Tag: Anxiety

Q&A with Author Elly Swartz

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Authors are incredible people. They have an ability to create worlds and characters that transport us out of reality. Authors can make us cry, gasp and get angry (sometimes all in the same chapter).

I love that I’ve been able to connect with so many different authors over the years, and truly enjoy being able to share my experiences with all of you.

Dear Student, by Elly Swartz, is a powerful novel about navigating middle school, friendships, family changes and anxiety.

This middle grade novel is so spot-on with what adolescents experience today. Autumn is starting sixth grade. Her best friend moved away and her dad joined the Peace Corp. As she tackles middle school, she encounters friendship troubles trying to juggle two different friends with her social anxiety. Autumn believes in animal rights and finds a way to stand up for her furry friends.

I had the privilege to do a Q&A with Elly about her new book. Honestly, my reader heart wanted to hug her through the screen. Not only did I love the book, but I feel like I made a new virtual best friend with the author. Authors, like Elly, are making big differences in a world that is very scary for so many young readers.

1.       As an author, what is your writing process like? 

All my writing days begin by finding brain space. And for me, that means either walking my pups or, if it’s raining, dancing in my kitchen. I need to put aside of the stresses, worries, and distractions of the day. I need to give the creative process room to breathe. Then I dive in.

If I am drafting a new book, I spend a lot of time getting to know my main character’s heart before I even begin writing. I need to know what they like for breakfast, if they love the rain, are scared of spiders. I need to know all of them. So, I interview them. I want to know everything. And once that happens, I begin.

I write what I know. That’s what I love about the writing process. It’s not linear. I don’t need to color inside the lines. If I know the beginning, I write that. If I know the end, I write that. I trust the process will enable me to fill in the rest as the story unfolds. Once I have a first draft, which I’ve fondly named Swiss cheese – because it stinks and has lots of holes – it’s time to dive into revision. For me, this is where the magic happens. I love revision!

At this stage, I work on my story in one big gulp. I sit all day with my characters. And it’s during this part of the process that I need to ensure that my characters are feeling all the feels. All happy, I’ve written a giant Hallmark card. All sad, well, no one really wants that. And I use emojis to help me get there. I promise, I’m not kidding.

After I write my Swiss cheese draft, I put an emoji at the top and bottom of each chapter. What’s the emotion coming into the scene and what’s the emotion coming out. This way, I can visually cue myself when I need to mix things up.

            Emojis keep me in check and allow me to create a story with true emotional resonance.

Once I go through the story, I rinse and repeat until I feel in my heart that my story is layered, authentic, and has all the feels.


2.       What kind of research did you do for this book? 

I feel that all fiction is anchored in something real. And making sure those details are accurate and authentic is at the heart of my writing. I think it might be the lawyer in me!

I am beyond grateful to the many people who shared their expertise and time with me. In Dear Student, I consulted:

*a pediatric therapist who specializes in anxiety

*a person who specializes in iguanas and snakes (pregnant ones!)

*a congressman who sponsored the Humane Act bill that prevents the testing of cosmetics on animals and those in his office in charge of the bill

*a Peace Corps volunteer

*educators who kindly shared their Spanish translation skills and input with me

It truly takes a village!


3.       What inspired you to write Autumn’s story? 

Much of the inspiration for Dear Student came from readers. Kids who have written me letters, sent me emails, dm’d me and shared their truth. Their anxiety. Their heart. Kids who think brave and strong is reserved for the popular, the loud, and the confidant.

I want these friends to know their voice matters. They can make a difference. I want them to know that it doesn’t matter if they are quiet or loud. Extroverts or introverts. Eat lunch surrounded by friends or tucked into a table in the library. They are strong. They are valued. They are brave.

I want them to know that sometimes we all feel like Autumn. We all struggle to find the right words to say, the right clothes to wear, the right way to be. In our social media world, we often see only the shiny penny version of life. The highly manicured happy moments. But those are just slivers of time. I want them to know we all experience all the feels. Even if you may not see them in the latest videos on Tik Tok.

4.       Why did you feel that Autumn should have social anxiety? 

I love Autumn. She came to me with her quiet introspection, her big heart, and her social anxiety. Autumn is truly a compilation and reflection of so many kids I know and have had the privilege of meeting at school visits. I want my characters to reflect the kids who read them. I want all kids to see themselves on the page.

I write about kids with anxiety because kids have anxiety. And with the pandemic, that anxiety is on the rise. (https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-youth-mental-health-advisory.pdf)

I want kids to know they are not alone. Recently, I was visiting a school, talking to 200 six graders about Dear Student and Fearless Fred – the part of each of us that fear can’t boss around. And sharing how I saw courage and strength in every one of them. Even if they didn’t. After my presentation, a new friend came up to me. She whispered, “I have anxiety like Autumn in Dear Student.” Her voice shook. “Kids make fun of me.” She inhaled big. “Thanks for writing about someone like me.”

My heart melted.

I truly believe we are all a bit like Autumn. We all have moments where we wonder if we’re saying the right thing, wearing the right clothes, acting the right way. Especially now. Remote living. Remote learning. Masking. Reentry. It’s all hard. Exhausting. And sometimes scary.

Truth is, we are all working on something.

5.       Why did you choose to have Autumn in sixth grade? 

I love this stage. The start of middle school. The start of something new.

Kids are honest and vulnerable. They are discovering their voice and where they fit. They are navigating shifting friendships. And realizing the world is not always right and wrong, but often gray, nuanced, and complicated. Their feelings are big and real.

And I truly think my sixth grade self is reading along with me, wishing she had these stories as she navigated the halls of middle school.

Elly at 12!


6.       How were you able to make Autumn, Logan, and Copper so realistic? 

I love Autumn, Logan, and Cooper. I love their vulnerabilities. And their rockstar qualities. They are a wonderful blend of all of it. The stuff they are proud of and the stuff they are working on. So when I was creating each one of them, it was important to me that they felt all the feels. And that they reflected the authentic lives of my readers. They are layered because my readers’ lives are layered.

Authenticity is at the heart of writing these moments. Authentic emotions and authentic experiences. So when I sit down to write, I try and forget the shoulds and worries of my adult life and wrap myself around the younger me. I need to be that kid again. The one who wondered the halls of middle school with butterflies in her stomach, hoping she could find her way to class, open her locker, and just be herself.

I need to write as if I am my characters. And I know that I’m truly in it when my story weaves itself into every fiber of my being and every moment of my day. For instance, when I was writing Dear Student, the main character, Autumn, flooded my dreams. You see, I wasn’t dreaming about Autumn, I was dreaming as if I was Autumn. My world and hers had become completely enmeshed.

And that is truly when the magic happens on the page.


7.       What do you hope readers take away from this novel? 

I hope readers know their voice matters. That strength and bravery can look a lot of different ways. And that true friends will always be there. As Autumn says, “We don’t have to think the same or believe the same things to be friends. But we do always have to be kind to each other. And respectful of each other.” (p. 255-56).

I also hope readers discover that the most fearless thing they can do is be themselves.


8.       What was your greatest challenge and joy about writing this book? 

I loved writing the Dear Student letters. It brought me back to my middle school self, walking the halls, feeling all the feels. The excitement, the worry, the happiness, the self-consciousness, the cliques, the doubt, and the crushes. It was fun to give advice. I hope it helps my readers as they navigate all the feels.

The most challenging part was writing the friend conflict. No spoilers, but there’s something that happens between Logan and Autumn that hurt my heart to write. It wasn’t how I envisioned the story going. But it was the path the story had to take for me to stay true to the characters.


9.       Do you have ideas for another book? 

Yes! And yay! I have another middle grade novel entitled, Hidden Truths, coming out in 2023. This story is told from dual pov between best friends Danielle – a star baseball player – and Eric – her forgetful, but kind, goofy, crossword-loving neighbor.

Their friendship has begun to shift when a terrible accident happens, accelerating their rift.

At its heart, this story asks how far you’d go to keep a promise to a friend.

I’m also working on a picture book and starting a new middle grade that I am bursting with excitement to write.

Lots more to come. Woohoo!


10.    What advice do you have for young writers?

Read! Read! Read! And then write what matters to you. Because in that space of true authenticity, lies the story of your heart.

Since Elly shared her 6th grade picture, I feel the need to keep it going by sharing mine.

Little Reading Coach in sixth grade 2001.

To meet Autumn and read about her sixth grade experience, click here.

Little Reading Coach is a certified Teacher of English (K-12) and Reading Specialist (P-12) offering online reading, writing and home-based learning support tutoring services for students in grades 6-12. For more information head to my website.

I Can Handle it! Book Review

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Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book to facilitate this review. As always, all opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.

I always say that Molly, my four year old, is my mini me. The similarities really come out when she’s being emotional, which happens more frequently the older that she gets. As a parent, I use all the patience I can muster to calm her down and allow her to express her thoughts. As my readers know, I tend to use books for pretty much everything, and I’m happy to report that I have found the perfect book to help my child cope with her emotions.

I Can Handle it!, written by Laurie Wright and illustrated by Ana Santos, is a practical picture book that breaks down emotions and coping strategies for kids to help with mental health.

Readers follow Sebastien, a little boy, as he tackles emotions that he feels based on different events and situations he experiences. Each scenario provides three or four possible solutions for dealing with the issue, some are absolutely meant to be funny, and some are solid suggestions.

I really like that the story is told like a pattern. Readers anticipate what the next emotion will be and look forward to reading the different options Sebastien has for tackling his feelings. The wording and language is clear and concise, making it so even the littlest reader can understand the story. The illustrations do a fabulous job of capturing the facial expressions that all parents and educators will be familiar with when it comes to emotions that kids feel. It makes the character come to life and seem more realistic.

The scenarios mentioned are 100% on point. For instance, my child absolutely gets cranky when she can’t watch her TV show (she will react if you threaten to put on an adult show). Every single reader can relate to Sebastien and his feelings, thus creating trust between the character and reader. This is really important for this picture book because it shows kids different ways to handle situations that they can use in their life. It’s teaching kids in a fun and creative way.

One of my favorite scenes is where Sebastien is feeling bored when he is stuck at home. The suggestions for handling this situation include making slime, building a fort or video calling friends. I really appreciated how trendy and realistic these ideas for combating boredom are as a parent.

I recommend this book for kids ages 2-6. I can see it being used in the classroom as a read aloud activity to connect with social-emotional learning.

To purchase the book, click here.

Little Reading Coach is a certified Teacher of English (K-12) and Reading Specialist (P-12) offering online reading,  writing and home-based learning support tutoring services for students in grades 6-12. For more information click here.

Accommodating Special Education Students in the Virtual Classroom

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As a virtual English teacher, I’ve worked with classified students in grades 6-12. Parents and brick and mortar teachers are often amazed that special education students choose to do virtual learning (before the pandemic).

Yes, there are special education students who attend online programs. Yes, they can be successful.

This week I co-hosted a professional development presentation for Edmentum’s EdOptions Academy (EOA) on Implementing Special Education Accommodations in a Virtual World. I was able to show other virtual teachers samples of assignments I used with my classified students and how I evaluated them.

Today, I would like to share some of my experiences and examples in the hopes of helping teachers outside of EOA. These ideas can be used in brick and mortar classrooms, blending learning and distance learning environments.

Preparing to Make Accommodations

  1. Be familiar with a student’s IEP. When I worked in a brick and mortar school, I would sometimes have 20 students with IEPs. It can be A LOT to remember the specific details for every student, so I would often take quick notes about the classification(s) and accommodations. The same concept applies to the virtual learning environment.
  2. Use your knowledge of the student. In the virtual world, this can be done in a number of ways. Call/text/Zoom/email with the student and get to know who the student really is. What’s their favorite sport? What hobbies do they like? Also, feel free to talk to the parents, school, Child Study Team and special education teachers about the student. The more knowledge you have about each student the more you can make appropriate accommodations.
  3. Be flexible with grading assignments. This is a biggie. Many teachers use specific rubrics to grade assignments, but when making accommodations these rubrics may not be relevant. In these cases, it’s important that we think outside the box and use our content knowledge to assess if the student fulfilled expectations. We may need to create another rubric specifically for that child, or only include certain parts of the original rubric, it really comes down to the teacher to decide. Regardless of what a teacher chooses to do, always make sure to include specific feedback.
  4. Be aware of reading levels. To be super honest, this is a really big component of online learning. Students are required to do A LOT of reading (assignments, comments, lectures, directions, etc.). If a student has a reading level of third grade and is taking a sixth grade English course, he or she is going to be reading texts at the sixth grade level. This can be quite a challenge for many students who aren’t at that reading level yet. Since students are required to read in all courses, even a math teacher should be aware of a student’s reading level.

Accommodations in the Virtual Classroom

  1. Offer extended time. This is a very simple and effective way to help classified students, especially in the virtual world. It’s also helpful to check-in with the student and remind him or her with how much extra time they have left. For instance, if there is an assignment due on Wednesday, maybe consider having it due for classified students on Friday. On Thursday check-in with students and give them suggestions online learning graphicabout what they need to finish for the assignment to be submitted on Friday.
  2. Reduce assignment length. Personally, I use this accommodation quite a bit with my special education students. If the original assignment for students is to write an essay, I may have them write a paragraph instead.
  3. Support public speaking. A curriculum typically has a speaking/presentation component that can be fulfilled in the virtual classroom. There are a few different ways students can present a speech: 1. video chat with the teacher one-on-one, 2. participate in a phone call with the teacher (if a student gets anxious about looking at an audience), 3. record a selfie video of the student reading the speech and then send it to the teacher or post it on Youtube and share the link. It’s also important to remember that students don’t have to memorize their speech. I usually tell my students to practice reading aloud their information a few times before presenting.
  4. Providing alternate texts. As I mentioned before, reading level plays a huge role in virtual learning. If a student can only read at a 5th grade level, but they are taking 8th grade English, this could be a challenge for him or her. Teachers can provide an alternate text that still focuses on the theme/topic of the original text, but is better aligned with the student’s reading level. For instance,  my 7th grade English students are expected to read Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Pit and the Pendulum”, to focus on how history (The Inquisition) impacts literature. This original text is too complex for my classified students, so I have them read chapter one of Number the Stars by Lois Lowry because it is connected to the Holocaust. I keep the same historical focus as I would with the original text, but now students have access to a text that they can handle.
  5. Provide novel support. Students will read a few novels a year in their English/ELARead Aloud courses. Getting students to just read the book can sometimes be a challenge, let alone having them complete activities and assignments based on the reading. Teachers can supply students with an audio version, guided notes, reading comprehension questions, and chapter summaries. However, another spectacular option that I have done is to provide students with a read aloud (see Effective Read Alouds in the Virtual Classroom) where I would read a few chapters aloud and then discuss plot, characterization, theme and quote analysis. I would record these sessions in Zoom and keep track of the links on a document that I could send to any student who needed access to the text. Students can watch, rewind and fast forward the video as many times as they want.
  6. Include outlines and graphic organizers. Just as in brick and mortar classrooms, outlines and graphic organizers are fabulous resources to give to students. If students need to compare/contrast, provide a Venn Diagram in an editable document for students to use. For writing a lab report, give students an outline to complete before writing the report.
  7. Help guide research. Utilizing textual evidence and research take place across all content areas. It can be overwhelming for classified students to look at a Google search bar and start the research process, let alone tackle a database. Two of my favorite options for research are to give students a list of key words to use in their search, and provide a list of links for students to use to complete assignments.
  8. Provide structure with note-taking. Learning in the virtual environment requires students to be more independent with their learning, and oftentimes students will need to take notes on the content in their courses. This can be challenging because students may not know what to record or how to record the information. Some options for students are to include guided notes, fill in the blank PowerPoint slides, and give note-taking templates (Cornell Notes, etc.).

As with all accommodations, different options work for different students. At the end of the day, it is up to the teacher to decide how to best support students.

Little Reading Coach is a certified Teacher of English (K-12) and Reading Specialist (P-12) offering online reading and writing tutoring services for students in grades 3-12. For more information click here.

The Ones That Got Away Book Review

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Even though I love YA and children’s books, every once in a while I like to change things up and read an adult book. This is my third review for BLKDog Publishing, and I have to say the books from this company just get better and better. The Ring  and I Am This Girl were both fantastic reads.

The Ones That Got Away, by Lisa Hill, is a charming adult novel about love, family, secrets, and mental illness.

Tilly lives with her mom, Elaine, and her gran, Lil. After an amazing opportunity is offered to her by her estranged aunt, Ruby, Tilly decides to leave her fiancé and job to live by an aunt she’s never met, with her next door neighbor Archie, who is like a grandfather to her.

As the story follows this family we learn a great deal about Gran’s dementia, and the family’s history of mental illness. Ruby opened a home for those with mental illnesses using money from her divorce settlement. Ruby is an extremely well put together woman, who is blunt, caring and genuine. Ruby became pregnant with Elaine years ago, and since abortions were illegal at the time, Ruby gave Elaine to Lil and her husband Stan to raise. When Elaine became pregnant with Tilly, Ruby came back and told Elaine the truth about being her mother, and Elaine did not believe her. To thicken the plot even more, Archie, the next door neighbor, really is Tilly’s grandfather, but no one knows that except Archie and Ruby.

Can you tell this intricate plot just keeps getting better and better?

Along with a crazy family tree, there’s also a lot of focus on mental illness. Dementia runs in the family, but as the story goes, we also learn of an ADHD diagnosis, depression, and anxiety. Readers also uncover some deep family secrets that are based on mental illness.

While family members do use pills to help cope with their struggles, they also partake in various therapies, especially Tilly. Her determination to not take medication and to try and change her habits really help her become a new woman. She has clarity and a purpose, and even begins her own business.

Along with family secrets and drama, there are also a few little love stories going on. I’m hesitate to discuss these because they are so intertwined with secrets and the past. Just know that they are all brilliant and will fill your heart with joy.

With mental illness being such a big topic right now, I truly love how Hill gave such a realistic portrayal of life with one of these illnesses. Society is so accustomed to believing that a pill can fix anything, when in reality that is not the case. I love how Hill embraced such a difficult topic and made it relatable for all readers. Personally, I really enjoyed seeing how family and friends feel and handle situations caused by mental illness, especially because I don’t have any of my own experiences to connect with.

I recommend this book for anyone with a connection to mental illness, or if you’re looking for a book filled with family secrets and an intricate plot. This is definitely a great mom read.

To purchase the book click here.