• Number of Pages - Book printing is typically done in multiples of 8, so plan your book to be 16, 24, 32, 40, etc. pages so that it is cost effective. This includes all interior pages like title page, dedication page, and everything else inside the book. Do not include the front or back cover in that total. You can include blank pages in the beginning or end of the book if needed, which you’ll often see in children’s books because of the multiples of 8 rule. 32 is the most common and most cost effective number of pages, so think about designing your book to fit that. 
  
• Book Size and Orientation - Standard size (or trim size) for books vary, but most picture books are either 7.5”x7.5", 8”x8”, 7"x10", or 10"x8". You’ll also need to decide if you want the orientation to be vertical, horizontal, or square. Check with your printer before the graphic designer begins laying out the book electronically so that you don’t increase costs with a non-standard size option. The first series of books I published, Chaldean for Kids, are square 8x8. Diary of a Real Bully, my second book, is vertical 8x10. ​
  

• Book Binding - PrintNinja.com offers a great explanation of the differences between book bindings, with pictures and details about each. If your picture book will be 32 pages or less as suggested above, I recommend saddle stitching, which is simple, cost effective, and beautifully showcases illustrations as the pages lay flat when open. 
  
• Paper Stock - Paper weight, both for the cover and inside pages, is another consideration that can be quite complex because it involves the paper’s weight, thickness, color, and finish. You can do your research, but I’ll simplify your options by suggesting 80# gloss paper stock with lamination for the cover, and 100# gloss paper stock for the inside pages. That’s what my printer had recommended as standard for my book and it turned out exactly as I had hoped.  
  

• Storyboard - Sketch out the layout for the book through a storyboard - decide what text will be on each page and include a written description of what you’d like the illustration to look like. Consider that some pages will have single page illustrations and others could have two page spreads. Don’t forget to include a title page, copyright page, dedication page, and about the author page, or any combination of those if you need to put some together to make your page layout work better.
  

• Illustrations - Explore different illustration styles to see what will complement the content of your book. Also, distinguish between boxed, vignettes, spot, and full bleed illustrations with this handy article. These decisions can be made with your illustrator. 
  

• Illustrator - Consider hiring a local artist, even a teacher or student that has an illustration style that matches your vision. Or, if you need an illustrator with more experience, try posting a proposal on Upwork or Fiverr to find freelancers. You can set the price and choose from bids after exploring potential artists’ portfolios. 
  
• Graphic Designer - The graphic designer will develop the electronic layout of your book, likely through design programs like InDesign or Adobe Illustrator. He or she will design your front and back covers, add your text and illustrations, and work with your printer to ensure the specs are accurate and the electronic file is in the correct format they’ll need. If you’re lucky, you can find someone that can do both the illustrations and graphic design. If not, Upwork and Fiverr have graphic design freelancers as well. 
  
• Printer - Research online printers and get quotes using specifics about the design elements discussed above. The most cost effective printers print the books overseas, mainly in China. Working with overseas printers does take additional time, especially with shipping, so plan to place your order 2-3 months before you need copies of your book in print. It is totally worth the money to get a proof from the printer. Both times I have published books, the proofs came in with errors (my fault, not theirs), but I was able to correct them before I ended up with the entire order. I used DIYA USA for both of my printing projects and was very pleased with the quality of the books, especially because the price was very reasonable for a self publisher like me. You can also check out Print Ninja or Lightning Press for quotes. Note that the higher the quantity of the order, the lower the cost per book. I typically place orders of 1,000-2,000 books at a time, store them in my basement, and distribute them myself through my website, amazon, author visits, and trade shows. 
  

While my focus has been mainly on amplifying teacher voice, I started  thinking about student voice. How often do we stop and ask students for their input on what we should be doing in schools? But shouldn’t we? After all, we are all in this for them. So I began listening to students.  What do students want?

I did not see myself as a leader when I first began teaching. I was focused on my own classroom and my own students. It wasn’t until my 4th year teaching that my principal approached me about representing our staff in a new district initiative.  It was the chance to research and learn best practices and watch other teachers in action, which to this day, is still the most powerful professional development I’ve experienced. It was an opportunity to share with my school's colleagues, which created an environment of trust and collaboration that we’ve sustained ever since. But it took someone else to tap into my leadership ability, which made me feel valued, and in turn motivated me to work harder and grow.  

Whether you work with  students, teachers, or employees, 
it is time to tap into  the leadership potential of everyone around you...

because when you make someone feel valued, 
it lights a fire within them that cannot be extinguished.

“Do not confine your children to your own learning, for they were born in another time.” -Chinese Proverb. 

If this proverb is true, why is there so much resistance to change in education?

Not a day goes by where I don’t see some sort of pushback to Common Core. Whether it’s a parent on Facebook that posts a “stupid question” from their child’s homework, a viral video that elicits unpleasant comments, or a political debate about their purpose or validity, Common Core Standards continue to be a contentious topic across the state.

Parents in particular seem to have the most difficulty with the new standards. I recently did an informal Facebook survey asking them to share their frustrations. They delivered honest answers that helped me better understand their issues. Here is what they said:

“It is frustrating that I feel like I can’t help my child when she needs it.”

“They have no math books and I am always afraid of teaching her to do it the wrong way when she needs help. There are never any examples on the pages and I know this "new math" is all about the process and there is a lot of work to get to an answer… I guess my concern is that she will lose her love of math when what is a simple problem to her turns into 5 steps that seem unnecessary (to her) and just extra work.”

“From my point of view it's not straight forward. I can't look at their homework & know how to help them. And since I'm not in class while it's being taught.....kinda makes Mom look (& feel) stupid in front of her kids. 2+2=4 regardless if you're counting apples, oranges, or kittens. I'm all for showing how you got the answer but it’s hard if I can't figure out what the question is.”

“I find homework to be very frustrating as do my kids. And if they continue the common core method for math, then parents need to be educated as well. I personally think it’s pointless anyway. If I’m going to compute a tip for a bill at dinner, I’m going to do mental math to figure it out. Not pull out a binder and pencil and sit for another hour to figure out what 20% is.”

One parent said they prefer to use method of “common sense instead of common core” in their home and continued with, “I think you can still teach deep thinking without marking answers wrong for doing it a different way.”

As a parent myself, I empathize with these statements because no one wants to struggle to help their own children. No one wants to take a longer route to solve a problem when a shorter one is at their disposal. Most importantly, no one wants to see their child wrestle with a concept that just doesn’t come naturally for them. As a teacher, though, I know that this transition is important as we dig deeper into concepts and teach children the value of the little voice inside their heads. Too many generations have been out of touch with the complexity of our thought processes. We know how to do things but do we know why they work?

What I have realized through conversations with teachers and parents is that people are more frustrated with the resources we use to teach Common Core than they are with the standards themselves. Every annoyance is related to math and the frustration with the lack of a textbook, of examples, or of support in general. I agree that the resources we have available are substandard, but I am optimistic that they will improve over time. But is it fair to blame the standards because of weak materials? If you were trying to build a desk with the wrong tools, would you blame the instructions?

Perhaps we need to provide more education about what Common Core Standards are and what they are not. This video http://vimeo.com/110807219 explains “Why Math is Different Now” and this one http://vimeo.com/51933492 helps you “Learn about the Common Core in 3 Minutes.” http://www.corestandards.org/about-the-standards/ is a great resource as well, including a page about What Parents Should Know http://www.corestandards.org/what-parents-should-know/ here.

I get it. Change is hard. But imagine where we would be if generations before us resisted transition. We might still be using a quill and scroll to write because pencils would encourage mistakes. Or worse, we wouldn’t even be writing. The early act of writing was frowned upon because critics thought it would “produce forgetfulness in the minds of those who learn to use it, because they will not practice their memory” and that “Students’ trust in it would discourage the use of their own minds.” Think about that.

Yes, Common Core is different than the way we learned, but shouldn’t we celebrate that and see it as progression? Yes, it is awkward for kids to explain their thinking, but don’t we want them to be aware of their thought processes and understand the importance of metacognition? Yes, it is harder to help our kids with their homework, but should we really be helping them as much as we feel like we need to?

Kids are very capable of meeting our expectations, but most of the time, our expectations are way too low. We don’t want them to struggle, so we spoon-feed them exactly what they need to be successful. We get anxious if they have to solve problems on their own, so we solve as much as we can for them. We anticipate that they are too young to understand, so we don’t even bother to try and teach them. We have limited our kids to learning at the surface, giving them just enough to get by without ever letting them dig deeper. Common Core is our opportunity to change that. Our old standards were a mile wide and an inch deep and the new standards are just the opposite. Let’s take this opportunity to add rigor to our day. Let’s give kids a chance to think deeply and persevere in their learning.

It’s about time, and I mean that in more ways than one. It’s about the time we can finally give kids so they can grapple with concepts and construct their own understanding. It’s about time that we changed the “fly by” teaching that we have had to do to cover too much ground at once. It will take time for everyone to adjust, but adjustment comes much faster without resistance. “Do not confine your children to your own learning, for they were born in another time.” -Chinese Proverb. 

Maybe it’s time to accept it and move forward.

So, what’s your problem with the Common Core? I would love to hear your thoughts on this so please comment honestly below in a judgment free zone.