Happy Halloween!

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ToDaY iS hAlLoWeEn! 

This is a time where little ghosts and goblins and princesses and superheroes can't sit still at school/preschool, parents are bringing in candy, cookies, and cupcakes to increase the sugar highs, and everyone looks forward to going door to door in the neighborhood to trick or treat. When I saw the information below floating around on facebook, I knew it was the answer to what would go on the blog today. Then, Sandy hit the northeast, and I realized that thousands of children will be disappointed that they cannot trick or treat as usual. So, there is a second part to this blog that gives a few suggestions as discussed on The Today Show Oct. 30, 2012.

Image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I have tried to track down the original source; however, efforts have not been successful. I have added some additional commentary to the side of the original statements.

• In a few days, a lot of creatures will visit your door. Be open minded. 
• The child who is grabbing more than one piece of candy might have poor fine motor skills. This child may also have proprioceptive challenges. Proprioception is the sense of where your body is in space. It's the awareness of position and motion. Children who are challenged or delayed proprioceptively are the children who always squeeze the juice box/pouch too hard, have a hard time staying sitting in chairs, run into the next child in line, breaks the tips off pencils and markers bearing down too hard, etc. They present as uncoordinated and are often thought of as not paying attention. However, they may not have the movement senses or skills needed to have smoother movements and control their posture and motions.
• The child who takes forever to pick out one piece of candy might have motor planning issues. This child may also have sensory overload issues or be particular about what s/he wants. A child who has been coached to only take one (including when the person at the door says that) may need time to decide the best one piece of candy to take. This can take longer if there are several choices in the bowl that appeal to the child. This child may be overwhelmed with the choices presented. A child taking a long time to choose might be offered the chance to take more than one, or perhaps invite the parent to come to assist.
• The child who does not say "trick or treat" or "thank you" might be painfully shy, non-verbal, or selectively mute. Children often freeze when faces with new people and pressure to "perform." It may be the last 2 houses of the night before they get comfortable enough with the whole process to speak. This same principle applies when asking children what they are dressed up as, if they are having a good time, telling them they are so cute or you love their costume. 
• If you cannot understand their words, they may struggle with developmental apraxia of speech. 
• They are thankful in their hearts and minds. 
• The child who looks disappointed when he sees your bowl might have a life-threatening allergy. Or they may also be very particular about their likes and dislikes. Having a roll of quarters handy might do the trick. 
• The child who isn't wearing a costume at all might have SPD or autism. 
• Be kind, be patient, smile, pretend you understand. It's everyone's Halloween.
•  Make a parent feel good by making a big deal of their special child. 

Image courtesy of Tom Clare/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Hurricane/Noreaster Sandy Hits East Coast

No Trick or Treating for Thousands

Image courtesy of farconville/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Some suggestions for alternatives to traditional trick-or-treating if conditions allow were presented on The Today Show Oct. 30, 2012. I have recapped some of them here and added a few of my own:

• If conditions allow, round up your neighbors and create a small area of homes and families for traditional trick-or-treat. Or coordinate a trunk-or-treat.

• Many people in the Deep South already have the tradition of Trunk-or-Treat as an alternative to going door-to-door. This would work well in a cul-de-sac. Have neighbors park in a centralized area with their trunks pointing out into the street. People put the candy in their trunks and open the trunks so children can go from trunk to trunk "trick or treating." This is very popular in church communities in the deep south. Many people go to great lengths to decorate their trunks as well. 
• This is a wonderful opportunity to meet neighbors you've been meaning to, band together as a community to support one another, and have a block party!

Get crafty. Get out your craft items including glue and candy on hand and decorate. One idea is to clean out a milk carton or cereal box and glue candy onto it to make a Halloween version of a gingerbread house.

Have a cook out if you have a way to grill. Halloweenies and boo-burgers can be the main course. If neighbors come together they may be able to pool resources and have a fun food contribution for your non-traditional Halloween.

Trick or treat in your own house! Put different types of candy in each room of your home. Have your children go from room to room trick or treating.

Have a candy scavenger hunt. Hide candy around the house and let your kids find what the Great Pumpkin hid for them (like Easter egg hunts). For older children, make it more difficult and create clues for them to follow to find the best treats. Throw in some tricks like a pair of dirty socks or a can of tuna or like in Charlie Brown -- a rock.

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore— While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. “ ’Tis some visiter,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door—                               Only this and nothing more.” ~Edgar Allen Poe (From The Raven)

Have a Happy, Fun, and Safe Halloween!

Image courtesy of Elwood W. McKay III/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Blog entry by Dr. Ellaine B. Miller, PhD. Family Child Care Partnerships at Auburn University.www.humsci.auburn.edu/fccp

Adapted Art

I am so excited be a guest blogger today.  My name is Amanda Myers and my regular blog is A Special Kind of Class.  I have truly taught a special kind of class for 20 years.  The 7 children in my class each year have either a physical and/or speech disability.    Many of them do not speak at all and many have little to no fine motor skills. This makes participating in the regular school program challenging.  My job is to figure out the best way for them to participate and learn before sending them back to their home school board.  I thought I would share a little about how I adapted an art project for my students.  Adapting lessons for children with special needs often does not require any special skills, just a willingness to think outside the box.  Oftentimes ordinary items can be used.  Most of the items featured below came from Lakeshore.  They were not specifically designed for children with special needs but are easy to use.  I hope my post inspires you to try something new with your students.

Beautiful Art and the Child with Special Needs

First, I would like to introduce myself, I am Laura from over at PaintedPaper. I have been teaching elementary art for 15 years. I thought  I would give you some background on myself and my style of teaching and how I get great results from my students.

I have 2 precious children who keep me on my toes! My children really make me a better teacher.
I have had to really practice patience with my son who is Gifted with ADHD and my daughter who is an auditory learner with speech delays. It is amazing how I transfer my parenting characteristics to many of my classes in my own school. I have a diverse population of students but my most successful classes are the special education ones. 

Many children who have sensory needs must experiment with various items first to feel comfortable in the classroom. A couple of students I teach need deep pressure hugs as they are welcomed into my classroom. My young students do great at listening when they are close and sitting on a “Quiet Rug”. Some students need to rock to process information. I place those students toward the back so they can fidget or rock. 

Directions for my projects are written on a board, verbally given and demonstrated as well.
A key to any successful outcome is you must know your audience. Some children learn by demonstration (Visual). Some, like my daughter, learn through song or verbal directions (Auditory). My son had many sensory issues. I have worked with Occupational Therapists and acknowledge that what might work with him does not always work with others. I have helped develop a “Sensory Room” at our school for those students. I now have a greater knowledge of resources I can use with others.

After directions comes the studio time. When we use tempera paint I instruct students not to use water to rinse but paint any extra paint from their brush on a placemat. Placemats are 18"x24" tagboard. This process has eliminated a lot of headaches for me like spilled water and faded paint colors. We start painting from the lightest paint color then continue to the darkest one. If the colors mix on the paper “that’s ok!” I always fill egg containers from light to dark as well and the students just travel down the row. We use large, medium and small brushes and the students help themselves to a fresh brush if needed. Clean-up is very easy. Students take their brushes to the sink and put them into a container of water for me to rinse at the end of class. Egg cartons are closed up and placemats stored on a shelf. It works marvelously and the kids have more time to create.

This year we have expanded our school to include a Multiple Disiblities Unit. I have been able to help those students excel in Art. Since I am comfortable with using various mediums in my Art classroom and I have had the experience with my own children with their special needs, I have been able to help other students blossom into creative artists at a young age.

Yeah, they leave the room sometimes with a little bit of paint on their clothes or watercolored stained fingers but they are extremely happy to be expressing themselves through color.

So don’t be afraid to attempt a project or paint. Once you get the hang of it, it is FUN!

Editor's Note: This article has been added to our very own, first-ever Linkie PARTY, right here on PreK+K Sharing. All you have to do is click on our own button to get back to the master list of ALL THINGS PAINTING!

letting it go

My name is Erika and I write over at the other lion. I'm a single mom of a beautiful six-year-old boy, Punkin, who has fragile x syndrome. His diagnosis includes ADHD, a low IQ, autistic behaviors (but not autism), and sensory integration disorder. I also work with preschool children who have special needs.
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Cooking with Punkin should be renamed, "Making something fun to eat while Punkin scurries in and out of the kitchen." It's just like with arts and crafts; you ask him to do it and he protests (loudly). You show him what the activity is and he glances in your direction. You sit down and begin the activity yourself and he dashes over, shoves you out of the way and declares, "I DO IT!"

I downloaded the Starfall Gingerbread man app for his iPad several months ago, and aside from YouTube, it's the most used feature on the device. It teaches shapes and colors by allowing the child to pick what kind of eyes, nose, mouth, and buttons the man should have. Surprise, surprise, when I looked at Punkin's cookie tray (where all of his men are saved), they all looked the exact same.

His interest in the app made me finally decide to use the oversized gingerbread man pan his paternal grandma sent last year. Not being so fond of gingerbread, I made a sugar cookie. Not being so good at remembering, I failed to purchase candy and frosting. So we gave him "CIRCLE EYES! CIRCLE EYES!" with Fruit Loops and buttons with marshmallows.

Punkin loved him, but refused to eat him. The irony of asking him to cook and then eat his beloved friend did not escape me, so I wasn't really surprised when after he saw me break off a hand, he started breaking the entire cookie and piling it up on the cooling rack.

This is the point when I have to decide whether I'm going to be angry about a cookie. Nope. Not worth it. We had fun making it, and my co-workers and I have enjoyed eating it after all of our preschoolers pass out at nap time.And I guarantee that when we make a second gingerbread man, he will remember the first time and be much more attentive.

Punkin is the perfect example of how a child with fragile x syndrome learns. He needs to see the entire process happen and then go back and complete the steps; he needs to know that his work has a purpose. He isn't going to stir some cookie dough just because I asked him to -- he needs to know there's a super cool gingerbread man in his immediate future. As he has developed cognitively, he's been better able to deal with situations like this one because he can attend for a longer period of time and he can process more of what I'm saying. In the past, though, it might have caused anxiety. The anxiety would have manifested itself in aggressive behavior, and I never would have gotten my cookie.

So what are you to do if you have a student similar to my son?

1. Stop worrying about eye contact. As parents and teachers we often  become preoccupied with eye contact. I've struggled with this one personally. Giving people eye contact increases my anxiety and quite honestly distracts me from what they're saying. I'm so focused on the sensory information that I'm receiving from looking at their face that I forget that we're having a conversation. Also, try sitting next to children instead of across from them. It's less intimidating and doesn't imply that you will be demanding the dreaded eye contact.

2. Work on the entire process, not just the pieces. Punkin's former preschool teacher, writer of How Long is this Hall, figured this one out when he was struggling with prewriting skills. He tore paper and generally threw a fit when asked to work on making lines down, lines across, and circles. So she introduced him to writing his entire name. From what I understand, there was an immediate change in his willingness to work; he even began writing letters on his own, sometimes on the wall in our living room.

3. Use visual aids. This might be a picture schedule for the entire day or a specific activity. Sometimes something as simple as a first/then board eases anxiety because the student knows what is coming next. Just laminate any piece of paper and draw a line down the middle. On the first half, offer a picture of the first activity. On the second half, place a picture of the next activity or the child's reward for completing the task. I've found it especially helpful to always have a preferred item be that last picture in a schedule. So if I make a picture schedule for hand washing, my pictures would be turn on water, get soap, rub hands, turn water off, dry hands, go play. Here is an example from my own house of a toileting schedule. I even added a candy bar at the end; this was very motivating! A first-then board might just have the  toilet picture and the play picture.

Open door, pants down, sit on potty, pants up, wash hands, go play.

4. Pair more challenging activities or new activities with ones that are familiar. If you're introducing a new activity, this approach can be especially helpful. Children want to please adults, they want to be successful, and they want their days to be routine. So if you give them something familiar before and after the new or challenging activity, it can provide all of those supports and still give you a chance to work on a new skill.

5. Pick your battles. So he broke the cookie. Eh. If that's the worst thing that happens all day, then it's an awesome day.

Simple Ways to Encourage Communication!

By Pam Bergman

What do you do when you have a child or children in your classroom who really seem to struggle with basic communication?  As a preschool special education teacher, I have worked with many children who have struggled a great deal with communication. 

While there are many strategies a **speech-language pathologist will use with children in order to assist communication and increase language; I'm talking about those super simple..."seems too simple to be effective...but it works!" kinds of strategies!  

As classroom teachers (and parents as well) there are so many simple things we can do throughout the day, within the classroom or home, to encourage more communication from children.  Here are three communication "strategies" that I think we all need to keep in mind when working with children who are struggling to communicate:

1.   Provide plenty of opportunities for novel activities and experiences along with many familiar activities.  Make sure to identify the most preferred activities and experiences for each child and use those to promote communication.  (If an activity is not highly motivating, there is little chance the child will want to communicate about it or communicate in order to get access to it.)  

The little hamster (named Bob) we recently got for the classroom provides multiple opportunities for communication!   The children ask to see him.  They formulate several word sentences to describe what he is doing:  ex. "Bob sleeping", "Bob eating."  We are able to introduce positional words:  ex. "Look, Bob is going UNDER the block".  "Bob is ON TOP of the block".  We can use "play time" with the hamster for work on both receptive and expressive language. 

The children know now that there are several things they can ask to do.  They can ask to "feed" the hamster.  They can ask to "pet" or "touch" the hamster.  Some children may be using signs or word approximations to ask for these things.  Some children may be using gestures (pointing to the hamster food).  We take all of this as communication.  Of course, we verbalize what the child means.  So, if a child points to the hamster food, we would follow up with "Oh, should we FEED the hamster?" 

2.  Don't anticipate a child's needs! 

A child needs a reason to communicate!  Sometimes well meaning adults and children can become so good at anticipating a child's needs, that the child has very little reason to attempt to communicate! 

  Whether a highly motivating activity includes listening to books on CD, playing with play dough, playing a computer game, eating cheerios or swinging on a swing, make sure the child communicates in order to get that activity! Again, this may mean imitating a sign, doing a sign with hand over hand assistance, saying a single word, using multiple words, using eye gaze and looking from a communication partner to the desired object and back or using a communication book, pictures or voice output device. 

3.  Restrict access to some things...some of the time!

This is one of those tough ones that often seems to go against good early childhood practices.  This really is for those children who are not yet communicating with others in many settings at all.  I know that I struggle with algebra.  I will avoid it at all cost!  This is the same for many of our children who are struggling to communicate!  Often these children become very self-reliant; which is not necessarily a bad thing!  But, when it is used to avoid communication altogether, it can be a problem.  

 For example, we often do the flannel board story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff.  The children love this and love to 'retell' it by placing the pieces out on the floor during center time.  Although MOST favorite items are placed within reach of the children, I occasionally place these in the case the children easily recognize along with the book, just out of reach. 

For children who may need more communication support, I would provide a Boardmaker picture of "book" within the child's reach.  This requires a child to either grab the Boardmaker picture and bring this to an adult to get the book and flannel board pieces down or run to an adult and communicate in SOME way the fact that they would like the book and flannelboard pieces.  Again, this may be with support (a sign done with hand over hand assistance) or independently.

Remember, when given a REASON to communicate and activities that are HIGHLY MOTIVATING a child will begin to WANT to communicate with others!  For some children this is more difficult than others.  But, for all children, it is our responsibility to provide an environment that promotes and encourages communication and to provide supports when a child is struggling to communicate.

**NOTE:  Of course, if a child is struggling to communicate, a speech-language pathologist should always be involved with the child.  He or she will work with you to provide individualized supports for the child.  These are simply three suggestions to keep in mind when setting up the environment for a child who is struggling to communicate.  

Check out http://www.howlongisthishall.blogspot.com/ for more ideas on creating and using super simple and cheap adaptations, and super simple and cheap assistive technology.

erika: mother, aide, rainbow-maker

When I admit, out loud, that I not only have a child with a significant disability but that I also choose to work with 3, 4 and 5 year old children in a special education classroom, it even gives me pause from time to time. I wonder if the person I am speaking to is thinking, "Does this woman enjoy pain? Does she milk rainbows out of her frustration? Who gives her those really good happy pills? How does that work for her, exactly?"

Sometimes it doesn't work very well at all. Sometimes I feel very overwhelmed by sensory needs, impulsive behaviors, unintelligible speech, and hearing my own voice repeat the same phrase twenty five times in two minutes. Mostly, though, it has been a blessing I never expected. I never meant to work as a ParaEducator for long; it was a job I applied for right out of college when I was pregnant with my son. But after seven years I have to admit I feel strongly that the education field is exactly where I belong.

My son has fragile x syndrome, an inherited condition that causes mental impairment, ADHD, autism, and sensory processing disorder. Having a child with a disability has given me the perspective I need to work with children who have challenges and communicate with their parents.

We've all had that child who frustrates us, who makes us think we cannot possibly make a positive difference in their behavior. Sometimes the child needs a picture schedule to help ease anxiety, sometimes the child responds well to a behavior chart or other tangible positive reinforcements, and other times just the structure and consistency of school is enough to extinguish negative behavior patterns. And sometimes none of that works and we find ourselves crouched in the corner pulling our hair out.

It's important to remember, though, that you aren't the only one who is having a bad day. That child is struggling, too, and their parents are probably having a lot of hair-pulling nights at home. As the parent of a child who often gave his preschool teachers a run for their money, I'd like to give some thoughts about communicating with parents of disruptive children. Don't say, "Johnny had a bad day." This tells me nothing. Instead try, "Johnny struggled with controlling his body. He touched his friends without asking and often got up from his seat during carpet time. I had to ask him several times to complete the same task." Now I can talk to my son about keeping his hands to himself, tell his doctor about his difficulty remaining on task (if it continues to be an issue), and I never heard the words "bad," "problem," or "naughty." And please remember that there is always a reason for disruptive behavior, even if we don't see it.  

Tell us something good. I don't care if the best part of my son's day was that he loved the chicken nuggets at lunch, I want to hear it. In our program, we call it "sandwiching." We talk about something we're learning in the classroom, talk about a problem we're having or a difficult part of the day, and then say something positive. Here's an example: "We're working on the letter Rr this week. We made tissue paper rainbows. Johnny enjoyed making his, although he was upset when we had to clean up and threw the materials. He loved the chicken nuggets for lunch and did a great job using his words to ask for more."


Sometimes parents are the experts. Especially when you're working with a child who has a syndrome, you may find that the parents have extensive knowledge of the condition. Take advantage of all the work they've done! Ask for copies of articles they've read and for notes from the conferences they've attended. We want to help. We really, really want to help. 


Remember to laugh in the funny moments, like when a boy is hiding the rind of ham in his pocket because he doesn't want you to make him eat it or when you have to say things like, "Don't put your head in the toilet, honey." As parents, more than anything, we want you to see our kiddos the way we see them -- as loveable, silly, and full of potential.

About Erika...

My name is Erika and I blog over at the other lion about my son, Punkin, who has fragile x syndrome. I'd love to answer any of your questions about parenting a child with special needs.

Pam Bergman: Children w Special Needs

All Those Smiles, Giggles and Belly Laughs!

Hi there and welcome!  I am so excited to have the opportunity to join with so many wonderful people in order to share early childhood ideas on ONE awesome early childhood site!!


I'm Pam from How Long is This Hall!?  While I don't have as much experience as many of the people on this site, I like to think I make up for this with enthusiasm!  I have been teaching early childhood for the past 12 years.  I currently teach preschool children with special needs and LOVE it.


I LOVE using music, movement, and sensory activities, books with rhyme and rhythm and lots of hands on activities to help the children learn to their fullest!  I also love utilizing technology to help children communicate, play, create and learn!


Most of all, I LOVE learning new things!  I LOVE adapting activities and items to meet the needs of the children I teach!  I LOVE bringing new ideas to the classroom!  And I love sharing ideas with others!  I really think this is how we all learn and grow as teachers!


I don't know about you, but the ideas I love best are those super simple ideas!  I am incredibly busy!  I spend a great deal of time planning, organizing and doing paperwork and all those "extras" that come along with teaching!  And, while I enjoy organizing and planning, I want to focus most of my energy on the time I spend with the children!


So, today I've decided to combine my current TOP 10 reasons I LOVE teaching early childhood, with links to some of my FAVORITE super simple activities I have used in the classroom over the last year!  So...what are YOUR favorite reasons for working with young children?

Number 10:  I get paid to Paint Dance!? 

Number 9:  ...and paint with Koosh Balls! 

Number 8: I LOVE reading those great rhythmic books...like Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and Jamberry!

Number 7: I get to make, smell and PLAY with scented play dough!

Number 6:  I get extra exercise..."sit on the floor, stand up, sit on the floor, stand up...shake the parachute!"

Number 5:  I get to make up silly voices for characters in stories!

Number 4:  I get to sing with the children...and no one cares if we're in tune!



...and I get to create and use lots of song props!



Number 3:  I love finding new uses for old or ordinary items!



Number 2:  Oh, and of course, I love seeing all those smiles, giggles and belly laughs as the children explore and learn!

Number 1:  There's nothing better than hugs, hugs and more hugs!

Debbie Clement + Music

Welcome to our collective blog. Welcome to my world, too. I've told the authors that you're about to meet in the coming weeks, that I think an 'intro-post' of who we are as individuals, our background, our training, our passions, our mission, our interests -- will help set the stage for future conversations & posts.

So today is my "show-n-tell" day. Hi!!! I'm Debbie Clement. I wear a number of different hats. This is my fifteenth year of having my own enterprise as a 'music-lady'. There are times like the picture above where I am invited to give a concert for the public -- perhaps a family concert, perhaps a library event. Those are children following me in sign language singing my first picture book, "You're Wonderful." (That's the sign for 'dreams' captured above.)

This picture below is one from just recently where I invited all of the 'daddies' to join me on the stage. The daddies are helping me lead one of original songs for children, that has a fun recurring line in the lyrics where the daddies get to bellow, 'creepy monsters.' The big ending of "Monster Spray" concludes with enthusiasm when 'my mom bought me: Monster Spray.' And with a rousing flourish the monsters are all gone.Fun times!!

Right now my consulting-work has evolved to the chapter where I am often invited to speak to teachers and to librarians. I speak on the importance of the Arts to children. The importance of Arts to acquiring a LUV + longing for literacy. The importance of music for motivation and movement. The ease of songs bringing structure and patterns and sequencing and memory boosts and brain breaks and language acquisition and oxygen and group cohesiveness and following the teacher's directions and..... you get the idea. I speak on the importance of having a dream -- as a professional and making progress toward it on a regular basis.

Here's a post written earlier on my professional blog about the top 12 benefits of music -- from my perspective. Click here to read in full.

Prior to this 15 year chapter I worked for a period of ten years at a private center for young children with special needs. I started there as a 'Resource Teacher' in charge of all of the music + art and some other additions like swimming and horse back riding schedules. Over time I was promoted to being an administrator. At the end of that ten years I hired Jim Gill to deliver a day long seminar to our staff. I had never seen him prior to that day and was so inspired by his work, his story, his music -- that I resigned from my full-time administrative position to follow in his footsteps.

I had learned so much from our variety of children with their enormous spectrum of needs. I had spent 10 years observing speech & language giants, OT & PT brilliance and even a play therapist. The children and staff had taught me much!!!!! I learned about the pacing of songs for children with language delays to participate or for children on the autism spectrum/or non-verbal children to be able to insert a sign for their participation. I learned a gazillion different ways to adapt and think outside of the box. I learned how to make movement songs for children confined to wheel chairs.

I taught myself to play a couple of chords on the guitar and hit the road. Those first invitations were often to centers serving children with special needs.

One thing led to another and soon people were asking me to create recordings for them of my simple little ditties. That had NEVER been on my agenda -- as the music was something I LOVED, but had never trained for. My degree is in Art Education. Way back when I had another chapter where I did teach Art in an elementary school K-6th and one 8th grade class, but I digress.

So I learned that I could 'hire-out' the music arrangements and hire-in instrumentalists. VOILA. That was nine albums ago!!!! I haven't really officially counted but I think I have somewhere around 100 original songs. Some time I'll take the time to count!!

I still go where I get invited. Sometimes to individual classrooms.

Sometimes to Europe. This photo is from my recent USO-style tour to 4 Army bases to share my newest picture book with the children of our troops stationed abroad. Talk about living your dream!!!

Sometimes I'm with high school students, training in a Joint Vocational School to begin their professional careers.

No matter the age of the audience, from lap-sitting infants to wobblers, toddlers, Preschoolers or mature elementary students and beyond. I LOVE what I'm doing and able to share. Welcome to our collaboration. I'll be speaking from the Arts perspective and also from the concept of committing your ideas to paper and turning them into picture books. Creating books was a dream that began back in college during those classes on graphics and design.

It's safe to say, "Keep your dream alive. Keep working on it."

This summer my newest book, "Red, White and Blue" won a national Indie Award of Excellence!!!! I've been pinching myself ever since.