Literacy Now

Early in the writing of my first historical novel, COME AUGUST, COME FREEDOM, I considered quitting.

After collecting notes for several years about Gabriel's Rebellion, one of America's largest planned slave insurrections, I had decided to write a young adult novel that would imagine Gabriel's life leading up to the thwarted rebellion of 1800. I dove in to the archives and spent a year reading and re-reading through primary sources, becoming familiar with the historiography of Gabriel's Rebellion.

The research was going well; my inner archive-rat was nicely tipsy off a strong, tall cocktail of centuries-old trial documents, private correspondence, legislative resolutions, and period newspaper ads. With each pass through the original documents and historical works, the details surrounding the insurrection plot settled into my mind more deeply, but new questions were arising in demand of answers that I didn't yet have. I understood the facts, but processing the meaning of those facts was proving difficult for me. There was so much to learn about: the U.S. presidential election of 1800, the Haitian Revolution, Virginia's shifting of its capital from Williamsburg to Richmond, the nature of slavery in Virginia during the early republic, geography, currency, and the criminal justice system.

I was in way, way over my head.

One morning I seized up, froze up, and almost gave up. The only reasonable response to that sort of paralysis is to get up and walk the dog. I needed to go do some thinking, reflect on all that I knew, and try to assess the gaps in my understanding.

So, I gave myself a good hour's walk to ask questions, consider new ideas, and try to aim higher in my thinking. I went walking to try to reconnect with my curiosity. On the day I took myself on the first of many thinker's-block walks with my dog, Biscuit, my interior conversation went something like this:

Discouraged Little Me: I don't write historical fiction. I'm not a historian. I truly don't even know if that sentence should be: "I'm not an historian." I can't do this.

Aim Higher Me: Come on, snap out of it. Don't be a baby. Think! What do you know about?

Discouraged Little Me: Nothing. I'm not a historian. Or "an" one. Whatever.

DLM was not cooperating.

We have a mantra in our family: dig deep. I'd like to say that Aim Higher Me helped Discouraged Little Me to dig deep and find her confidence, but there's a good reason for taking a dog along when you're off exploring. A hound dog companion lets no wild thing go unobserved, not the two crows taunting the juvenile Cooper's hawk overhead, not the lone cottontail trying to blend in to the brush, nor the last of the Monarch butterflies coaxing the tail end of summer to stay around. Discouraged Little Me picked her head up and sighed. Aim Higher Me tried again with a softer touch.

AHM: Come on, sweet child. You know about lots of things. Name one thing you know.

DLM: Cities. I know about cities. [Well, it was a start.]

AHM: Yes! You do! You know all about cities. Tell me something about cities.

DLM: Cities are where people live. [I didn't say it was a great start.] And where people work and learn. Cities have housing and transportation and employers. And ways of getting food to people, places for people to worship, to trade, and to have fun. Cities can be beautiful or functional or beautiful and functional. You can have walking cities or automobile cities or garden cities. Prince Charles made a city—Poundbury!

AHM: Good! Good! Now, how do cities relate to Gabriel? [See how long AHM waited to raise the REAL issue? At least thirty minutes of walking the big dog.]

DLM: I don't know.

Having come this close to a breakthrough, AHM didn't follow the pileated woodpecker down the creek and hardly noticed the eastern bluebird feeding its young on the power line.

AHM: You DO know. Come on. One thing.

DLM: Okay, Gabriel may have hired out in the city. He came into the city every Sunday to plan his business. When his plot was discovered, he escaped at the edge of the city by hopping a ship to Norfolk (a city!), where he was captured by the sheriff. He came back up the James River to Richmond. He walked through the city up to the Governor's house. He was sent to the new penitentiary in the city. He was tried at the courthouse on the north bank of the James. The same courthouse where he was tried in 1799…in the city!

AHM: See, you know about this city, and Gabriel knew about this city, too.

So, newly invigorated with a fresh way of organizing my thoughts about Gabriel, I sprinted home up the hill and made straight for our library. I knew Jane Jacobs could help me. I grabbed our copy of her book, THE DEATH AND LIFE OF GREAT AMERICAN CITIES, from the social sciences shelf and read enough to reframe how I was approaching the facts. By then, I had started a research wiki; now I added a reflection section and wrote, paraphrasing Jacobs:

Takeaway from this book: A city exists as a problem of a sizable number of variables that are all interrelated to the organic whole. A city is an organized, complex problem. So, was slavery also an organized, complex problem? (not a simple problem b/c there are more than 2 variables, not disorganized b/c why?) So if slavery is an organized, complex problem...(lots of interrelated variables) what does this mean for Gabriel and how he ultimately decides to take the problem on? I think there is evidence to suggest that he DID understand the interrelated aspects of the problem and how it all came together in 1799-1800. How then, to illustrate this kind of thinking?? Can the city itself be the metaphor? Does living in the city, working in the city, teach him something about the problem of slavery and what he ultimately comes to see as the solution? Or is it the problem of freedom that he is giving his thinking to? (Go read just a tiny bit about radiant city, garden city, city on a hill refs)

I wondered, what the heck just happened? It was awesome!

"That's called metacognition," my friend Meg Medina told me. "Thinking about thinking. Knowing about knowing. Look it up."

Metacognition. With a name that big, surely, then I could replicate the experience whenever I needed to:

1. Go explore.
2. Ask questions.
3. Express a new idea. Just try!
4. Aim higher.
5. Reflect on the experience of exploring and thinking.
6. Record my thoughts.

Here's another example. After finishing up some research in Colonial Williamsburg, I went exploring, this time in the College of William and Mary's bookstore, and picked up NOTES OF A NATIVE SON by James Baldwin. The question I was pondering at that time was: what biases do I have that I don't even see?

I sat down and read his essay "Everybody's Protest Novel." In it, Baldwin links together Harriet Beecher Stowe's UNCLE TOM'S CABIN and Richard Wright's NATIVE SON as protest novels that reject life and deny beauty. I read Baldwin's words accusing Stowe of covering the nakedness of Africans with the hidden values prescribed to color-language in her novel. He wrote, "For black is the color of evil; only the robes of the saved are white." I had asked the question, "What bias do I hold?" Baldwin had answered. Before even returning to my manuscript, I knew I would find I also had equated the color white with goodness and light and black with malice and evil. A different question arose: What do I do now?

Having been made aware of my bias, I had two choices: forge ahead unchanged or evolve. I recorded in my wiki, "White and black are just colors; we can assign to them any value or symbolism we want. Does my current use of color symbolism make sense for Gabriel? Does the way I've written about colors make sense for this story?"

Here's the thing: Gabriel was a blacksmith. He spent his life in the black of the forge. He planned the insurrection by a creek in the dark of the woods. For his story, I realized, the color black should represent safety, freedom, and salvation and white would equate with blinding injustice and evil. Reading "Everybody's Protest Novel" didn't directly relate to Gabriel's life, but exploring and questioning did help me grow as a thinker and as a writer.

Seeking out metacognitive experiences can shape us into passionate lifelong learners. Curiosity, inquiry, and reflection can and do occur naturally—as when my walk led me to Jane Jacobs and a new framework for processing many variables. And, cultivating such periods of exploration and reflection, as with James Baldwin's essay, can transform our self-awareness—not to mention our thinking about the world we live in.

Gigi Amateau is the author of the young adult novels COME AUGUST, COME FREEDOM (Candlewick Press, 2012) and A CERTAIN STRAIN OF PECULIAR (Candlewick Press, 2009). She also wrote the middle-grade novel, CHANCEY OF THE MAURY RIVER (Candlewick Press, 2008). Her debut young adult novel, CLAIMING GEORGIA TATE (Candlewick Press, 2005), was selected as a Book Sense Children's Pick, a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age, and a VOYA Review Editor's Choice. She also contributed to the acclaimed anthology, OUR WHITE HOUSE: LOOKING IN LOOKING OUT (Candlewick Press, 2008). Gigi is a native of Mississippi. She grew up in Mechanicsville, VA and graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in Urban Studies and Planning. She lives in the city of Richmond, VA with her husband and daughter. Visit her online at http://www.gigiamateau.com/.

© 2012 Gigi Amateau. Author photo: L. Leigh Meriweather. Please do not reproduce in any form, electronic or otherwise.

One of the most fiercely guarded—and most fiercely debated—freedoms that citizens of our nation have is the right to read. As long as books are published, there will be titles that offend someone. From talking animals in some fairy tales and folktales to books in which characters explore their sexual identity to titles in which questions about religious beliefs are raised or certain expletives are used, no book can ever be considered safe from offending someone. In honor of the thirtieth anniversary of Banned Books Week—celebrated September 30 to October 6—this week members of the International Reading Association Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group look back at books that have raised the ire of some readers, particularly during the last year. Teachers may be interested in using some of the excellent lessons for different grade levels on examining challenged books at ReadWriteThink.org. The American Library Association also has several useful resources for teachers and librarians and a list entitled Books Challenged or Banned in 2010-2011 compiled by Robert P. Doyle. The ALA websites offer suggestions for how to become involved during Banned Book Week, including writing letters to the editor on behalf of books and reading or rereading a book that has been banned or challenged. Additionally, ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom has provided a list of 326 challenges to books during the past year. Among the top ten most challenged books are the ones that appear below.

GRADES K-3

Butler, Dori Hillestad. (2005). My mom’s having a baby: A month-to-month guide to pregnancy. Illus. by Carol Thompson. Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman.

Five-year-old Elizabeth is excited about the arrival of her unborn sibling and is full of questions. Using a nonfiction format, the author has created a month-by-month look at the development of a baby within the mother’s uterus as told by its narrator, Elizabeth, from her childlike perspective. Since older siblings are always curious about a new baby, the book provides accurate and straightforward explanations as to how a baby is conceived and how it grows as a fetus until the baby is ready to be born. The illustrations complement the text in their variety and form from cartoon-like panels to speech balloons or full page spreads. Mother explains how her body is changing to allow for the baby to grow. The love and excitement as well as the anticipation of a new baby brother or sister permeate the book while factual details are woven throughout the months. This book was named a Top Ten Sci-Tech Books for Youth 2005. Teachers can find guides for parents and siblings from the author at her website. Interested readers can listen to the author discuss her book with an adult and a Fox news commentator.

One of the top ten most challenged books reported to the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, the book’s frank and open discussion of how a baby is created disturbed some critics. Many adult readers liked the month-by-month description on the development of the baby and how it grows, but felt uncomfortable with the detailed explanation about conception to a five year old. Arguments swirled around the right age for children or teenagers to learn about the basic facts of “where babies come from.” Many librarians maintained that the book belongs in the nonfiction section of libraries and parents/adults/caregivers have the responsibility of making the choice as to when and if the books will be useful within their family units. On the blog, She Scribes, a lively pro and con discussion of this book reflects the nation-wide controversy can be found. Projects such as The Uprise Book Project state that their goal is to end the cycle of poverty with banned books and proclaim: “We think that parents have a right and an obligation to monitor their own child’s access to literature they feel might be inappropriate, but they can’t control another child’s access. By banning and challenging books in schools and libraries, though, they’re doing exactly that."

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

GRADES 5-8

Harris, Robie H. (2009, 3rd Edition). It’s perfectly normal: A book about changing bodies, growing up, sex and sexual health. Illus. by Michael Emberley. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

The year 2009 celebrated the 15th anniversary edition of It’s Perfectly Normal. Intended for intermediate and middle school-aged tweens and teens, the book offers answers to the myriad kinds of questions that young people ponder as their bodies change during puberty. The author offers frank and factual information in a straightforward fashion. The introduction, “Lots of Questions,” sets the open tone for the book. Part One launches this format with “What is Sex?” The cartoon-like yet anatomically accurate illustrations serve to lighten the tone and create pictures that can be observed and invite discussion. Throughout the book, his cartoons of the bird and bee discussing the featured topics add a touch of levity to subjects that are often difficult to discuss openly. Other chapters that continue the discussion are: Our Bodies; Puberty; Families and Babies; Decisions; and Staying Healthy. Some of the topics included within these chapters deal with sexual reproduction, sexual desire, sexual intercourse, heterosexuality, homosexuality, sex organs, changing feelings, puberty, birth control, taking care of babies, the cells, sex abuse, STDs, HIV and AIDS, staying healthy, and responsible choices. The most recent edition includes chapters on the Internet and safe use of the Internet and evaluating websites. The publisher has provided an in-depth information sheet on the website that includes notes from the author, talking points for teachers and caregivers using the books with tweens and teens, and comments from doctors and experts in the field of sex education. The author discusses her books on her website. Companion titles from Robie Harris include It’s So Amazing: A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies and Families (2008); It’s NOT the Stork! A Book about Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families and Friends (2004), and her newest title Who’s in My Family? All about Our Families (2012). The controversy surrounding the book deals with the opinion of some that the book is pornographic. Some critics consider the illustrations too graphic. Other challenges refer to the discussions on intercourse, masturbation, and homosexuality. A school district in the state of Washington removed the book from the school library stating, “The book is an act of encouragement for children to begin desiring sexual gratification…and is a clear example of child pornography.” Challenges have come from schools and public libraries around the country, making this title the American Library Association’s most challenged book in 2005 even though it was supported by such groups as Planned Parenthood. Another type of question surrounding the use of this book is the concern that it is written for children rather than older teens or adults. The ageless argument among parents and adults is the question dealing with age appropriateness as to when the explanation of sex and sexuality should be introduced. (Reference: The American Library Association.)

- Karen Hildebrand, Ohio Library and Reading Consultant

GRADES 9-12

Alexie, Sherman. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. Illus. by Ellen Forney. New York: Little, Brown.

Filled with humor and pathos, this title describes the decision made by Arnold Junior (or Arnold, his white name) to leave the Spokane Indian Reservation for a better education in the nearby town of Reardon. The author’s description of the poverty, alcoholism, and depression that fill the lives of those around Junior make it easy to understand why he chooses to attend school in a place where he is the only Native American. In some cases, just getting to school is a challenge by itself, and once Arnold settles in, of course, he must navigate the confusing high school social order while fending off accusations of betrayal by the friends he left behind. The author describes the beauty of the area of Washington State where Junior lives and dreams of a brighter future. The pages resonate with cultural awareness and respect for the past and for family amid the certainty that Junior must leave what is familiar if he hopes for more than the bleak lives he often sees around him. Few who have read the title can remain untouched by its clear depiction of the inequities in this nation. Despite its popularity and National Book Award, the title has been challenged due by parents due to what they consider to be offensive language, racism, its religious viewpoint, and its sexually explicit nature.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Collins, Suzanne. (2008-2010). The Hunger games trilogy. New York: Scholastic.

The three books that recently sparked something of a reading craze rivaling that of the Twilight series among teens have come under fire as being anti-family, anti-ethnic, insensitive, violent, and containing offensive language and dealing with the occult or satanic themes. The trilogy centers around Katniss Everdeen, a sixteen-year-old who volunteers to take her younger sister’s place in the annual Hunger Games. Each district selects a male and a female tribute to represent them in a televised fight to the death with only one survivor. Katniss is sure that she stands little chance of surviving, but as it turns out, she has more survival skills than she realized. Sexual tension is provided by her growing attraction to Peeta, the male tribute from her district. The first book is filled with surprises about the post-apocalyptic world in which the story is set, and all three books feature difficult, almost impossible choices about life, death, and survival faced by the book’s characters. At many points, it’s virtually impossible to know who to trust or who to believe. The author weaves a skillful, riveting page-turner that still has many readers thinking about how the series ends.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Huxley, Aldous. (1946). Brave new world. New York: Harper & Row.

Despite the creation of a perfect society in the world of the future described in this literary classic often read in senior English classes, not everyone is content. One man in particular, Bernard Marx, is bored by the promiscuous, pleasure-seeking aspect of the world in which he lives, and longs to be left alone. Citizens are kept in line through the use of drugs that numb their minds and keep any questions or critical thoughts at bay, and Bernard has grown increasingly uncomfortable with the society he sees around him. For many readers, this early dystopian novel foretold the focus on consumerism that exists today and seems to insist that we buy more, more, more when we really need less, less, less. The book, a perennial title on the list of books that are challenged or banned, earns its place on the list because of insensitivity, nudity, racism, religious viewpoints, and for its sexual explicitness.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Hwa, Kim Dong. (2009). The color of Earth series. New York: First Second.

This graphic novel series set in Korea focuses on love, a first love for young Ehwa and a second chance at love for her mother. In the first title, The Color of Earth, Ehwa, the daughter, on the cusp of puberty, is torn between growing affection for a monk-in-training and a wealthy landowner's son while her mother experiences sexual ecstasy with a traveling artist who leaves a brush behind each time he visits. The characters are refreshingly honest about their feelings, and the storyline is engaging and filled with descriptive language that accompanies the softly drawn and painted illustrations whose subtle tints and tones mirror the blush on a young girl’s cheek as she explores the mysteries of her own body. In classic romantic fashion, both females long deeply for love or sexual fulfillment, their feelings a counterpoint against the often vulgar remarks of some of the men in the village and the curiosity of the village children, who are learning about their own bodies in a playful fashion. The relationship between mother and daughter is deep and honest, and no question is too intimate to be asked. The book has been considered too sexually provocative by some and inappropriate for its intended audience.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Lee, Harper. (1960). To kill a mockingbird. New York: J. P. Lippincott.

Another ubiquitous title found in the middle and high school literary canon, this book has been challenged frequently for its offensive language and racism. Set in small-town Maycomb, Alabama, in the 1930s, the story centers around the Finch family: Scout, her brother Jem, and their father, Atticus. The storyline involves a mystery or two, a fight for justice, and the unfair laws that existed at the time. Scout must come to her lawyer father’s defense when he defends a black man accused of raping a white girl. She and Jem find it difficult to understand the attitudes of the adults around them when it comes to race and class. In the end, a society heavily mired in decades of prejudice and a double-tiered system of justice is shaken by the words, deeds, and quiet dignity of the heroic Atticus Finch. For many readers, this book represents their coming of age about the topic of social justice and civil rights and has prompted much reflection on the assumptions we make about those around us.

- Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University Pullman

Myracle, Lauren. (2004-2007). Internet girls series. New York: Abrams/Amulet Books.

This young adult trilogy is written completely in the style of instant messaging with teen vocabulary. The first title, Ttyl, is internet slang for “talk to you later” and introduces readers to the winsome threesome—Madigan, Zoe, and Angela—who help each other through the ups and downs of high school and young romance. Next in the series are Ttfn “Ta-ta for now” and finally L8r, g8r “Later, gator,” two titles which continue the girls’ friendship as they explore alcohol and drugs and begin sexual relationships. These titles have topped the ALA list of challenged books for offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group. Myracle is available on Twitter and Facebook to talk to fans about the books, their topics, and her characters.

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. (1985-2013). Alice series. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Young girls and women across the world have read one, a couple or all of the books in the Alice series. There are 27 titles that follow the main character, Alice McKinley, from third grade all the way to college. Besides featuring a character to whom readers can easily relate, the books discuss topics such as family, friendship, moving, bullies, prejudice, and body image. When Alice is in high school the books explore themes about identity, first jobs, relationships, dating, and sex. The series has made the ALA most challenged book list for several years for the books’ sexual content. The movie Alice Upside Down is based on the series. In May 2013 the final Alice title, Always Alice, will be published, chronicling Alice’s life from age 18 to 60. Naylor keeps a blog where she answers readers’ questions.

- Deanna Day, Washington State University Vancouver

Sones, Sonya. (2004). One of those hideous books where the mother dies. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Challenged but then retained at the Theisen Middle School in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in 2010 despite a parent’s concern that the book’s “sexual content was too mature for eleven- to fourteen-year-olds,” this title has won several awards, including being named a 2005 Best Book for Young Adults by the American Library Association. A superficial reading of the book might validate the parent’s concern. Explicit references to sex and the desire to have a sexual experience is a chief preoccupation for 16-year-old Ruby Milliken. But that is only a part of who she is and her life experience. As the book opens, Ruby’s mother has just died in Boston, and she is on a plane to start her life with her father she doesn’t know, the famous movie star Whip Logan. Ruby believes that her father doesn’t love her because of what her mother told her about him. Instead, she finds Whip to be a caring and concerned human being and seemingly delighted to have his daughter with him. While Ruby worries about her boyfriend Ray staying faithful to her, she is also drawn to local boy Wyatt. Relying on freestyle prose-poetry, the author paints a vivid picture of pain, teenagers, feminine awareness, and challenges of life in an honest fashion. As the story progresses, Ruby transitions from ignoring her father to accepting him, and even admitting that she is proud to be his daughter. Discovering that he was in a monogamous relationship with another man does not matter to her. She survives both natural and romantic disasters and ultimately realizes that her supposedly uncaring father has kept tabs on her all along.

- Rani Iyer, Washington State University Pullman

by Peggy Coyne

Teachers have known for years that students learn differently. The latest research in the neurosciences is confirming this through the ability of neuroscientists to capture images of brain activity as we engage in learning new tasks. The evidence from these pictures is clear that no two brains learn the same way. The way each of us learns is as different as our fingerprints. So it makes sense that a one-size-fits-all curriculum made for “average” learners will not yield the results we want. There are no average learners. Learner variability is the norm. How can we as teachers, who have anywhere from 18-38 students in our classrooms address this challenge? How can we design lessons that address learner variability, that maximize learning for all students, from those who struggle to those who excel? These are some of the questions that teachers from the Bronx, NY addressed during a two-week workshop where they learned how to apply Universal Design for Learning framework to their literacy practices. Universal Design for Learning (UDL), an educational framework based on the neurosciences, holds as a core belief that learner variability is the given. UDL at a Glance is a short video that provides an overview and explains the connections between neuroscience and how the UDL Guidelines are helping teachers address learner variability.

Monee Perkins, a teacher at Bronx Math Prep, attended the UDL workshop. Here are some of her reflections and new ideas she will integrate into her classrooms this year as a result of that work:

“I often hear my administrators say, ‘You have to teach to the whole child,’ and I would say to myself, ‘Oh no, I cannot create 90 individual lessons for my students, I have a life.’ However, UDL helped me realize that is not what my administrators meant. UDL and my administration team are suggesting that I create one lesson, and in the design of that lesson make sure I minimize the barriers so every student can walk away with the big ideas through a variety of lessons and projects. Using the UDL Guidelines, I can allow learning to be fun through Multiple Means of Engagement; support and scaffold the ways students learn through Multiple Means of Action and Expression; and provide Multiple Means of Representation by presenting content in different ways. What I find amusing is the fact that teachers already do many of the things included in the UDL Guidelines, especially in special education. But now I realize that by designing lessons using the UDL Guidelines we can maximize learning for all students, including the ‘average student’ from the beginning. As a result of my work with UDL, I intend on incorporating more media in my lessons, giving students choice, and implementing more resources such as ADOBE Reader, Wall Wisher, BookBuilder, and Voice Thread to help me address the variability of learners in my classroom. I look forward to updating you in a few months to let you know how things went.” 

This article is part of a series from the International Reading Association Technology in Literacy Education Special Interest Group (TILE-SIG).

 

 

by Clarissa Hardcastle

The question of how to reform education always comes around to teachers: how to train them, how to assess them, how to pay them, how to keep them—and the list goes on.

The United States isn’t alone in grappling with these issues. Education ministers throughout the world are faced with these same questions. Because of this, education leaders came together to share ideas and best practices at the International Summit on the Teaching Profession.

Delegations comprised of education ministers, leaders of national teachers' organizations, and other teacher leaders from countries and regions with high-performing and rapidly improving education systems gathered in New York City in March 2012.

This year's theme, Preparing Teachers and Developing School Leaders, examined how to improve teacher preparation and school leader development to better address the needs of 21st century learning environments and changing expectations.

Participating countries and regions included Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, the People’s Republic of China, Republic of Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Singapore, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

A webcast of the opening and closing events can be viewed online. Also available are PDF files of the 2011 and 2012 International Summit Reports, an article about the first Summit’s ideals and motivation as seen by the world’s leaders in education, and a two-part summary (Part 1; Part 2) of the Summit’s conclusions as written by Vivien Stewart, Asia Society's Senior Advisor for Education and author of A World-Class Education: Learning from International Models of Excellence and Innovation.

Asia Society was a partner on this event along with the U.S. Department of Education, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Education International (EI) the global federation of teacher unions, American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), National Education Association (NEA), and public broadcaster WNET.

Clarissa Hardcastle is a strategic communications intern at the International Reading Association.

International Reading Association Annual Convention

My first job after college was at a public television station in New Orleans. I had no experience, so I wrote a letter to the station manager and said I was willing to do anything. Anything. I got what was generally considered the worst job in the shop: transcribing interviews. This meant when a producer went out in the field to do an interview, he or she would bring the tapes back to me and I would sit with headphones and a typewriter (yes, a typewriter) and transcribe every single word.

Sounds boring? It was. But it was helpful, too. For one thing, I learned how to type really fast, which is a useful skill for any aspiring writer.

I also learned how to listen. I was surprised to hear how often people don’t answer the questions they’re asked. This was confirmed later when I began reporting for PEOPLE magazine. People often dance around difficult questions. We—because I include myself here—avoid uncomfortable truths and try to turn conversations in other directions. But in the process, we often step right in it and reveal the very thing we’re trying to hide.

From my hours spent transcribing interviews, I learned that a conversation between two people can be powerful and dramatic, especially when there’s an underlying tension between the people talking.

So here’s a trick to use when starting a piece of fiction writing: Transcribe a conversation between two or more characters. It doesn’t have to be a fight, but the conversation should reflect a conflict, either clearly defined or mysteriously vague. Maybe the characters are talking about one thing, but they’re really talking about something else.

This is how I kicked off my new book, HOMESICK:

MOM (yelling): What in God’s name are you doing?
DAD: Shh. You’ll wake up Benny.
MOM: No, I won’t. He’s sound asleep.
[ME: Wrong. I was wide awake and listening from my room like I always did when my mom and dad fought. It was the soundtrack of my childhood.]
DAD: Let me just unload the truck.
MOM: I told you to clean up your crap, and now you’re bringing home more crap?

There’s more to this conversation, but do you see how the characters are really talking about their relationship? Does the fact that the narrator is listening from the safety of his bedroom tell us something about him? Even the mother’s use of the word “crap”—a word I don’t typically use—reveals something about the family dynamic.

Try using the transcript writing exercise with your students and see if this trick works for you. Getting rid of all those he saids and she saids might help them discover who their characters are and what their conflict is. It’s also a great way to jump right into the heat of a story.

When they revise, your students will probably want to put the dialogue in paragraph form, but maybe not. I ended up liking the transcript format so much, I used it in my book.

I hope that practicing writing transcripts will help your students land their first jobs. They probably don’t want to be transcriptionists, though. But if they can learn to hear what people are saying between the lines, and then weave a story out of those truths and lies and hopes and fears, they just might be the kind of writers whose books we want to read.

Kate Klise is the author of 23 books, including DYING TO MEET YOU, GROUNDED, and HOMESICK. For more information, visit www.kateklise.com.