Writing Connections with Shawn Stout

by Mary Quattlebaum

Family can be inspiring, as Shawn Stout discovered when writing her eighth novel A Tiny Piece of Sky.  In an interview for KidsPost/WashingtonPost, Stout talked about the prejudice her German-American grandfather dealt with right before World War II.  Shawn fictionalized her family’s experiences, but she asked her mother and aunts many questions about their childhood.  She wanted to convey a child’s perspective of the townspeople’s boycott of her grandfather’s restaurant and of their (false) perception of him as a German spy.

Below are writing lessons for the classroom or for individual writers ages 8 and up.  Stout’s website http://shawnkstout.com/ includes a teachers’ guide.

RETURN TO THE PAST:  As the youngest in her family, 10-year-old Frankie Baum feels she lacks the respect and privileges accorded her two older siblings.  She is determined to prove that her father is no spy.  As she gets to know some of the African American staff in her father’s restaurant, Frankie also becomes more aware of the injustices suffered by blacks in the segregated Maryland town.  She speaks frequently about her favorite book “The Wizard of Oz” and its movie adaptation.

Classroom Discussion, Part 1:  Ask students to read the book and to jot down some details of clothing, food, transportation that have changed since the late 1930s. What were some examples of prejudice experienced by Frankie and her family?  By the African-American staff?  In their own families,  where are students in the birth order (oldest, youngest, middle)?  Do they ever feel like Frankie, trapped in a particular family role (responsible one, jokester, lazy lout, etc.)?   Do the students try to break out?  What do they do/have they done?

Classroom Writing:  Ask students to interview a parent or grandparent to get a view of certain events that is both personal and reflective of childhood at the time.   (They can do this orally or ask for written answers.)  Kids might ask adults to go back to a certain age–10 years old, for example. Questions might include:

1.  What was your family pet?  Describe one or two adventures or times you shared with this pet.  (Frankie has a dog and a pony.)

2.  What was your favorite restaurant as a kid?  Name three things about its appearance, sound , or smells that you remember.  What dish did you like best? Least?  Why?

3.  What chores or responsibilities did you have as a kid?  Which did you like least?  Most?  Why?

4.  What was your favorite book?  Movie?  Why?  Can you describe the first time you read or saw this?

5.  What was your favorite item of clothing?  Toy or game?  Can you briefly describe?

6.  Did you ever witness or experience prejudice?  What did you say or do?  How do you feel about that incident now?

7.  What were some important events of that year (war, presidential election, Civil Rights movement, etc.)?  How did you feel about them then?

Students might then take one of these answers and write a short description or fictional tale, much as Stout did.

Classroom Discussion, Part 2: Once they have done the interviewing and writing, ask students what they learned, both about the time period and parent.

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THAT OLD THING: FAMILY STORIES

by Mary Quattlebaum

Our word “January” comes from the two-faced Roman god Janus, who was positioned to look both forward and back in time.  The first month of the year is always a time of beginnings, but it’s also a chance to glance back and to make connections between past, present, and future.  This writing prompt explores shared family memory and always yields a heartfelt piece of writing (and a few surprises for the writer!) whether I’ve done it with 8 or 80 year olds.

1.  Ask students to look at home for “family treasures” that have been passed down through one or more generations.  Examples might be a holiday ornament, a quilt, a piece of cookware, or a memento. Avoid photos.

2.  Request them to write down a memory or two they have about this item.  Where is it usually kept?  How do they feel about it?

3.  Brainstorm with students in class questions to ask an older family member.  Who brought this item into the family?  How did this member get it?  What is its history?  What exactly is it made of?  What does it represent to the interviewee?  What are some of his/her childhood memories associated with it?  Anything else the family member might like to add?

4.  Have students conduct the interviews at home or by phone and then bring them to class, along with the item. If the item is large, encourage them to bring in part of it (for example, a drawer).  (If you’re doing this with children, ask them to bring non-breakable things or a photo of the item.)

5.  Ask them to explore this item through each of their five senses, if appropriate.  What does it look, sound, and smell like?  How does it feel?  Ask them how they feel about it and whether their feelings have changed since the writing of a few days ago.  Did they learn anything new or surprising during the interview?

6.  Have students include their writings and interviews (all dated) in a folder that might be passed down with the item to a future generation.

A personal note:  On my mother’s side of the family is a child’s rocking chair, made in 1884, that has always been passed down to the oldest girl.  When my daughter was born, my mom had the chair stripped of layers of old paint, strengthened, and re-finished to its original luster. She also researched the chair’s design and craftsman and included her reflections on its history. What a precious gift—the chair and my mother’s words--I now have to give to my daughter!  (My poem “Antique Rocker” from my book Family Reunion includes my thoughts on the chair.)

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HOPPING OFF HISTORY

by Mary Quattlebaum

As writers (and teachers of writing), we’re all familiar with that old adage “write what you know.”  Sometimes, though, that advice can limit  or just plain bore a writer.  How might we challenge students to try writing what they don’t know or, in other words, to write to discover more?

One approach might be to have them explore the intersection of family history with larger historical events.  How was my family involved in the Civil Rights era?  What did Grandpa do during the time of the Vietnam War?  Why and how did Lola emigrate to the United States?

This approach works especially well for ages 12 and up, and is one I’ve used with advanced and adult writing students.

1.  Share children’s and YA books that portray young people involved in historical events.  Some of my favorites encourage readers to take a closer look at an era or event not widely known or studied in school.  Many include author’s notes about the author’s tie to the story and how she came to research and write the novel.

* The Great Migration by Eloise Greenfield. A series of poems about African Americans, including the author’s parents, who left the South between 1915 and 1930 for the greater freedom they hoped they would find in the North.

* The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Shang.  Contemporary novel, set in America, about a smart, funny 12-year-old girl who learns about China’s Cultural Revolution from an elderly relative.

* The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez.  Historical fiction about two Cuban children who emigrate alone to the United States as Castro clamps down on their middle-class parents in the early 1960s.   Based on experiences of author’s parents and mother-in-law.

* A Troubled Peace by L. M. Elliott.  Historical fiction focused on the chaotic years in Europe just after World War II.  Inspired by the author’s father’s experiences as an American pilot during the war.

2.  Encourage students to choose a relative and think about what they would like to ask him or her.  Have them jot down questions about a given 5-year span in the relative’s life.  What was your favorite item of clothing?  Food?  What did you and your friends like to do?  What was your favorite book or TV show?  Why?  What did you like best about living during that time and in the place you did?  What did you like least?  What was the biggest lesson you learned?  What were three historical things that happened during this time and what do you remember about them?  Is there something you can show me (photo, memento) from that time period?

3.  Have students interview their relative and write down the answers.  Then have them shape their material into a coherent piece of writing entitled something like “What Grandpa liked about  this time period” or “Grandma comes to the United States.”

4.  Share pieces with the class and have students discuss what they may have learned and been surprised by.

www.maryquattlebaum.com