Creative Writing Story Cake

The art of writing a story is a beautiful gift. I receive such joy from writing, but also from teaching others to do so, especially young minds with vivid imaginations. However, it can often be tricky to teach. I wanted to find a way to communicate how I put a story together, in way that is a simple and easy formula for children to understand.

After much thought I came up with the idea that writing is a lot like baking a cake. Starting with a variation on the story hill idea, in which a story builds from an opening to ending as if climbing up and then down a hill. I decided that the story hill concept, which forms a basic plot, is like a bowl. The bowl being the basic plot in which the writer can pour the ingredients into

So what are the ingredients for a story? Well, there are many, but for my story cake I’m using the main ones, such as; strong characters, character descriptions, descriptions of senses, action, suspense, to name a few. I have put together the ones I feel are most used in a story created by primary age pupils, and made them into cards that can be printed, cut and laminated. These then make wonderful prompts for a child to use, not only in preparing for the story, but as prompts whilst they write it. I find them particularly useful when teaching one to one or in small groups, as it helps the pupils to identify what ingredients they need to add next in their story, and focus on that.

Lastly, I created a rough story plan. This is worksheet with spaces mapped out for pupils to be able to navigate through their each part of their story; opening, build up, problem, solution and ending, in bit size chunks, with space to make notes at the beginning of each section. This is a great way for children to tackle the task in achievable stages.

I have first hand seen my students benefit from these resources, in particular the prompt cards. Many children, who have previously found the challenge of writing a story a daunting task, have flourished when given a way of breaking it down and simplifying it into a relatable formula.

Click here to see this resource. The full collection of my resources are available as affordable downloadable PDF’s via my TES.com Shop.

All resources are copyright protected, one download per person, school licences available.

Encouraging kids in Detroit

The summer of 1999 was the best summer of my life, although I still believe the best is yet to come. It was so amazing because it shaped my life forever, and set me on a path to become an author. It was in Michigan, by the shores of Lake Huron, where I was not only camp counsellor but I was also Drama Director of Camp Stapleton summer camp for girls.

Me, middle left, at Camp Stapleton

Of course this experience was incredibly memorable because it was my first trip away from home on my own, and it was a huge adventure, I met loads of friends who I am still friends now and the kids touched my heart and left me changed forever. But it was also because I realised my potential there. I stretched my ability and discovered I was capable of more than I thought possible. I wasn’t expecting to be made drama director, and when asked I had no idea what this meant, but I jumped at the chance and never looked back.

A few weeks later and I was quickly making stories up, and taking kids books and making them into plays, then watching, full of pride, as my awesome kids performed them. I saw kids who were shy and unconfident transform with a bit of encouragement and face their fears of performing on stage. This in itself was more than enough of a reward, however, I also received genuine praise from a other camp counsellors and leaders who otherwise didn’t give me the time of day.

I had chosen to step beyond my limitations and what I thought I was capable of, and it was only in that moment that I grew and saw what I was capable of. This shaped me for life and was beginning of my writing career.

However, I have never been able to forget those beautiful kids who lives I touch for a fleeting moment and who touched my heart equally, all of them from inner city Detroit and facing unimaginable situations that no child should ever have to experience. I often think about them, and hope and pray that they found a way out of a life of poverty. I hope that my encouragement and the on going support they got from summers spent at this amazing camp, was enough to set them on a path of believing and living above their circumstances.

https://read.amazon.co.uk/kp/card?asin=B00DV3VNCM&preview=inline&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_s-rjBbMC5HGHE&tag=myblog213-21So when I received an email from a friend of mine, Kate, who I went to camp with all those years ago I was blown away. She told me she is now teaching kids from inner city Detroit facing the same horrendous situations as those precious little girls I met so many years ago, she had been reading my book to her class and asked me if I would do a Skype book reading for them. I jumped at the chance. To be asked was an honour, to have even the slightest chance of impacting these children’s lives in positive way was something I didn’t even have to give a second thought to.

It seemed that they had been enjoying it my book over the last weeks. However, they had never had the opportunity to meet an author with face to face or by Skype, so these kids were super excited. Finally, we scheduled a time, and made sure all technical issues were sorted, and then a press of a button and few beeps and wow I was back in Detroit, Michigan, without even leaving my home. There before me were 70 beautiful and eager faces, staring at my face displayed huge on the screen before them.

The kids had prepared questions before hand to ask me, usual questions that every child wants to ask me in ever school I visit; ‘Why did I want to be an author?’, ‘How did I write a book?’, ‘Where did I get my ideas from?’. I wanted to inspire and encourage every child I meet who asks me these questions, but with these little ones I felt I wanted to even more. I just hoped that maybe something in what I say may make them realise that I am no different to them, I didn’t have the best start, but I tried to not let that stop me in achieving my dreams. But for these children it was hard to concentrate for long and I could feel them growing restless, so we had to cut it short. Maybe 30 minutes was all they needed, maybe me just showing up, and letting them know that they were more than worth my time and that I cared about them and what may come of them, is enough to remind them of their worth and that deserve so much more.

For me this was the most memorable book reading I have done and I hope any schools from Detroit, Michigan, who read this and are working with kids in similar situations, will get in touch as I am more than happy to do the same for you. Drop me an email via my website http://www.bethshepherd.com

Inspire and be inspired!!

Beth

Iam. I can. I will – Positive Self Talk

I imagine that all parents want their children to grow up with a determined dreamer attitude. For their child to set their sights high and to believe that they can, and will, achieve it. However, is this kind of mindset something all kids are born with or pick up easily? I think the answer is really different for each child, for some kids being positive is part of their personality, it’s who they are, and they are naturally more resilient to circumstances and how they affect them. Other children, are just more sensitive, more prone to self doubt.

However, there is a huge amount that can be done. Like any learnt behaviour it can be changed or new behaviours adopted, and even the children who are prone to being more sensitive, as I was as a child, can learn coping strategies and tools to use to over come.

Like many people I know full well the power of positive self talk, and heave learnt how to lean on this tool like a rock when times become challenging, and the desire to back down and give up creeps up on me. I am a dreamer, I desire to keep pushing forward into new territory, to keep stretching myself further than I thought, and without the power of positive self talk, I doubt I would even take one step.

It took me a long time to learn this, and many many knocks and defeats along the way. Whist these are part of life, they did cause me to question if I am right believing I can do more than I thought possible. And yes I did give up on many dreams, and let go of many wonderful opportunities because I didn’t understand that it was more about what I believed. The truth was I just didn’t know what didn’t know. I was never taught this stuff as a child, I was never taught such amazing life changing principles. I wish I had been, I think if I was I would have gobbled up the information, desperate for a positive rope I could cling to when many challenges came. I had to discover it for myself through trial and error. But, now I do know and I have come to know that achieving any goal is more about ‘me’ than about the goal itself; do ‘I’ truly believe I can do it! Thats all that matters!

Whether we believe we can, or we can’t, either way we are right.

It’s taken a while, but I have come to learn that its my own lack of self believe and belief that ‘I can’, that has held me back from the goals I tried to achieve, not that the goals were not mine to have or out of my reach, but that ‘I’ didn’t believe I could have them.

So because of this I feel so strongly that kids need to know this stuff, and they need to know it from an early age. Imagine if we lived in a world where every child had a healthy self belief, no matter what their circumstance look like. What would be the repercussions of this I wonder? Children growing up knowing that they don’t have to push others down to get what they want. Knowing they can achieve their goal if they just keep trying. Not giving up when the set back come, and they always do. Taking joy in seeing others succeed, knowing their moment will surely come also. Sounds idillic I know, but not impossible.

I know that for some this concept is going to be so much easier to grasp, and for many many children in this world, the reality of their life and the desperately negative situation they face on a daily basic, will be strongest voice in their head and it will be near impossible for them to believe for more. However, they still need to hear this stuff, as like a tiny seed sits in the ground dormant and seemingly insignificant, until the right environment causes it to germinate, and with the right nurturing it takes roots and eventually grows up strong to become a mighty oak, just maybe a little seed of hope in the power of self belief will lay waiting in their hearts, and when the moments right they will remember it and use it to push forward into a better life. So I truly believe that every child needs to know that they can choose different thoughts, and how to do so.

I am. I can and I will, are great places to start, and also for us adults to start with. In my book; ‘Ernie Gonzales: The Determined Dreamer’, Ernie finds himself being asked about his dream. There is a moment he questions his own self belief, and belief in his dream, and is afraid that they won’t accept him and what he believes. But after a slightly wobbly moment  he makes a decision that it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks, because he believes and thats all that matters. The language he uses to convince himself to dig his heels in and believe helps young readers to see the power of positive self talk in their own lives.

Because I believe so strongly in equipping children to stand firm in who they are and believing in themselves, I have taken this extract from my book and created a resource which can be easily downloaded and used in the classroom, for home schooling or maybe a fun and nurturing activity for you to do with your child at home. I have included in it a poster and matching colouring

sheet, both with spaces for your child (and yourself) to add words and/or phrase to follow on from; I am, I can and I will.  They can then be coloured in and put on the wall or fridge to see everyday.

I have also created a collection of cards to be cut out and used as suggested phrases/words if children need help filling out the sheets. These cards are great as discussion points and may encourage you to think of more to use. Lastly, I have added an extract from my book for you to read together and reflect on just in case you don’t have a copy of my book.

My book is about a snail who goes in search of a seemingly impossible dream, well impossible if you are a snail. He has so many challenges coming against him, especially the fact that is family doesn’t support his dream or believe in his ability to find it. This is an obstacle many or most of us will face at some point in our life; others who don’t support us or believe in what we are aiming to do. Ernie, shows great strength as he over comes the negative voices that surround and try to hold him back and he is determined, unwavering and steadfast in his belief that he can do it. What a great attitude to adopt.

I believe we can teach our kids; our own and the children in our lifes who we have an influence on, that they too can be steadfast in their belief in their own dream, goals and their ability, so that when those knock come hurtling towards them, even if they may wobbly a bit, ultimately, they will not budge and will press on tirelessly towards their life goals.

Dream. Believe. Do

Beth

Author of ‘Ernie Gonzales: The Determined Dreamer’, ‘Escape from Paradise‘ and ‘The Well of Dreams‘ and founder of Determined Dreamer Co; educational resources based on my book.

 

The Power of Positive

Is being positive just a fluffy feeling that helps us feel good, or is it something that shapes our lives? I believe it shapes our lives, directs it, changes its course and sets us on a better path. Do children know this, or are they being taught this enough I wonder.

Mindfulness is becoming a buzz word now and after I created my book, ‘Ernie Gonzales; The Determined dreamer’, I realised that kids were thirsty for this kind of positive input in their lives, so this had lead me to begin creating Determined Dreamer resources, so parents and teachers can encourage kids to develop a mindful attitude.

All too often our own thoughts take us down a path of despair and hopelessness, especially when things get tough or in times of challenges. This is hard enough as an adult, but for a child this can be even harder, and so often I have seen with kids that their thoughts spiral downwards quickly on a slippery slope of hopelessness that leads to nowhere good, and is hard to come back from. However, I believe if kids can learn this behaviour then it is possible for them to learn how to choose different thoughts.

Kids love the feeling of power and being in control, so having control over their own thoughts is an exciting thing for them. But the secret is to build those new thought choices when things are good, and this is why I have decided to create resources for teachers, parents and home education groups to use to do just that.

The resources I have made are bold, and a little out of the box and to us may seem uncomfortable, but for kids these kind of statements are exactly what they need to grab hold on to in the good times, to allow them in sink in their minds and saturate their hearts, so when disappointment comes, and for many kids in this world it comes all too often, maybe just maybe those positive seeds will have grown strong enough to carry them and not allow them to spiral right down.

Explore my collection of resources and if you have a statement I have missed and you would like me to add then just let me know. Together lets empower the kids in our world to mindful warriors over their own thoughts and to create a fortress of positive, a stronghold that will keep them moving forward to strong upward path.

Note; all my resources are for downloading on home printers. Take your time and discuss together what they statement means to them and to you and how they can use it in their life, as you colouring in. Once finished display on the wall somewhere they can be seen daily, and reflect on them now and again.

Enjoy

Beth

Determined Dreamer Resources

Since publishing my first book in 2012 I have visited many schools, one of my favourite things about being a children’s author, and the feedback I had from teachers lead me to create resources for my books. Here is a collection of my resources mainly for 7-11 year olds/ Key stage 2/ or US grades 2-4. However, many of my resources can be used for older or younger pupils depending on their ability. My work includes a full 4 week lesson plan, complete comprehension and guided reading literacy workbook full of activities for kids, single lesson plans, colouring sheets and motivational printables. All of my resources have one thing in common, they all point children to the theme of my books; being determined, and aim to not only boost and develop literacy and creative writing skills, but teach and develop the important life attitude of not only having a dream, but being determined to reach it, to have an ‘I can attitude”.

My resources are available on my Etsy shop; DeterminedDreamerCo, My TES shop and My Teachers Note Book Shop.

Accompanying workbooks and educational resources;

‘Dreaming with Ernie’ – Literacy Workbook

This kid’s workbook covers each chapter of ‘Ernie Gonzales: The Determined Dreamer’ to support guided reading. It is packed full of comprehension/literacy exercises, engaging creative writing tasks and fun activities for all levels, whilst exploring the life affirming morals found within the book. A great way to build curriculum-based literacy skills and create determined dreamers.

A children’s guided reading comprehension workbook to accompany ‘The Determined Dreamer’ For Key Stage 2.

Paperback available on Amazon

‘Ernie Gonzales; The Determined Dreamer – Teacher’s Guide’

This Teacher’s Guide is for use with KS2 pupils for guided reading and comprehension within the classroom. Throughout, you will find notes for use in guided reading with a group or class, assessment focuses, key questions to ask your pupils, and discussion points that relate to the SEAL topics of ‘Going for Goals’ and ‘Good to be Me’.

Available on Amazon

 

‘Becoming a Determined Dreamer’

This wonderful resource for teachers or parents, based on the book; ‘Ernie Gonzales: The Determined Dreamer’ and designed to be used alongside the novel, explores some of the tools and strategies Ernie uses to achieve his mission, and shows children how they too can become determined dreamers, whilst also affirming the power of self belief and awakening them to the own potential no matter what their circumstances are. Supports guided reading of the novel, for the purpose of focusing on PHSE seal topics such as ‘Going for goals’ and ‘It’s good to be me’.

Available on Amazon

‘Copyright Free Study Guide for Teacher’s’

This copyright free resource accompanies the novel; ‘Ernie Gonzales: The Determined Dreamer’, and supports KS2 curriculum based guided reading, comprehension and PHSE. Explores the author’s use of text and grammar, and interpretation of the morals found in the story. Develops pupils own creative writing and inference skills.

Includes; Teacher’s guide, ‘Dreaming with Ernie’; children’s workbook and ‘Becoming a Determined Dreamer’; PHSE. Covers PHSE seal topics; ‘Going for goals’ and ‘It’s good to be me’. For use in the class room, SEN groups or small focus group. Can also be used for home study with parent and child. Contains discussions points, creative group activities, and personal reflective journaling.

Available in paperback and as a digital download both via LULU.com

 

Teamwork Makes the Dreamwork

Teamwork printables

Having a goal and achieving it is not easy, if it was easy it wouldn’t be worth pursuing. If it didn’t stretch us, make us become more of who were are, rise up to be better, develop our skills and self confidence, it wouldn’t be sometime to strive for and wouldn’t feel so great when we finally achieve it. But like Ernie, in my book; Ernie Gonzales: The Determined Dreamer, there is only so far up the mountain that we can climb alone, until the mountain throws everything it has at us and drains us of all we have until we can’t even remember where we are going and why we started climbing in the first place. That’s why we need team work, that’s why in order to reach our goals we should climb along side others, pulling each other along, cheering, sharing challenges, reminding each other that all things are possible with faith.

 

In my first book Ernie, the determined Spanish snail, sets off on his own towards his dream, he doesn’t even realise that he needs someone to come with him, or the importance of being part of a team, after all it is his unique dream in his heart so only he can pursue it. However, when he soon finds himself captive in someone’s kitchen, kept as  pet, he realise just how alone and isolated he is and how much harder it is to stay strong when there is no one to fight the battle with him. Now so far from his dreams, and defeated, he begins to loose sight of where he was going and why it was so important to him in the first place. Sound familiar? It does to me, well I did write it so I guess it would, but I can say I have experienced the very same situation in my life, and I’m sure I am not the only one.

Soon Ernie begins to convince himself he is ok where he is, becomes settled and is tempted to stay there. But thankfully dreams have life and a spirit of their own, and have a way of not letting us settle or forget, no matter how long it takes for them to get his attention again.Finally, his situation becomes so ‘uncomfortable’ that he snaps out of his complacency and takes action. Driven by a desire to get out of his current situation he moves, and its once he finally gets moving again that his dream begins to stir in his heart. It’s only then that he meets a friend, and as if coming up for air after being under the water, he remembers what is possible, he remembers where he was going, and once again he is on his way…..albeit slowly, he is Ernie ‘the snail’ after all.

I know this experience all too well, and have found myself in that’s kitchen far too many times, tempted to settle. But it’s always the gentle yet firm reminder from others that awakens me to get up and believe and take action, that is always the thing that gets me back on track again. Maybe it comes in the form of seeing someone else succeed that drives me on, or maybe it’s the opportunity to pull someone up that also pulls me up out of my own sleepiness, but whatever it is, if I had not chosen to do it ‘all by myself’ to forget the importance of being part of a team, I wonder if I wouldn’t have spent so long in the ‘kitchen’.

I will never know, but what I do know is that none of us are an island, none of us can carry our doubts, fears, failing and lack of skills alone, we need others to help where we fall short, pull us up when we fall down, go ahead of us so we can follow and be able to to rise up and help when they need us.

 

This message is something that can and should be taught to our kids from an early age, especially in a culture where it’s all about ‘me, me, me’, and less about ‘we or us’ and so much pressure to be the best, constantly puts kids in competition with each other. This is why I have created posters, printables and colouring sheets for kids, so they can be reminded of this message. Sooner or later, somewhere in their life, somewhere up the mountain they will find themselves alone and will recognise the need for teamwork.

Use these printables to start a discussion about the topic of teamwork, explaining that working as a team isn’t just reserved for when they are working on a joint project together, but it also when they are working on their own projects, on individual goals, tasks or pursuits, that they can be a team player, that they can’t enjoy seeing others thrive in their goals. Install in them now the power of thinking about others and the impact it will have in their life.

Are you a determined dreamer like Ernie? Then to find prints like these (as above) and more, plus inspiring worksheets for teachers/parents/home schooling groups, motivational artwork from my book, plus copies of my book go to; https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/DeterminedDreamerCo

Sending my Books to Africa

 

I am proudly supporting The Hillsong Africa, ‘Read Baby Read project, by fundraisng to send copies of my books and literacy resources out to equip some of the most deprived schools in Africa through their project. To do this I set up; ‘Ernie Books 4 Africa’. I aim to raise as much as I can by May 2016 and then send out to the project for them to distribute to the schools. I also hope to visit the project and read to the kids.

Books collected so far: 120 (March 2016)

About ‘Read Baby Read’: 

PROJECT VISION: To empower primary schools across Africa to actively and effectively fight illiteracy.

THE NEED: In Africa, extreme lack of finance prevents essential resources from reaching overcrowded classrooms of 45+ children. Teachers work with children who are victims of violent crime, HIV/AIDS, fetal alcohol syndrome, and malnutrition, creating a dual challenge for the advancement of education.

OUR RESPONSE: READBABYRAD establishes partnerships with primary schools in high need of literacy advancement, in order to boost their literacy rates by (one way they do this is by) equipping classrooms with essential reading resources, hand selected by the teachers who know the needs best. (Taken from; http://hillsongafrica.com/2013/06/24/readbabyread/)

My story: As the author of two kid’s books, soon to be three and one of them being a literacy workbook, when I heard about the ‘Read Baby Read’ project I wanted to help.

My dream has always been to help kids who are unfortunate enough to be living in extreme poverty, and having visited Africa a couple of times it has become a place that is special in my heart. I have pondered many ways I could be involved in helping to make a difference out there, however, once I became an author I realised that I could use my books to make a difference. So when I came across ‘Read Baby Read’ I didnt hesitate and got busy fundraising, and ‘Ernie Books 4 Africa’ was created.

‘The Well of Dreams’ was written specifically with this purpose in mind, and also with the purpose of giving the young reader an understanding of a different way of life, with the hope of teaching empathy and showing them that everything we do to make a difference has an impact in more ways we can imagine.

To order a copy of ‘The Well of Dreams’ and support Ernie Books 4 Africa go to: thewellofdreams.webs.com

The Well of Dreams

A story to change lives!

Thanks to this little book, to 4 primary schools in Harrow and Anait Semirdzhyan for the beautiful cover I have now raised the funds to send a box of books out to the ‘Read Baby Read’ project in Cape Town.

Also thanks to a few printing mistakes, I was able to add a buddle of The Well of Dream into the box too.

So soon schools in Africa could be using Ernie Gonzales: The Determined Dreamer and the workbook to improve their literacy and to become determined dreamers like Ernie!

The next part of this project is for me to go out there and work with kids, which wil be amazing, as I will be running workshops and inspiring them in literacy. If you would like to help you can do so by buying a copy of The Well of Dreams or making a donation. Copies will soon be available on Amazon!

Ernie Arrives Down Under!

It’s been 11 years since I was last in Australia. How time flies!! However, during a long period of being in one place and not much traveling, I have managed to get my head down and write my books and launch Bags of Colour, so it was time well spent. But I am really excited to now be back on the other side of the world and in the sunshine, even though it’s officially winter here in Brisbane, their sub-tropical climate makes it feel more like an English summer.

So armed with a few copies of both my books, which I do not plan to return home with, how can I introduce my little snail companion to this amazing country I wonder. A good to start would be with Bruce, Ernie’s Aussie friend and fellow snail, although I am now somewhat embrassed to tell people here that I named the Australia character in my book: ‘Bruce’, how cliched, I hope they are not insulted.

Maybe a book reading in a local primary school, or an event in a shopping mall, or a workshop in the local church I have connected with whilst here. A big task for only a three week holiday, maybe I can plant enough seeds to have an excuse to do a return trip.

Anyway, who needs an excuse to visit this amazing country and I have already gathered some story ideas, so maybe just maybe I will be back sooner than I think!

http://www.zazzle.co.uk/captain_pablo_i_too_fast_mug-168867253198896926?CMPN=shareicon&lang=en&social=true&view=113383429117565202&rf=238135257656896324

Ernie Slides to Waterstones

I am so excited to announce that I will in holding a reading and book signing event at Waterstones Book Store, North Finchley.

This will a chance for kids to come and meet an author and ask any questions they have a what it’s like being an author or about writing books. Plus I will be reading from both my books and signing copies after. Also I have Ernie goodies to give away, so dont miss out. If your free pop along it will be great to see you!