquin Books, 1999). A few years later, she began writing books for children, including Sahara Special (2003), winner of the International Reading Association's Children’s Book Award, and Sing a Song of Tuna Fish: Hard-to-Swallow Stories from Fifth Grade (2004, both Hyperion). The descriptions of the student relationships in these tales are unforgettable: on-target revelations on the direct way children and teens interact. Since her last publication, Codell has returned to teaching. Hopefully she will be inspired anew.
Practicum: Use these resources in classroom and book club discussions of Codell's books, and informative, stimulating discussion is sure to ensue. Encourage students to reflect on the relationships they form in school and ask whether these mirror some of those they've encountered in Codell's writing.
Rick Riordan
“I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-algebra Teacher” — Rick Riordan reads from the first chapter of The Lightning Thief
Riordan is a 15-year veteran middle school English and history teacher. His action-packed adventure series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” (The Lightning Thief [2005], The Sea of Monsters [2006], The Titan’s Curse [2007], and, forthcoming in 2008, The Battle of the Labyrinth [all Hyperion/Miramax]) honors children’s ability to tackle learning differences. Percy has dyslexia and ADHD, and readers will admire the character’s strength in the face of these challenges.
Practicum: Teaching mythology? Integrate the “Percy Jackson” series into a unit by playing an excerpt from the first chapter of The Lightning Thief, read by the author. Riordan (pronounced Ry-er'-dan—the first syllable sounds like the bread) taught mythology and enjoyed reading it as a boy. His books are a fantastic way to explore the genre through contemporary children’s literature.
