Help Preserve NCCAT's Future

Yesterday I received the following email from Elizabeth A. Gillespie,
Public Communication Specialist, at NCCAT. She wrote:


"The Senate Education Appropriations Subcommittee will begin working on its budget proposal this week; we need you to contact these committee members with the same wonderful messages you sent to House members. Urge them to fund NCCAT. Your personal experiences with NCCAT and your views on why NCCAT is important to education in NC are essential; please keep getting the message out there. This economic crisis will not last forever but if NCCAT dies during this economic downturn, we will never get it back. Future teachers will not experience the rich opportunities NCCAT can provide to improve their instructional practice, expand their content knowledge, and enrich their professional lives.




"The members of the Senate Committee on Education/Higher Education Appropriations are listed below; just click on a name for contact information. These Senators will draft the Senate's education budget; we hope you will contact them and express your views about NCCAT as soon as possible. We believe the budget will move very fast through the Senate, so please don't delay. We hope you will share with us any responses you receive from legislators.


"Nothing is more important than the quality of the teacher in the classroom-nothing! You truly do hold the future in your hands. Thank you for your abiding belief in your students and their potential, and for your deep dedication to their success. And thank you too for being an advocate for the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching. We are working hard to support you and help you be the best you can be! Please help us keep NCCAT alive!"

*************

Co-Chairman Sen. Tom Apodaca email: Tom.Apodaca@ncleg.net


Co-Chairman Sen. Jean Preston email: Jean.Preston@ncleg.net


Co-Chairman Sen. Jerry W. Tillman email: Jerry.Tillman@ncleg.net


Members


Sen. Charlie S. Dannelly email: Charlie.Dannelly@ncleg.net


Sen. Linda Garrou email: Linda.Garrou@ncleg.net


Sen. Bob Rucho email: Bob.Rucho@ncleg.net


Sen. Dan Soucek email: Dan.Soucek@ncleg.net

If you have already sent your representatives an email, then it will take you less than 5 minutes to copy that email to your senators. Please join me in preserving NCCAT. If you haven't sent an email, feel free to copy my letter which I posted on a previous blog.

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Will NCCAT Be Forced to Close?

Last week I blogged about how North Carolina thanks teachers by giving them the opportunity to receive instruction and professional support at NCCAT. Soon after I received word from NCCAT's new chairman, Elaine Franklin, that the NC House is considering eliminating funding for NCCAT. Since its inception in 1985, NCCAT has been a line item in North Carolina’s budget; 90% of its operating costs are from state funds.

Franklin wrote, “Teaching is an extremely challenging profession and too often teachers are expected to just ‘deal with’ every new thing that comes along. At NCCAT we are committed to providing the kinds of support teachers need, all the way from induction to retirement.”

As readers of my blog, you know that I am passionate about literacy. I believe that NCCAT's mission, "to keep high-quality teachers in the classroom, advancing teaching beyond that of a simple job to an art form and a profession" contributes to the goal of training the next generation to be literate, competent citizens.

Show your support for NCCAT and North Carolina teachers by writing to your legislators and the members of the Ed. Appropriations committee. At the bottom of this post I have provided a link to find your representative as well as the email addresses for all of the Education Appropriations committee. Here is the letter I plan to send which quotes Dr. Franklin extensively. She has given us permission to use these quotes; feel free to add your own experiences, copy this letter, and link to my previous blog in your correspondence.

*****************

Dear Representatives:

North Carolina stands alone as the state that pays tribute to its educators through the only professional development center like it in the world--NCCAT.

NCCAT’s director, Dr. Elaine Franklin, writes,

“Abundant research tells us that teacher quality is the single most important factor in improving student achievement. Students with strong teachers in consecutive years can soar academically, regardless of other external factors beyond the control of the school. NCCAT’s instructional programming is carefully designed to give North Carolina’s teachers the support and resources they need to be highly effective and to increase student success.


“Additionally, studies show that students who have an experienced teacher in the classroom are more likely to achieve at high levels. Retention of dedicated, high-quality teachers ensures each student has an experienced teacher in the classroom. The retention rate of teachers who have participated in NCCAT’s Beginning Teachers Program is 82%, as compared to 64.6% statewide and 67% nationally.


"Retaining these great teachers not only ensures experienced teachers for our students, it also saves our state money in recruitment and induction costs.

“The proposed budget will result in new challenges for classroom teachers that will make their jobs even more difficult; this is all happening at the same time that we are shifting to the new Common Core Standards. Grappling with all of this requires high-quality professional development of the type that NCCAT can provide."


I hope that you will agree that NCCAT is needed now more than ever to provide public school teachers with the tools and strategies they need to teach children the skills needed as we go forward into the 21st century.


We stand on a precipice. Please vote to maintain funding for NCCAT. We do not want to lose this unique treasure that serves North Carolina teachers and its students.

 *********************

Click here and follow the instructions to find your state legislator and his or her e-mail address.


Here are the members of the Ed. Appropriations Committee. Click on their name for their e-mail address:
Rep. Blackwell, chairman
Rep. Hilton, chairman
Brian Holloway, chairman
Gaston Pridgen, vice chairman
Norman Sanderson, vice chairman
Marilyn Avila, member
Larry Bell, member
John Blust , member
Larry Brown, member
Rick Glazier, member
Maggie Jeffus, member
Marvin Lucas, member
Marian McLawhorn, member
Mickey Michaux, member
Earline Parmon, member
Paul Stam, member

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There is No Place Like It In the World

If you live in North Carolina then you know that twin jewels bedeck its geographic crown: the mountains and the sea.

What you might now know is that each coast also hosts a unique educational treasure: The North Carolina for the Advancement of Teaching.

Begun in 1985 by the state legislature, NCCAT is a leader in providing professional development for North Carolina's teachers. Both locations (Cullowhee and Ocracoke Island) provide renewal seminars on topics related to the sciences, arts, humanities, technology, communication, leadership health and wellness. 

Joyce and I enjoy spring outside our seminar room.

For four years Joyce Hostetter  and I have had the honor to teach "Is There a Children's Book in You?" We both enjoy meeting teachers, librarians, and guidance counselors who love books and want to explore the possibility of writing a children's book themselves. Joyce shares her expertise as a published author of historical fiction, and I teach about creating a character, setting, plot, and share information on getting published.

Teachers write

wherever they want to!

This year we added three new components to an already packed week. Joyce taught them how to make a book out of a paper bag, which is an easy and fun activity for adults and kids.

 

I set up a wiki so that Joyce and I could provide more information about writing and publishing, and the teachers could upload their writing as well as receive comments and critiques.

The third addition was a fun Skype visit with author-illustrator Katie Davis. She shared the story behind her new book, Little Chicken's Big Day, as well as the process of writing the book and creating the illustrations.





In her honor, we recorded this video. We are each holding her book Kindergarten Rocks (courtesy of NCCAT):



It's always a sad time when we say goodbye. The moment is commemorated by a "pinning" celebration. Each participant receives a NCCAT pin, reminding them of the great week of renewal which they just received.  

The teachers appreciated the opportunity to explore ideas which would ultimately invigorate their teaching. As one teacher wrote in her evaluation, "I have learned the importance of writing as a craft, not just as part of a teacher's schedule. I learned that writing can be and should be presented and experienced as a means of enjoyment."

It was a privilege to be a part of an organization that is devoted to enriching the lives and skills of North Carolina educators.  

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Meet my First Guest Blogger: Joyce Hostetter

Many of you know that ever since the Lord brought Joyce Hostetter and I together four years ago at Mid-South Reading and Writing Institute, we've collaborated together in several different ways. We've co-taught at NWRESA and  NCAIS; we've co-presented  "Is there a Children's Book in You?" three times at NCCAT and are about to teach there once again as well as at NCRA. Of yes, and we publish Talking Story together. By now, you'd think we were joined by the hip and were tired of each other! But instead, we constantly learn from one another; right now she is teaching me how to use OneNote and I am teaching her about wikis.

Sometimes we pose for silly pictures together,

and sometimes we get silly when we meet at Panera Bread for lunch.

But, we're always happy to promote each other's books.

And now we're going to be guest bloggers on each other's blogs! So, without further ado, here is Joyce's first guest blog --which I hope you enjoy as much as I did!

******************************************

February is almost over and I've done nothing to acknowledge African-American History Month. I've hardly blogged at all, actually, but still - what kind of excuse is that?


This morning, my friend, Carol Baldwin unwittingly inspired me. She'd driven to Chapel Hill last night to see Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater live performance, Revelations. On her way home today, she called with all sorts of superlatives about the performance - "incredibly strong, controlled, liquid, amazing use of space". And more!


So naturally I scurried around to the video sites to get a feel for what I'd missed. Please watch this at full screen! It's not the same as a live performance but it will take you way beyond this tiny box of images.


Celebrating Revelations at 50 Film from AlvinAileyAmericanDanceTheater on Vimeo.

Since FIX ME JESUS is one of my favorite spirituals, I can't help but share it here.









Want to know more? View a timeline of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater History.

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NCCAT: Looking Back and Looking Forward

LOOKING BACK

Before we left our week at NCCAT, participants shared what they learned and Henry Wong, the NCCAT Center Fellow, led the group in song and dance. During the week several teachers wrote ABC books. Reflecting their work and honoring everyone's efforts, several teachers wrote the following ABC book and read it that morning. (Inside jokes are explained below.) If you're a North Carolina teacher who has always wanted to learn more about writing and publishing for children, I hope this poem and the movie which follows, will whet your appetite. Maybe you'll decide to apply and join us next year!

The ABC's of NCCAT

A is for AUTHORS that's what we want to be.
B is for BELLY-LAUGHS coming from you and me.
C is for CAKES and COOKIES that made us nice and fat.
D is for DIET which we'll start when we get back.
E is for EVERYONE working together.
F is for FRIENDSHIPS that will last forever.
G is for GIRLS and one token boy.
H is for HENRY who brought us metamorphic joy.
I is IMAGERY to make our writing flow.
J is for JOYCE and Carol the dynamic duo.
K is for KNOWLEDGE which we gained throughout the week.
L is for LINDA who never missed a beat.
M is for MORE DETAILS but all we heard was "MEH."*
N is for NCCAT a week of pure bliss.
O is for OUR trips which you didn't want to miss.
P is for PASSION each one of us discovered.
Q is for QUERY which Nina** uncovered.
R is for REVIVE, REJUVENATE, RESTORE.
S is for SUNDAY when we came to learn more.
T is for TEACHERS from all over the state.
U is for UNDISCOVERED stores we have yet to create.
V is for VARIETY which each of us displayed.
W is for WEATHER, it rained night and day.
X is for eXtreme work we did as a team.
Y is for YEARNING. We all have a dream.
And Z is for .....ZEBRA.***

* One teacher wrote a funny story about a cat whose thoughts were consistently heard as, "Meh."
**Nina Bagley led the group in creating altered books.
*** What else could "Z" be for?



LOOKING FORWARD
As we leave NCCAT, Joyce Hostetter (my fellow presenter), and I are already brainstorming how we would improve the workshop. She just posted a video on her blog which we will most likely show next year. This book trailer from Invisible Lines truly demonstrates the writing/revising cycle which is inherent in the writing process. Take a minute to view it. It is instructive for writers, teachers, and students.



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Virginia is for Writers

At the Virginia State Reading Association Conference this past weekend, I gave three presentations for reading specialists and literacy coaches. As many of you know, Teaching the Story: Fiction Writing in Grades 4-8 has specific mini-lessons to help students develop rich, in-depth characters and settings. One teacher suggested that after students have brainstormed a character and a setting they should swap their character descriptions with a peer and see how their character would react to being placed in a different setting. How would a Mexican immigrant living in New York City view and experience being homeless in Barbados? Beyond being a fun learning activity, this would also help students see their setting from a different point of view. Here are two teachers enjoying the process of collaborating on creating a story.

Evi Hickman, a reading teacher in Fairfax County Virginia, was excited to see a book with a subtitle that included 4^th graders with 8^th graders. She said, "By doing that you have grouped fourth graders with older readers as opposed to tying them into younger students." She thought that this would communicate greater expectations to these younger writers and spur them on to higher levels of achievement.

When I confided to an ESL teacher that I had dreamt that the title of my book would be "Everyone has a Story," she laughed. She found in her work with both Hispanic and a Russian student that at times it is easier for these students to write their own stories, than it is for them to learn how to read. I was surprised but she reminded me that when writing stories from their own lives they are exercising personal choice, which enhances their learning experiences.

Like the teachers who I taught at NCCAT last fall, these teachers also experienced the challenges involved in on-demand writing. They left with a greater appreciation for the tasks which they require their students to perform. I encouraged teachers to take this a step further and share their own writing experiences (both successes and failures!) with their students. As Peter Johnston says in his book, Choice Words, "Being a knower/learner communicates to the student that we're in this together. We're on the same page." (Stenhouse Publishers, 2004)A community of writers working together is vital for a learning-rich environment.

My sessions were well received and I overheard a teachers say, "I'll use this in my classroom on Monday!" Music to a presenter's ears. I left the conference thinking that everyone knows that Virginia is for lovers. But I found a state that is for writers too.

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NCCAT Teachers Exercise Muscle Words

If you've been to one of my writing workshops you know that when it comes to learning Show, Don't Tell writing and revision, I get teachers up out of their seats in this kinesthetic activity.

If you want to try it in your classroom, first teach the "Muscle Words":
- vivid verbs
- specific nouns
- image-driven adjectives
- similes, metaphors, & personification
- onomatopoeia & alliteration

Then, assign an exercise to each one and voila! you have your own version of Exercising Muscle Words. This is a great way for students (and teachers!) to remember words which will jazz up their writing.Technorati Tags:
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Favorite Books Selected by some Favorite Teachers

At NCCAT where Joyce Hostetter and I have been co-teaching the "Is There a Children's Book in You?" seminar, I asked the teachers to tell me what their favorite books were and why. Here are some of their favorites:

My Little Sister Hugged An APE by Bill Grossman, illustrated by Kevin Kawkes. Gail Hurlburt of Randleman, NC recommended this cute rhyming book that teaches the alphabet. She is an ESL K-2^nd grade teacher.

The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd and Well Witched by Frances Hardinge were recommended by Pam Brillisour, a media coordinator. She said that The London Eye Mystery is about a boy whose brain figures things out differently and solves the mystery of his missing cousin. The Well Witched starts slowly but has amazing descriptions. "Three friends miss the bus home from a village where they aren't supposed to be. Since they don't have the bus fare they decide to take some coins from a wishing well. The problem is that they each develop a unique (but scary) skill that they need in order to grant the wished tied to each coin."

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Jester was recommended by Laurie Foote who is an EC teacher in Henderson County. She writes, "The moral of the story is the world is full of exciting things to learn and interesting people to meet if you're just open to it and take the time and look."

Freaky Green Eyes by Joyce Carol Oates is a young adult book recommended by creative writing instructor, Rebecca Wheeler. She says, "This is a coming of age story that is packaged in a wonderfully executed psychological thriller as a teenager discovers her parents' relationship is veiled in secrets."

Gooney Gird Greene, Gooney Bird and the Room Mother, and Gooney the Fabulous
by Lois Lowry. Kathy White, (who couldn't choose just one book) is a second grade teacher in Greensboro, NC. She says that these books star an unusual second grade girl with a gift of telling "absolutely true" stories about herself. Through her stories she explains good writing skills.

Every Living Thing by Cynthia Rylant was recommended by Jan Caldwell, NBCT, Grade 4, Candler Elementary. She writes, "This book provides twelve short stories in which animals change people's lives for the better. It has limited illustrations. The children love it, and it has great themes and life lessons."

Love that Dog by Sharon Creech was recommended by Elizabeth Bemiss, a third grade teacher in Mint Hill. She wrote, "This is a great poetry read aloud/quick read that you'll want to read over and over! This is for second grade and up. A new sequel just came out which is just as great, Hate That Cat."

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech was recommended by Karen Kollar, a teacher at Ashley Elementary in Fayetteville. She wrote, "Sal is suddenly left without a mother and a mystery as to why she left.  This story will take you on an emotional rollercoaster and the intrigue about the whereabouts of her mother and why she left will keep you wondering to the end."

I will leave the week feeling like a mid-wife, expecting that I helped birth some books from this talented group of teachers and writers.
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How Writing a Nano Novel is Different than “Normal” Novel Writing

On the ride to NCCAT with Joyce Hostetter, my fellow presenter, we talked about our NaNoWriMo books. This is my first foray into historical fiction; this is Joyce's fifth book. Her story is about a teenager who for unexpected reasons finds himself working in a mental hospital in the 40's. I was curious to know how writing a book within the framework of one month has been a different experience than how she normally writes her books.

"Before I started NaNo I actually used "Create a Character" from Teaching The Story." (Of course I was delighted to hear that!) "It pushed me to identify major people in my character's life and formative events and helped me to know his back story. I don't usually intentionally sit down and brainstorm about my character first; usually I just discover my characters as I go along.

"I haven't had as much time to research as I would have liked," Joyce admitted. "I have books on my shelves that I haven't even had a minute to read. For example, I want to read the memoirs of a mental hospital employee from WWII but I've been so busy trying to write that I haven't even been able to contact him yet.

"The other difference is that before I had high speed internet connection and the distractions of Facebook and blogging, I would just get up every morning to write. Now, I get up and check my e-mail, and troll around the web and it is all very distracting. NaNoWriMo has helped me to remember what it feels like to create a character and to have my mood lifted by the writing process itself. It energizes me. After recently experiencing the tediousness of proofing the copyedits for Comfort, the sequel to Blue, it is exciting to have a new story and a fresh new character."

Joyce and I became so engrossed in talking about our experiences with NaNoWriMo, that we missed our exit coming here. Fortunately, we figured it out before we drove too many miles out of our way. Get two writers together and that's what happens! But we arrived with plenty of time to set up and lead 24 teachers in the process of exploring, "Is there a Children's Book in You?"

This is Joyce sharing how to create characters with voice. Hopefully a character who doesn’t miss her exit driving along I-40 West in the Appalachian Mountains!

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Great Writing Resources for Children’s Writers

Hello from Cullowhee, North Carolina- home of NCCAT where Joyce Hostetter and I are teaching the seminar, "Is There a Children's Book in You?" We are acting as midwives-- helping 21 talented teachers from across the state write picture books, early chapter books, and novels.

Here are some writing resources I have collected for them, as well as for any of you who are also interested in writing and publishing for children.

HELPFUL WRITING WEBSITES:
Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators
Children's Book Insider

• http://www.writing-world.com/children/nonfiction.shtml - Five Reasons to Write Nonfiction for Children
  
• http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/curriculum/NC
  State Standards
  
• http://joycemoyerhostetter.blogspot.com/ Joyce Hostetter's blog
  
  
  
  

GRAPHIC NOVELS WEBSITES:

• http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev105.shtml -Education World Article about Graphic Novels
  
• http://www.manuscriptediting.com/publishers-children.htm
  Graphic Novels
  
• http://yahelp.suffolk.lib.ny.us/yacomic.html Comic and Graphic Novel Resources
  
• http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/units/lml/comics/pages/index.html Comic Books for Young Adults: A Guide for Librarians
  
• http://www.rationalmagic.com/Comics/Comics.html Graphic Novel Reviews
  
• http://www.duluth.lib.mn.us/YouthServices/GraphicNovelsParents.html A Parent's Guide to Graphic Novels for Teens
  
• http://my.voyager.net/~sraiteri/graphicnovels.htm Recommended Graphic Novels for Public Libraries
  
• 
  Kid Safe Graphic Novels Kid Safe Graphic Novels
  

MAGAZINE WEBSITES:

• 
  http://www.cobblestonepub.com/magazines.html Cricket and Cobblestone
  
• http://www.writerswrite.net/pubdisp.cfm?market=1100201 Highlights- writers guidelines
  

EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS WEBSITES

http://ngsp.com/ National Geographic School Publishing. Materials for the classroom. *****

http://www.outofthecradle.net/categories/lunar-library/youth/youth-educator-materials/ *****

https://www.secureaep.com/awards/attendees.php - Get a list of the 500 people who attended the Association of Educational Publishers summit on publishing for the digital future. **

http://www.evan-moor.com/Science/Catalog.aspx?CurriculumID=6 – An example of one educational publisher, Evan Moor. **

http://www.prufrock.com/ Publishes materials for gifted children ***

http://www.pearsonhighered.com/ Megabig publisher for school materials ****
http://www.pearsonhighered.com/educator/hip_main_content/1,3120,-802,00.html ) author's guidelines for Pearson's companies

http://www.readingprograms.info/ed_pubs.html **** lists websites of major educational publishers

http://www.buzzle.com/chapters/education-and-higher-learning_teachers-guide-and-related-resources_publishers-and-publishing.asp *****-lists of educational publishers

PROPOSAL WEBSITES

• http://write4kids.com/a2e.html "Author To Editor: Query Letter Secrets of the Pros"
  
• http://www.right-writing.com/factors.htm "Ten Factors to Consider when Writing a Book Proposal"
  
  

  
   

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“I’ll show you my artifacts if you show me yours!”

That was one of the last things I said to fellow NC author, Joyce Hostetter, on Wednesday afternoon after a day of planning our upcoming workshop at NCCAT. Joyce got into the theme of an archeological dig as she brainstormed off my reproducible "Mining Your Lives" from Teaching the Story. Thinking about how adult authors can "dig" into their own experiences to springboard into their writing, led us to an entire week's theme of digging, exploring, and finally, at the end, sharing "artifacts" (their written creations from the week) with one another. Is There a Children's Book in You? will be a week complete with time to "Voice Your Character," "Dig Into Problems," "Discover a Setting," and "Explore a Mood."

We had spent the morning at the Gaston County Library collaborating on our upcoming workshop for NWRESA, Using Life Experiences to Pump Up Your Writing. Joyce bounced off of my "Exercise Muscle Words" worksheet, played with the wrestling metaphor, and decided that each segment of the day would be labeled "Rounds." We're expecting the day to be a "knock out" for NC teachers who live in the northwest portion of our state.

This is the joy and fun of collaboration. As we laughed and bounced ideas off of one another, we thought of things that we might not have considered working on our own. For example, I would not have thought of posing with a statue outside the library. Joyce, as you can see in this picture, is a natural "let's think outside this box" person. Score a point for adults, as well as students, benefiting from the unexpected surprises of collaboration.

Remember the story about the blind men with the elephant? In this Asian tale, each man describes the same animal in a totally different fashion depending on his perspective. Check out Joyce's blog about our day together and discover how two authors can write about the same event in a totally different fashion. Hmmm…sounds like a good lesson plan for any grade teacher!

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Technology Toys & Tools

Last month when I was a presenter at NWRESA, I used this AVerVersion Document camera for the first time. After completing their "assignments" teachers used the camera to project their writing unto a screen so that everyone could comment on it. WOW! I found it to be a great tool for allowing everyone to give feedback to the writer who could then revise her work accordingly. I was impressed as I realized the classroom possibilities; little did I know about the range of technology toys and tools that can enhance writing instruction.

Spin forward two weeks. Today I talked with Steve Johnson, a technology facilitator who I met at NCCAT. He is writing the technology mini-lessons for the second edition of Teaching the Story. We are also writing a proposal for the National Gifted conference in Tampa next November entitled, "Beyond the Keyboard: Incorporating Technology into your Writing Curriculum." I am so excited about the possibilities that will open up as students use not only document cameras, but wiki's, MP3 players, Powerpoints, and a host of other technology that Steve is dreaming up to teach fiction writing. Stay tuned for updates!

For all of you who have already bought a copy of my book, I'll make sure that you receive these technology lessons also. Just e-mail me with and I'll pass your name along to Maupin House.

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Is there a Children’s Book in You?

On Monday, Joyce Hostetter and I were welcomed to NCCAT, the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching. This retreat center, which snuggles into the Appalachian Mountains across from Western Carolina University, is a teacher's dream come true. For one week out of the year, North Carolina public school teachers are given the opportunity to study, relax, and rejuvenate tired minds. This particular week, Joyce and I had the privilege of leading twenty-three K-12 teachers through the process of writing for the children's market.

As we listened to the teacher's goals when we assembled together on Monday afternoon, many repeated the same theme: "I'm coming here to see if I have what it takes to be a writer." Joyce and I were expecting them to state that they wanted to write a picture book or a young adult novel. As we found out, their goals were far more personal: they needed permission to "open a vein" and write which was bubbling just beneath the surface. After that initial session, I advised the group that beyond the ability to write (which they all demonstrated beautifully), they each needed two greater skills: the ability to receive rejection and the ability to persevere.

As I anticipated, Joyce and I complemented each other. It is as if we have each been developing our skills in anticipation of crossing paths at the MidSouth Reading and Writing Institute last June. Joyce, as the middle grade author of BLUE, brought her knowledge of writing dialogue, historical fiction, and personality types (both of the authors and characters!). I brought Teaching the Story: Fiction Writing in Middle School, 15 years critiquing manuscripts for the SCBWI Charlotte group, and my experiences teaching teachers. We were delighted to discover that not only our laptops full of powerpoints dovetailed, but our personalities worked well together also. Joyce gently chided me that I was the one who made sure we stayed on our schedule and was ready to improvise in front of the group; I envied Joyce's well-designed powerpoints that had cars and characters careening on and off the screen.

On Thursday afternoon the group gathered to share how NCCAT had refreshed and challenged us both personally and professionally. That evening, as we met to hear everyone's work, I felt like a midwife as I listened to poems, picture books, magazine articles, and the beginnings of several young adult novels. It was a privilege to be a part of the birthing process of so many stories for children–and of the writers themselves.