Zing! Seven Creativity Practices for Educators and Students

by Pat Mora

Overview

"Zing! is a wonderful book that encourages others to be creative by sharing what has worked for Pat Mora in all of her creative efforts."
—Camila A. Alire, Dean Emeritus
University of New Mexico

"In a series of letters to teachers written with her signature poetic grace, Pat Mora gently reminds us of the potential in ourselves and our students."
—Lee Galda, Professor
University of Minnesota

"In this era of mandates, accountability and adherence to canned curricula, Mora reminds us that great educators are fueled by passion and creativity."
—Gary Bloom, Superintendent
Santa Cruz City Schools, Soquel, CA

Cultivate your own creativity and the creative potential of all your students!

Zing! Seven Creativity Practices for Educators and Students is a beautifully written guide that offers seven powerful practices for personal creativity and professional inventiveness. For each of the seven practices, author Pat Mora proposes seven symbols and presents parallel exercises for teachers and students. Evocatively written in the form of letters to teachers and librarians, this book:

• Helps educators access their creative selves and, in the process, become better teachers
• Nurtures students in expressing themselves through writing and other creative pursuits
• Includes activities at the end of each chapter

This moving and inspirational volume serves as a reminder that inventive teaching is truly an art form that enriches lives and transforms teachers and students.

Pat Mora was named one of the "Fifty Most Inspiring Authors in the World" by Poets&Writers magazine.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781452271422
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	03/30/2010
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	152
File size:	644 KB

About the Author

Pat Mora, a popular presenter across the country at conferences, campuses, libraries, and schools, speaks and offers workshops on literacy, creativity, leadership, the writing process, and serving diverse populations. “Sharing Bookjoy: Creative Literacy Leaders” and “ZING! Seven Creativity Practices for Educators and Students” are among her more popular themes.

The author of award-winning books of nonfiction and poetry for adults and of many children’s books, Pat received honorary doctorates in letters from North Carolina State University and SUNY Buffalo and is an honorary member of the American Library Association. Among her other awards are the 2006 National Hispanic Cultural Center Literary Award, a Civitella Ranieri Fellowship, a Visiting Carruthers Chair at the University of New Mexico, a Poetry Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, and a Kellogg National Leadership Fellowship.

A former teacher, university administrator, and consultant, Pat is the founder of the family literacy initiative El día de los niños/El día de los libros, Children’s Day/Book Day (Día), now housed at the American Library Association. The yearlong commitment to linking all children to books, languages, and cultures and of sharing what Pat calls “bookjoy,” culminates in national celebrations in April.

Pat was named one of the “Fifty Most Inspiring Authors in the World” by Poets&Writers magazine in February 2010.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
About the Author
Welcome! Bienvenido!
1. Value Your Creative Self
Value Each Student′s Creative Talents
2. Enjoy Quiet
Create Quiet Spaces for Students
3. Gather Your Materials
Motivate Students to Gather Their Materials
4. Begin Your Project
Assist Students to Begin Their Projects
5. Revise
Support Students With Revision
6. Share Your Creations
Create Sharing Opportunities for Students
7. Steadily Persist in Your Creative Work
Motivate Students to Persevere
Hope/Esperanza
Suggested Reading
Other Books by Pat Mora

Editorial Reviews

"In a series of letters to teachers written with her signature poetic grace, Pat Mora gently reminds us of the potential in ourselves and our students while expanding our understanding of the writing process through metaphoric descriptions of other common creative acts. Zing! is a book to be savored, shared, and returned to for inspiration. "

Lee Galda

"Zing! is a wonderful book that encourages others to be creative by sharing what has worked for Pat Mora in all of her creative efforts. Sharing her seven habits for creativity is so Mora-ish. She is the most unselfish author I know. "

Camila A. Alire

"In this era of mandates, accountability, and adherence to canned curricula, Pat Mora reminds us that great educators are fueled by passion and creativity. Mora reflects on her experiences working with teachers and students across the country, challenges us to reflect on our own experiences, and inspires us to think and act in new and more powerful ways. "

Gary Bloom

"One of the most valuable things to me in any book I look at for my professional library is the references it shares to lead me other resources. I inevitably turn to the back to look for this, and Mora's book does not disappoint. Overall, it's a fairly quick read with a long afterlife. "

Lisa Van Gemert