Why being a teacher helps me to write my children’s books.
I'm a teacher. Well, an ex-teacher. I retired some time ago. I used to spend my day around children of all ages. Teaching them to write, inspiring their creativity, reading to them, helping them find books of their own to love. I would catch myself noticing little events in their day to day activities and my ears tuned to scraps of dialogue during playtime.
I would spend hours choosing just the right books to bring into my classroom, ones that would open up the minds of my youngsters to teach them about the world, and spark their imaginations. I always had a little voice inside my head saying 'I could write a children’s book.'
As a primary qualified teacher I always felt I had an advantage over other writers. For instance, I know my audience. I know what kids like and what they don’t. I was in a position to observe all the dynamics of kids and teens interacting with their peers, and often get a glimpse into their family lives as well. I understand the social pecking order. The current trends may change. The fact that a student who is a wallflower in gym class can blossom in science or art does not change throughout the generations. Simply paying attention to who your students are gave me the inspiration for creating believable, interesting characters for my stories.
Listening to how students talk to their friends, gave me a good sense of how they feel about themselves. When writing children's dialogue it shouldn't sound like it’s coming from an adult.
When students are involved in creative activities like art or writing, you get a glimpse at how their minds work and what’s important to them. This helped me to write books that are relevant to my readers.
For example, my work in progress' is about a young girl named Lottie. She travels through Europe in a campervan (RV if you are not British!) She is on a mission to save the bees from extinction. She is accompanied by her Nana, a professor and her friend Amy. I make her character think as a young girl. She is embarrassed by some of the things her Nana does but yet she admires her in some ways. Throughout the story her thoughts are:
'That's the thing about Nanas...' (I then write various scenarios which children would find cringe worthy.)
I feel all girls from around 8 to 13 years of age would relate to this.
I taught most subjects. (Except Languages, everyone has their limits!) No matter what subject I was teaching I always prepared my lessons well. I had to engage my students to present my topic in the most interesting way. I also taught most age groups, from 3 year olds obsessed with 'The Mr. Men ' books to 14 year olds obsessed with soccer. I needed to be the first to grasp what makes students want to learn more. I also would know instantly when they became bored. Three year olds become fidgety; fourteen year olds develop vacant, dreamy expressions on their faces.
The bottom line is, I JUST LOVE KIDS! I was brought up as part of a large family, the middle child of five. When my elder sister and brother found their partners and began producing little nephews and nieces I was delighted to babysit. I always knew I wanted to become a teacher. Reading stories to children is a delight to me. Making up my own stories and having them published is a bonus. If you want to be a successful children’s book writer, you have to actually like your audience. You have to understand, and respect how they see the world and get through their day. These are some of the reasons I went into teaching in the first place.
I'm a teacher. Well, an ex-teacher. I retired some time ago. I used to spend my day around children of all ages. Teaching them to write, inspiring their creativity, reading to them, helping them find books of their own to love. I would catch myself noticing little events in their day to day activities and my ears tuned to scraps of dialogue during playtime.
I would spend hours choosing just the right books to bring into my classroom, ones that would open up the minds of my youngsters to teach them about the world, and spark their imaginations. I always had a little voice inside my head saying 'I could write a children’s book.'
As a primary qualified teacher I always felt I had an advantage over other writers. For instance, I know my audience. I know what kids like and what they don’t. I was in a position to observe all the dynamics of kids and teens interacting with their peers, and often get a glimpse into their family lives as well. I understand the social pecking order. The current trends may change. The fact that a student who is a wallflower in gym class can blossom in science or art does not change throughout the generations. Simply paying attention to who your students are gave me the inspiration for creating believable, interesting characters for my stories.
Listening to how students talk to their friends, gave me a good sense of how they feel about themselves. When writing children's dialogue it shouldn't sound like it’s coming from an adult.
When students are involved in creative activities like art or writing, you get a glimpse at how their minds work and what’s important to them. This helped me to write books that are relevant to my readers.
For example, my work in progress' is about a young girl named Lottie. She travels through Europe in a campervan (RV if you are not British!) She is on a mission to save the bees from extinction. She is accompanied by her Nana, a professor and her friend Amy. I make her character think as a young girl. She is embarrassed by some of the things her Nana does but yet she admires her in some ways. Throughout the story her thoughts are:
'That's the thing about Nanas...' (I then write various scenarios which children would find cringe worthy.)
I feel all girls from around 8 to 13 years of age would relate to this.
I taught most subjects. (Except Languages, everyone has their limits!) No matter what subject I was teaching I always prepared my lessons well. I had to engage my students to present my topic in the most interesting way. I also taught most age groups, from 3 year olds obsessed with 'The Mr. Men ' books to 14 year olds obsessed with soccer. I needed to be the first to grasp what makes students want to learn more. I also would know instantly when they became bored. Three year olds become fidgety; fourteen year olds develop vacant, dreamy expressions on their faces.
The bottom line is, I JUST LOVE KIDS! I was brought up as part of a large family, the middle child of five. When my elder sister and brother found their partners and began producing little nephews and nieces I was delighted to babysit. I always knew I wanted to become a teacher. Reading stories to children is a delight to me. Making up my own stories and having them published is a bonus. If you want to be a successful children’s book writer, you have to actually like your audience. You have to understand, and respect how they see the world and get through their day. These are some of the reasons I went into teaching in the first place.
