"That was the moment, for me, that the false façade crumbled – and all this beautiful, rainbow light of history shone out. That’s why I wrote No Way, They Were Gay? So kids and teens today would have what I didn’t have when I was their age – the tools to tear down that false façade for themselves, and let the beautiful diverse light of our true heritage shine on them."
Author Kate Messner talks about how seeing her struggle as a writer helped her students build their own confidence as writers.
"So, how can we use books to encourage children’s interest in STEM? To do so, we need to ignite their excitement at an early age. Barriers to children embracing these fields include inadequate access and exposure, prejudicial expectations, and lack of interest, among other things. How can we help children overcome these obstacles? It’s easy. All we have to do is expose them to STEM-related books, both fiction and nonfiction."
Author Suzanne Young talks about how teaching and writing interact for her and how her students inspire her to write what they love.
Neurotypical characters get to have adventures and be the hero. Neurodiverse characters should get to as well.
Author J. Elle talks about how teaching left a lasting impact that influences her writing.
Author Desmond Hall talks about how teaching showed him that kids look for information that is relevant to their lives and how he took that message to heart with his writing.
Alicia D. Williams on how teaching inspired her and helped her find ways to engage with kids more deeply.
Carrie Firestone talks about her experiences teaching and how they impacted her writing.
Ruth Behar talks about how feeling othered as a child led her to education and teaching and then to working to help others feel differently.
