From teacher to teacher. Jan has traveled full circle after battling a medical condition. She now teachers others how to live with theirs. Empowering change in business and personal lives is her passion as she watches how others grow with her guidance. Learn more by visiting https://universal-energies.com/ and http://janmayfield.com/home.
1. What are the Universal Energies, and could you tell us a little bit about their importance in your life?
I believe the Universal Energies are all around us and we can connect to them to help us in this life. Universal Energies will include; Angles, other etherical beings… god; people have their own names and beliefs they are all in the energy.
Their importance to me, is an amazing source of life guidance, wisdom and signposts for our direction.
Zoetic means pertaining to life and my book is essentially about the soul. Therefore, the title seemed appropriate, Zoetic Soul. (Pertaining to the life of the soul).
My inspirations were my grandmother and my love for all things universal. Giving people different ways of thinking to those they have been conditioned to think by. To change thought patterns to release their perfect vision for their own life. Observing change in people is, well, I have shed many tears as I see people grow beyond their original thoughts. Changing the flow of energy to create new. The point is they only make a tiny change to begin with, what follows is an eruption of ideas ready to put into motion. That happiness which shines from makes my work complete.
Zoetic Soul, looks at my life just before writing, and 2 years of ‘coincidences’. Many hours of trance work gave me the dialogue of the soul who had passed over.
A whole chapter about suicide, this again is a different way to look at this way of passing and has helped so many people who have lost someone they love to suicide.
Synchronicities in life are given for a reason, examples and true-life experiences show you how and why they come into your life. More importantly you are shown how to deal with and move on from each experience.
Reading Zoetic Soul will give you a unique experience as I know of no other book like this.
3. How have your own life experiences inspired you to help others?
Going through and coming out the other side of Depression, suicidal thoughts and learning to live with Fibromyalgia have given me so many tools to share with others.
This inspires me as I know others don’t have to be in that state of existence, they can LIVE their life.
Being empathic to my own needs created a universal insight, wisdom and energy which I pass on to others.
4. What are some of the ways that you connect with and help other people through your work?
Over the years many people have connected with me through the Psychic Medium work. However, they soon realise my work is not that of a “fortune teller” as we are often described.
Again, and again I hear people say, “I never thought of it in that way.”
They then go on to think about their life and problems in a different way. Slowly releasing their conditioning.
My intuition is strong and can pick up easily what people are going through, who connects to them from the other-side, and their future possibilities.
Using Internet connections to speak to people all over the world allows me to spread the message I am here to deliver/teach.
People may come to me when someone has passed over.
People are often stuck in their personal or business life.
People may just need that shift in their vision of their own life.
People will sign up for a 6/12 month programme to get them on track with a new project or life experience.
People may have an hour consultation co-creating purpose.
5. Do you have any advice for other people who want to become more aware of their own intuitive abilities?
To open up your intuitive abilities often requires you to be still, silent and allow the forces that be to communicate with you. Ask and you shall be given.
Many people hold on to so much from their past which no longer serves them. To these people I would say let go forever and naturally you will begin to see changes in perception.
ALWAYS be your own unique self and allow all that is within you to shine. Go with your inner guide, that feeling in your gut that says all is well or gives an indication of a certain answer.
No one can give you intuition it is already there ready for you to access it.
Tiffany Stallings is the author of Mommy Works Too Much, the first book in a planned 10 book children's miniseries. Ms. Stallings has served as the Founding Partner of a NJ based educational service firm that provided tutoring, test prep, enrichment programs, and a host of other summer camps and sports programs. She also has a broad range of educational experience working with children and families. She has taught on the elementary, middle, and high school level as well as adult learners. Her skills as a master teacher enabled her to teach an array of subjects.
Currently, Ms. Stallings serves as a high school vice principal. Her education stems from a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Montclair State University and a Master of Arts Degree in School Administration and Supervision from Saint Peter's College. In addition to her children's books, she is also working on a motivational book for women titled Bouncing Back from Rock Bottom: How to Regain Control of Your Life.
A mother of three, Tiffany Stallings enjoys running and cycling; she is currently training for the 2017 Paris Marathon where she hopes to not be last. For more information, you can follow her on Facebook as well as Twitter.
1. How did your experience as a parent and educator prepare you to write books for children?
I know as a parent and as an educator that young children love to read stories about story characters that they can relate to. I want my readers to be able "step into the minds" of the characters and be able to empathize with them. I kept this in mind as developed my characters.
2. In basing your main characters, Gigi and Mimi, on your own daughters, where do you find the balance between describing what happens in real life and shaping a fictional story in your books?
When writing Mommy Works Too Much, I centered the book on one actual statement that my daughter made, "Mommy works too much." The rest of the story is completely fictional. When writing books for the Gigi and Mimi series, I want the books to carry the essence of my children; however, all other events and characters will be fictional. I want the message from each of my books to be universal for all children.
3. How did you come up with the idea to do a series of ten books, and what are some examples of topics we'll see in the books?
There are 10 universal topics I would like to cover with The Adventures of Gigi and Mimi book series. The first book is about entrepreneurship. I plan to write about topics such as being a good friend, a sibling going away to college, and having pride in one's self. I want my books to spark a conversation with children and their parents. Additionally, all of my children's book titles will come with a 2nd classroom edition that will include a language arts literacy supplement.
4. Would you tell us a little more about your first book?
The idea of Mommy Works Too Much! is about a little girl that cannot quite grasp the idea that her mom must work many hours as an entrepreneur. I got the idea to write this book over 2 years ago as I worked late one evening. My oldest daughter sent me an email that stated, "Mommy, you work too much." I jotted it down because the statement made me feel very guilty about the amount of time that I spent working.
5. What has been the most fun for you in writing and publishing your first book--and what has been the most challenging?
The most fun aspect has been seeing the feedback and anticipation from potential readers about the book. It certainly has been exciting to see that an idea that I jotted down on a sticky note over 2 years ago – is now an actual book that people are looking forward to reading. I love when an idea comes into fruition!
The most challenging aspect has been learning the technical components of putting a book together. Once I wrote the story down, I had to ask, "Now what?" It has been a fun yet challenging journey of learning about graphic design, book layouts, editing, marketing, and self-publishing.
Mike Gagnon is a professional author, illustrator, and instructor. He's been creating novels, comic books, and graphic novels since 2000 and has worked for companies such as Marvel and Dark Horse. He also teaches cartooning and writing classes for all age groups at various schools and colleges in Canada.
1. Have you been interested in both writing and drawing since you were a kid--and when did you know you wanted to build a career in writing and illustrating?
I got into writing and drawing early on, especially at first. When I was about five, I discovered comic books. They grabbed my attention instantly and I had a passion for them. I started tracing characters into new stories and making my own. I was too young at the time to understand that I was also storytelling. I knew right away, from that early age, that I wanted to work in comics and creative ventures.
2. How did you come up with the idea for your latest book, Skidsville?
I wanted to tell a gritty crime story, but I wanted to tell it from a different perspective than usual. Most hardboiled crime noir features a protagonist that's a homicide investigator, or the stereotypical private eye. I wanted to take a look from the point of view of a criminal. He may be a bad guy, but readers can empathize to a certain point that he is a bad guy for the right reasons. As bad as Joey (the protagonist) is, he's nothing compared to the level of corruption and callousness of the antagonists that surround him. He's nickel and dime to the "real" criminals. There's some underlying themes I wanted to explore, basically the idea of a story without a "good guy," just various layers of "bad," but also that things and people are not always what they appear. The "hero" of a story may have to atone for their actions. I originally wrote it as a graphic novel script, but time and budget put it on pause for awhile. I did however get time to adapt it into a novel, which is the book I'm promoting now. Readers can find it at finer book retailers or their favorite online bookseller. Retailers can get it from Ingram Distribution.
3. What has influenced your definition of noir? Are there particular novels, comics, films, etc. that have especially inspired you?
There's a lot of things. Frank Miller's Sin City is a big one, Will Eisner's classic work on The Spirit, as well as the film adaptation. Bruce Willis movies, like Last Boy Scout, Die Hard, Last Man Standing. I'm currently working on the graphic novel version of Skidsville again. The graphic novel will be black, white and red, which may lead to some comparisons to Miller's Sin City work, but I don't think there's any similarity beyond that. I think Skidsville is its own thing. It's an idea, doing black, white and red, that I've had for a long time, before I discovered Sin City, but over time has grown into being also a nod, or homage, to Miller's work. There's also a pretty handy book I use in the classroom from time-to-time called How to Draw Noir Comics by Shawn Martinbrough.
4. What are some of the challenges for authors/artists in presenting visual work in an eBook format compared to print?
Well, let me tell you, it all depends on platform. eReading still isn't super image friendly, but there has been progress. Kindle, for example, has a comic creator, for creating and formatting comics for Kindle readers and apps. It can even allow you to set up panel-by-panel reading instead of page-by-page. It isn't perfect, mind you, and it can be a challenge when you want to set up reading for a page with a very dynamic or original layout to the art and panels, but it's better than nothing. Kindle has special creators for children's books and text books now, too, so they are recognizing the unique needs of each format. Comixology also works well and although it is now owned by Amazon, it seems to have a bit smoother system for panel-by-panel. Things like Smashwords can be great for getting your eBook distributed to multiple channels, but they still aren't set up and compatible with image heavy books in a lot of cases. DrivethruFiction/DrivethruComics is a good option for simply uploading a .pdf file that people can download and read.
The challenges are different for comics with print. In eBooks, you're struggling to make a sensible flow with panels and software programming to ensure readability, and with print you need to watch safe areas, margins, and bleeds so nothing important gets lost when the book is trimmed to its final size. The content is printed on larger paper and then cut to size, so if your pages aren't sized or aligned right, you can lose parts of your art that you didn't want to.
5. As someone who also works as a teacher, what's your best advice to those who want to learn to write and/or illustrate comics and graphic novels?
Never stop learning and never fear failure. We get obsessed and worried about our image in this modern social media age. Share your work and make mistakes. No one is perfect, and making mistakes is how you learn and improve. There will always be people who are just mean and comment and don't like your work. It will always be. Ignore them, they're not worth it. Understand that not everything is for everyone. Some people don't like crime noir stories. That's fine. It doesn't make them, or me, right or wrong; they just have their own taste. For every book or drawing or comic, someone is going to like it and get what you're trying to say. That's who it was for, the people who get it and enjoy it.
There are also some great and helpful books out there for people to help them get started in all aspects of comics and writing: The DC Comics Guide to Writing for Comics by Dennis O’Neill, Making Comics by Scott McCloud, The Business of Comics by Lurene Haines, Perspective: Made Easy by Robert Lee, and a ton more. You can find more books that I recommend as well as my own books and articles on the subject at www.mikegagnon.ca.
Ziv Shalev is a guitarist, composer, producer, and educator from Israel who has lived in New York City for the past 10 years. He has been working for the music production company, Studio Pros, and he has also shared the stage with a variety of top artists from America and Israel. You can learn more about him and hear samples of his work at http://www.zivshalev.com.
1. When did you know that you wanted to pursue a career as a musician?
When I was ten years old, my older brother started a band, and I was watching them rehearsing. I was fascinated by the sound and looks of the guitar. It all started then.
2. You are skilled in playing diverse genres of music. Do you have a favorite genre?
My true passion is rock. Playing with a national act--Spread Eagle--while touring across the country was a dream come true.
3. How do you find inspiration as a composer?
The inspiration to write music comes to me, and I just let it be. Love is very inspiring.
4. For young musicians who are looking to build a career as a full-time musician, what's your advice based on your own experience?
Building a good foundation is the most important thing. It's all about persistence and elbow grease. While it may seem like nothing is moving along, when you work hard every day, every day is a step toward success.
Rachel McMinn is high school English teacher who was born in the UK and who lives in Connecticut. She is also the mother of a two-year-old girl. Her debut novel, The Other Side of Loneliness, was published in June of 2016. Learn more about the book on Amazon and Goodreads.
1. How did you come up with the idea for the story told in your debut novel?
As a teacher, I have met many students who have faced a lot of hardship in their short lives. What always amazes me is the utter resilience they display. They manage to navigate their way through problems that, as an adult, I am not sure what I would do about. My novel was inspired in part by that resilience and the idea that so many of us are going through our day with problems that we hide from the rest of the world. I am a firm believer in being kind to everyone since sometimes the person with the biggest smile is the person facing the greatest hardship behind closed doors. At some point we have to let others in because a hardship shared, is less of a hardship.
2. How would you describe your protagonist, Riley?
Riley is a teenage girl that has experienced a tragedy that has turned life as she knows it, upside down. She has a lot of emotions and feelings that she isn't sure what to do with, feels like she knows it all, and at the same time feels like she knows nothing at all. The teenage years are tough anyway; school, friends, relationships, trying to figure out who you are and what you believe and what you want to do with your life. There is a lot of pressure. Add a traumatic experience to that and you have a recipe for disaster. Riley is very typical in that way. She is balancing her emotions and trying to understand how you can love and hate at the same time. There is a very confusing duplicity to life and emotions, and Riley is learning that lesson early in life. She is scared to let friends and loved ones help because she has experienced loss and doesn't want to risk losing anyone else. I think that is a feeling that teens and adults alike can relate to.
3. As an English teacher, when do you find the time to work on your own writing?
I'm a full-time English teacher with a two-year-old daughter so life is certainly hectic. I keep a notebook in my purse and write when I have a spare moment: waiting rooms, when my daughter naps, lunch breaks. I still nurse my daughter, so I have to pump at work and I have gotten pretty good at balancing the pump and my notebook! At home I will get on my laptop for twenty minutes before I start getting ready in the morning or for a half hour before I go to bed. I might not have a huge block of time to write but all of those little sessions add up. I wrote The Other Side of Loneliness in about 7 months.
4. What audience did you have in mind as you wrote your novel--were you thinking of your students in this context as you wrote?
I was absolutely thinking of my students as I wrote this novel. As a teacher you don't just teach your subject area; you also give a lot of pep talks about handling life. I don't pretend to know it all, but I try to give my students good advice so they can make better decisions or try to get them to stand back and analyze a situation before acting. I think about what I wish I had known when I was their age. This book takes some of those life lessons and puts them into novel form. I think that young adults and adults will enjoy this book because the real core message is that we all have issues that we hide from the public; we all struggle and that is okay. It is okay to not know what to do. We can choose to stay stuck and suffer or we can accept our issues and figure out what to do from there. This book is about the importance of friends and support systems, forgiveness, and that understanding that no one is perfect. That is what makes us human.
5. As the school year comes to an end, what are your plans for the summer?
Well, contrary to popular belief, teachers do not really get the summer off! I will be teaching summer school a few days a week and spending some time planning for next school year. When I am not working, I will be spending a lot of time at the beach; I love being outdoors! I run and summer is really my training season, so I will be doing that in preparation for a half marathon in the fall. I have a two-year-old daughter, Lillian, and I love every single moment with her. I will be spending a fair amount of time finger painting, collecting bugs, and visiting the farmer's market with her. Of course, I hope to have some time to read and write and I'll be waiting to be inspired for my next novel!
Darice Machel McGuire is an artist creating, teaching, and loving life on Maui. Her work is represented by Village Gallery, Kingwell Island Art Gallery, and Kaukini Art Gallery. She also has an art school, Art E Studio located in Lahaina Maui, and she is the co-author of The Art of Painting in Acrylic, published by Walter Foster.
1. What was it like growing up with an artist as a parent?
My fondest memories of my mom growing up are of her doing creative things, such as sewing, flower arranging, cake decorating, drawing, and painting. We didn't have a lot of money, but you couldn't tell that by looking at our clothes or house. She made everything beautiful with her creative skills. I have four sisters; we each gravitated to different creative activities taught to us by our mom, and we were encouraged to try it all. At age five or there about, I was fascinated by how she could put together pieces of fabric to make a dress or a toy, so she handed me a needle and thread, some buttons and pieces of fabric to play with. I started making doll clothes and Halloween costumes, and by the time I was in sixth grade I was making my own school clothes. My first oil painting lesson was at our kitchen table. I was a teenager by then but remember how amazing it was to create an image with paint. Mom was a patient and loving teacher. She never spoke harshly or lost her temper when teaching us new things.
My parents opened their gallery in Lake Tahoe when I was a teenager. Life really changed then. Home was no longer the gathering place of the family; the gallery was. Everything revolved around the visual arts by then. Lakeside Gallery was more then just a show place for fine art. It also had a large classroom to accommodate painting workshops, an art supply store, and a frame shop. The gallery was not only the hub of our family life; it was also the gathering place for a lot of artists and art teachers. I worked at the gallery for many many years doing framing and teaching art.
Growing up surrounded by creativity and the arts was a very normal thing for me. I never thought much about it until later. In fact just this past year, a student of mine commented that I was lucky to have lived my whole life in creativity. She said not many people can say that. I think she was right; I am very lucky.
2. How did you decide to focus on landscapes and seascapes in your work?
Landscapes are what I started out with. I'm an outdoor kind of person. I love being out in nature. The colors of nature are perfect in every way, and I like to try and replicate them on canvas. I'll change things up from time to time, by painting animals, buildings, boats, trains and even abstracts. But I always go back to landscapes and seascapes; they are what inspires me the most. Every day on Maui, I'm greeted with incredible views. I love studying the clouds and the shadows that play along the valley of the mountains or watching the waves as they come in to caress the sandy beaches. The colors of flowers, the sky, the ocean, it all inspires me. I do a lot of walking and exploring the island with my husband who is a photographer. I'm always looking out for scenes that would make a great painting. I don't like to put people in my scenes because I want the viewer to see the beauty of nature as I see it, pure and un-touched.
3. What inspired you to start Art E Studio?
I moved to Chico, California in 2002 from Lake Tahoe. I got a job at a local frame shop and started a once a week oil painting class after work at the shop. At first it was a "drop in" casual kind of thing with two to four students a week. It was a great way to keep the skills I learn from my mom sharp and make a little extra money. When 2008 hit with the housing crash, my students dropped off. I almost stopped teaching at that point. But I ended up getting a call from a young mom looking for a teacher for her daughter who was in the 6th grade. She pleaded with me to take her on and promised to bring me more students if I did. I loved teaching the kids at my mom's gallery and thought "why not?". Jenny was a shy but eager student and was a joy to teach. Her mom kept her word about finding more students. I ended up with five fun-loving, silly 6th grade girls, all friends, once a week. Soon I was teaching more and working less. I went from two classes a week to twelve. I had adult classes, youth classes and two classes for kids from 6 to 9 years old.
What inspired me was my students. Each one of them special and unique. Art E Studio took on a life of its own and became the gathering place for many bright talented young artists, and I loved watching them grow. I relocated Art E Studio to Lahaina, Maui in 2012. I've cut my classes back so that I'm no longer teaching nights and weekends. I have more time to paint, which is good since my work is in three galleries.
4. Do you mostly teach locals at Art E Studio, or do visitors to Maui often take your classes as well?
I do both. My local students come once a week or as often as they can. I design my classes around what each student wants to learn. Some painting subjects and or styles take two to four weeks of lessons to complete. My younger, high school students come after school once a week for two hours. What I love about these young up and coming artists is how eager they are to try new things and how excited they are when they finish a painting.
Visitors to Maui come for one or two classes. I've created a series of paintings that can be done between two to four hours. These students can go to my www.art-e-studio.net website to see which of these paintings fit into their vacation time. Some of these students come back every year.
5. What has been the response to your book, The Art of Painting in Acrylic, and do you have any other books or other new projects in mind?
The Art of Painting in Acrylic was such a fun and challenging project for me. I had not thought to write a learn how to paint book until the editor of Walter Foster Publishing contacted me via email. She had found my www.daricemachel.com website and felt my work was perfect for their new project. The book has six artists in it. Each one of us specializes in different subjects and styles. It was the first time I was faced with "deadlines." I ended up completing my portion of the book way ahead of schedule. One of the great things about this book is I don't have to market it. Walter Foster does all the distribution and marketing for it. The book is in the U.S., Canada, and the UK. It's been translated into multiple languages. The book has boosted my art career by giving my work a farther reach to the world. I would love to write another one in the near future. I have a few ideas churning in my brain.
As far as future projects go, I do have plans in the works for doing a series of videos on painting techniques. These will be short demonstration videos to help beginning students and even seasoned students with their painting skills.
Cansu Olce is a mathematician who has been tutoring for seven years. She is preparing a mathematics competition for high school students in Brisbane, Australia in April of 2016. The profit will be donated to Australian cancer research foundation. Learn more by visiting her website at www.astarmaths.com.au.
1. How did you first come to feel a strong interest in mathematics?
I was always attracted to the challenge of thinking and the process of logic since primary school. I enjoy mathematics a lot. It can be used to define the symmetry in nature or manage global companies. I feel that the elegance and logic of the subject is the reason for my desire to study it at a more advanced level.
2. What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands?
Every parent wants to learn the answer of this question. I ask students if they understand. If
so, I give them a practice question and give them some time to attempt it. If they can do it,
I move on to slightly more advanced questions. If they cannot solve the question,
I do it together with them, and explain again along the way.
3. Would you tell us more about the mathematics competition you're organizing for April of 2016?
The mathematics competition will be for high school students in Brisbane. There are two
categories, junior and senior. There are 25 multiple choice questions in the booklets. The top
three students in each category will be awarded with cups. A participation certificate will be
given to every student in the competition. This is an opportunity for students to discover
their talents in maths and also to help cancer patients. All the profit will be donated to
Cancer Council Australia.
4. How did you decide on the charity to receive the profits from the competition?
My dad is fighting colon cancer. I know how hard to deal with this illness. Every
donation makes a vital difference to researchers' ability to speed up discoveries in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and cure.
5. What is your best advice for students of all ages who are struggling with math?
We are only human, and we can make mistakes. Don't be ashamed! When you are feeling
unsure about a problem, ask questions. In mathematics you need a lot of practice. Practice
makes perfect. You can't improve your maths skills without practicing. Take advantage of
the resources around you. Stay positive. You can't get high marks with a negative attitude.
Debra Roberts is an international honeybee educator and advocate. She teaches natural, compassionate beekeeping, and sacred relationship with bees. She stewards her bee sanctuary in the Appalachian Mountains. Learn more about Debra and her Sacred Path of Bee series of classes by visiting her website, HolyBeePress.com.
1. How did you first become a beekeeper?
Beekeeping was never a plan, but it was clearly a call. I sort of stumbled into it in the remarkable way that life sometimes unfolds. In 2004, my health crashed and I took a six-months' sabbatical that changed the rest of my life. As I was recovering, I felt inspired to take a pilgrimage to Hopi to pay my respects to the family of Thomas Banyacya, an elder who had passed and had touched my life profoundly at an earlier time in my life. I had gotten guidance to bring honey as a gift to his family. I wasn't a beekeeper (and I wasn't thinking about being one at the time), but a neighbor of mine sold some honey to me. Off I went from North Carolina, across US Route 40, arriving days later at the Banyacya family door in Arizona, quart jars of honey in hand. Thomas' daughter-in-law, whom I had never met, greeted me at the door. I said I was Debra Roberts from North Carolina and I had just come to pay my respects because of how Thomas Sr. had touched my life. And I wanted to give them a gift. She welcomed me in, received the jars of honey I gave her, and said, "Why I was just telling my husband, Thomas Jr., that we were out of honey and I needed to go to the store to get some more..."
So when I look back, there was something about that moment that marks when bees came into my life... something bee-ish, full of grace, quietly slipped under my radar and into the heart of my life. By the end of that year, I ended up in bee school, and I have been at the feet of bees ever since.
2. What is your goal or intention with your honeybee sanctuary?
I am a honeybee educator, speaker, and advocate. I teach and travel around the world, and I am totally bee-sotted. I am not commercial and rarely harvest any honey. My bee sanctuary is right next to our house in the mountains of Western North Carolina. It is a place that is holy to me. I spend time there every day that I am in town. My path is to explore sacred relationship with the bees, to learn from them, and to inspire and support others in doing the same, and it is also to provide a safe place for bees to flourish in the world. The bee sanctuary is a place I express my respect, love, reverence, devotion, and gratitude for them. This place and space is also to honor others. The sanctuary is filled with precious objects that are meaningful to me and other people, placed mindfully around the bee sanctuary to represent prayers for the well being of the bees, particular people and animals, and for the benefit of all life. As I move around the yard daily, these prayers are regularly enlivened. More than anything, the bee sanctuary is place of expressing and sharing my love for these precious wing-ed ones and for creating a healthy place for them to thrive, especially in these times where their health and well-being is so challenged.
3. What inspired you to create your Sacred Path of Bee series of classes?
I fell into friendship years ago with a wonderful woman named Layne Redmond, who was a renowned frame drum teacher, musician, researcher, and artist. She and I discovered, in our unfolding friendship over the years, that many of the experiences I was having in my sacred-in-the-ordinary bee-tending life were resonant with some of the ancient ways of the bee priestesses that Layne had been exploring while researching what later became her seminal book, When the Drummers Were Women. Neither of us called ourselves bee priestesses, but nevertheless, those words help describe a sacred territory that was so enlivened in our lives. Layne invited me to share about bees and the sacred many times in her gatherings and conferences, and we went on to create a free public offering on bees and the sacred with the intention of later co-creating a multi-part online series. Unfortunately, Layne passed away in 2013 so I went on to create the series myself. I launched The Sacred Path of Bee in August of this year, and it is offered in her loving memory. The other source of inspiration for this series are the honeybees who have colonized my mind, heart and consciousness and inspire me every day of my life.
4. Who are some of your special guest collaborators in The Sacred Path of Bee?
I have invited ten remarkable people from around the world to join me in this series. Each are a world and a wonder. To describe just a few of them, I have invited Jacqueline Freeman to join me, a visionary who communicates with bees and who wrote the widely acclaimed book The Song of Increase, Returning to Our Sacred Partnership with Honeybees. Also invited is Horst Kornberger, who wrote Global Hive, Bee Crisis and Compassionate Ecology, who teaches at the Rudolf Steiner College in Perth, Australia. And there is Kaylynn Sullivan TwoTrees, an artist, educator, activist, and elder who has spent her life at the crossroads, where species, cultures, beliefs and the unknown intersect, collide, and evolve. All ten guests bring a unique perspective to our understanding of bees and their vast blessings in our lives.
5. Why is it important for us to forge more connections with bees in our world?
Since Colony Collapse Disorder reared its head in 2006, it is now much more widely and commonly known that we depend on honeybees for over a third of the food we eat (and I would add, food we really enjoy eating). From my years with the bees, I think the opportunity they bring in helping us to understand some of the deeper issues and opportunities in life is even more important. It is my belief that many of the challenges in this world stem from our disconnect with nature--both within us and outside of us. When we steward bees in a bee-centric rather than bee-business-centric way, there is an opportunity to learn about the interconnectedness we share with all life. A higher consciousness naturally is awakened and enlivened when we spend time with honeybees in a respectful way (rather than treating them as livestock). More women than ever have stepped into the world of bees in unprecedented numbers. This started around 2007, and I believe it represents a compassionate response to the challenges bees are facing. I see this compassionate expressed in both the men and women I teach in the world and who are participating in the Sacred Path of Bee series. I celebrate the growing numbers of beekeepers and bee appreciators that are taking an interest in the bees with a primary intent to help them. If there is any one simple thing I could say about my own life with the bees, it's realizing that love itself is the ultimate activism. The Sacred Path of Bee is my offering to the world and to the bees, in the hope that more love can come their way and spread around to the rest of life. For it is sorely needed... and it's time.
Matt Torrence is the owner/operator at The Music Teacher Guy LLC, established in 2008. Find The Music Teacher Guy online at both http://www.themusicteacherguy.com and http://www.musicteacherguy.com. This company provides high-quality, affordable music lessons--guitar, piano, bass, and drums--in the suburban Philadelphia region of PA. No contracts to sign. Teachers travel to students' homes, and Matt has six teachers currently working with his company. Lessons are also available online, on Skype, at http://www.privatemusiclessons.com.
1. What first inspired you to teach music, and what do you think sets you apart as a teacher?
I don't think I was initially "inspired" to teach; I just decided to give it a try after seeing a Help Wanted flyer in a local music store. Someone who was starting his own music teaching business needed guitar teachers to work for him. This was a travelling or mobile gig, meaning we teachers would be driving to the students' homes in our own cars. I was in-between jobs at the time and needed something new. But now, yes, I feel very inspired to spread knowledge to my music students, who are very important to me.
2. What are some of your favorite parts of your job teaching individual private lessons?
The best is explaining some aspect of music theory to a student who's eager to grasp it. A serious, diligent student is my favorite part of the job. It's all about the reactions of the students--I react to how they react. If they look forward to the lesson and to learning, I look forward to teaching. Otherwise, it's also nice to be able to focus solely on one student at a time and give him or her all of my attention.
3. Why did you decide to offer lessons in people's homes rather than in a studio or at a music store, etc?
That was an idea I picked up from my former boss, the guy who hung the flyer in the music store. It's a cost-saving measure. Bricks and mortar can be expensive to lease, and I'd be awfully nervous if my student roster was low--as often happens in the summertime. I should mention that I went into business for myself in 2008. I own the company and am my own boss. I also have a half-dozen teachers working for me. A studio or music store wouldn't allow me to have the full flexibility I want. Left to my own wits, I can do a much better job for my students. I give a lot of flexibility to my teachers, too, which is why they enjoy working for me more than for other outlets, i.e. studios and music stores.
4. What geographical area do you serve with your in-home lessons, and what about your lessons offered via Skype?
We’re mostly in three counties in suburban Philadelphia, PA. We’re in Montgomery County, Delaware County, and Bucks County. Those areas are slightly northwest of the city, mainly. We might go into Chester County a bit. One of my guitar guys lives in Philadelphia proper, so he handles that area. I'll teach anyone on Skype, but bear in mind, I only speak English.
5. If someone is reading this who has always wanted to learn to play an instrument but never felt "gifted" when it comes to music, what would you say to that person?
I'd say, "That makes two of us!" Persistence can often overcome a lack of "natural talent." I never felt like I was a natural--and still don’t--but I knew if I kept at it, relentlessly, I could achieve a lot. As a friend and ukulele teacher once said to me, "You have to be too stubborn to quit."
Based in Maryland, Charles Silberman is a physical education teacher who currently teaches P.E. to 800 elementary school children every week. He has been teaching for over ten years. When he's not teaching, Charles is working as a freelance writer, specializing in SEO content. He also writes a monthly column for the Maryland Association of Health, Recreation, Physical Education, and Dance, and his articles and blog entries have been published on a variety of websites. Charles also enjoys writing poetry. Learn more about him by visiting his educational portfolio.
Most recently, Charles has found a venue for his freelance work on the website, Fiverr. Check out his Fiverr profile and available gigs at https://www.fiverr.com/silberma1976. You can also follow him on Twitter and Facebook. His current offerings include SEO-optimized and well-researched web content, product reviews, data entry, and custom-written poems. Here's a video about his writing work.
1. What inspired you to set up a seller's account on Fiverr?
As a teacher, I am lucky I get to do something I love every day: help positively mold the lives of our youth. However, that does not come with the highest salary, so I am always looking for ways to help make some extra cash to pay student loans and save for retirement.
I came across Fiverr while reading an article on how to make extra income. The article described the site and what it took to get started. I decided to look into it, and I saw it was a legitimate option to earn extra cash for my skills.
In my professional work as a teacher, I have been able to use my writing to help advance my field. I have written articles that have been published in state and national publications and websites relevant to health and physical education. In addition, I have written curriculum, and I have presented at local and state conferences on my subject matter. I have always loved writing, and I was ecstatic to be doing education-related writing projects.
There came a point where I not only wanted to monetize my writing, but also use it to help others achieve their goals in advancing their passions along the way. I saw Fiverr as a way to do this.
2. How do you decide what gigs to offer, and what do you feel makes your work unique?
I decide what gigs to offer based on my strengths and things I have found success in. As I mentioned already, I love to write! I am good at it, too. So I decided that my first few gigs would be my writing gigs. I started with a poetry gig, and then added two SEO content gigs. One is for SEO website content. And one is for SEO article content. But I really will write most content or articles. These gigs are entry points, and I find people usually see you're good at a skill, and they will ask for you to use it to do other projects besides the one specific to the gig.
Another gig I have is for teaching people how to make money and earn rewards through online surveys. This is because I have been doing online surveys for a little over a year with booming success. I have earned $2400 in Amazon gift cards and about $800 in cash, and been able to test and keep many products such as cereal, blenders, shoes, and so much more. I know there are people out there who could use some extra cash and gift cards. I have seen it from helping friends start with online surveys to find their own success. That led me to turn it into a Fiverr gig. I just know there is a single parent out there or another teacher like me who could benefit from this service.
What makes my work unique is that every gig is based on a skill where I have found success. I am not trying to mislead anyone. I am an honest, hardworking person, who is taking his successes and using them to try to help others find similar success. You could say in a sea of people looking for a quick buck, I am genuine about my intentions, and my experience and work I produce shows as much.
3. Would you tell us a bit about your day job and how you balance it with your freelance work?
I am a physical education teacher at an elementary school. I have been doing this for 12 years, and I have routines and rituals that help keep me organized and productive at my day job. This allows me to leave my work at work. I also work a second job part-time to help pay down my student loans. So, I am busy to start with. I am able to maintain a balance through routines.
I dedicated a certain day and amount of time to each endeavor. I have set days I work my second job. I schedule in my Fiverr work along with any personal occasions. I use the weekends to catch up, and if I cannot take a gig, I will negotiate what I can handle or be honest and not take it.
In addition to scheduling, taking time for me helps with the balance. I make sure to set aside days and times to exercise and socialize. These times help me keep grounded and productive in other areas of my life.
4. How did you first become interested in writing poetry, and what makes for an interesting poem, in your opinion?
I have been writing poetry since I was 14. It started as an outlet for some teenage angst, and grew from there. I used to keep notebooks of poetry, and I would share it with my dad who always gave me positive feedback on it. So, it was more for personal reasons then anything else.
I put it away for a while as I grew. But I turned back to it time to time, especially during tough times. I have always had a natural ability to sit down and express myself in poetry in a way I cannot verbally. Over the years, I started to use my poetry for local community organizations, to give to colleagues as end of the year gifts, or to publish along with the nonfiction writing I did for the publications related to my profession.
I decided that it was worth sharing that gift with others through Fiverr. If I could write a poem for someone who wanted to communicate something special to someone special, it would be worth it.
5. As someone who has participated in the Fiverr community as both a buyer and a seller, what keeps you coming back to Fiverr--and what would you say to people who haven't yet given it a try?
I keep coming back to Fiverr because it works. It is something that is easy to get started on with little up-front investment time-wise or financially. The tools they provide help you grow and manage your gigs. You will find people on the site with exceptional talents you would not otherwise find. It is a one-of-a-kind place.
As a buyer, I can get a second set of eyes on written work for my profession. For example, I had written a book proposal that I wanted to send to publishers, and I found a Fiverr seller to help edit it. So far that has paid off, as the book is garnering some interest with a major Physical Education and Health publication. As a buyer, Fiverr give you access to people that can help further your goals in life.
As a seller, I stick with it because it is paying off. I have seen steady growth in my gig purchases since I started two months ago. I honestly wrote Fiverr off after a month of no gig purchases. Then one order came, then another, then another, and now I am a level one seller all of a sudden. It is extremely gratifying to not only get paid for something you love to do, but to get such positive feedback on your work is a thrill. To know people like what I do and that it is helping them is an amazing feeling.
The big reason I stick with Fiverr is because I feel a part of a worldwide community of like-minded people. I have worked with and communicated with people from all over the world. From London to Louisiana, I have met some very kind and endearing people doing wonderful things. I have learned new things about new places, and I have learned more about life on Fiverr because of the kindness of the community.
I would tell newcomers to reach out for help and stick with it. When I started, I had someone who was sort of mentoring me on how to be successful on Fiverr. He really helped me so much. And now he has given me work as I have given him work. Other Fiverr sellers have helped me with advice, too. Being patient was the biggest piece of advice I got. So, to someone new to this, I would say, reach out to experienced sellers for help, follow the advice that they and Fiverr give you because it works, and be patient as it takes time to see results.
Lastly, I would caution that you have to know that you are starting a small business when you start on Fiverr. Keep that in mind as you build your gigs over time. You will have to consider marketing and social networking.
Born in Cyprus, Christos Pittis is an entrepreneur and teacher who offers a variety of courses through Udemy. He holds degrees in Economics and Management and has worked as a Business Services Consultant in Dubai, Cyprus, Lebanon and Egypt. His Udemy classes emphasize accounting and bookkeeping, global entrepreneurship and marketing, social media, and other topics. Learn more about Christos on his Udemy profile and by watching the YouTube video below.
1. How did you first hear about Udemy, and what made you decide to start teaching through the site?
I used to run my own educational organization, and also at that time, around 2013, we were operating a live online school. I did a search on the web to see what competitors were doing. I come across a marketing course on Udemy, not Udemy's landing page directly. I paid to enroll in that course, and I was impressed, not only by the quality of the course, but the platform as well. It was the best online platform I'd seen.
I am an accounting teacher as well, and I started teaching accounting back in 2006, so I had the material ready. So I purchased a camera and a mic, and I started filming my course to upload to Udemy.
2. You offer a variety of courses. How did you decide which courses to teach?
I have created six courses so far, and I am in the process of publishing one more course. The course name will be "Interviews with 10 Startup Owners," or something like this. It is not finalized yet. I have two accounting courses, one for beginners and one for intermediate users. I also have one course for YouTube channel owners, one for the largest social media network in Europe (VKontakte, the so-called "Russian Facebook"), one for website building with the help of freelancers, and one entrepreneurship course for young entrepreneurs. Here is the complete list:
Accounting 101: A Beginner's Guide to Business Accounting
Accounting 102: A Intermediate Guide to Business Accounting
VKontakte: Beginner's Guide to European Social Media
Website Secrets: Get a Gorgeous Website on the Cheap
Become a Global Entrepreneur: A Young Professional's Guide
YouTube: Transform your channel into a money making machine
Now allow me to answer how I decide on what courses to offer. It is a combination of three factors:
My personal knowledge and experience
Trending courses at Udemy
The most popular Google keyword searches
3. What would you say distinguishes your courses in terms of the quality of content as well as your professional experience?
I focus on the following aspects:
Value-delivering on expectations and learning objectives
Content quality: relevancy, structure, comprehensiveness, and accuracy
Instructor quality: credibility, delivery, and responsiveness
Practical applications: quizzes, resources, and exercises
Technical quality: clear audio and video
I also try to make things as simple as possible. I do the hard work and deliver material to students with step by step instructions and guidelines. I like to talk with students and learn from them as well.
I have some experience in my professional life which I apply to my teaching. I am an entrepreneur as well, and I used to work as an ERP consultant for one of the best applications of Microsoft.
4. Could you tell us a little more about what students can expect from your courses? What kind of content will they receive, and do they get to interact with you personally to ask questions or get feedback?
Students will receive expert tips and guidance that are difficult to find elsewhere. They will also receive important information and learn how to do things properly. They can get support and often updates as I revisit and revise my course materials. My courses usually contain around 80% video and 20% quizzes, pdf documents, and presentations. Most of the time, I offer discounts to my students for upcoming courses of mine.
I am always open to answer any questions and assist students with performing specific tasks.
5. What makes Udemy a good resource for people who want to grow as entrepreneurs?
Udemy offers almost 20,000 courses in various topics like business, technology, entrepreneurship, marketing, and even yoga classes! More than 10,000 skilled and well-known instructors from all over the world are teaching through this platform. Additionally, Udemy offers a lifetime access guarantee, so once you buy the course, you'll always be able to access the course content. Large organizations can subscribe in a flexible and economic plan to educate their employees.
6. How can interested people sign up for your new course "Interviews with 10 Startup Owners"?
The new course will be released in January or early February 2015, and anyone interested can submit a valid email address by clicking the link below. The normal price will be $299, but I offer a very good discount for the readers this blog at $99. For more information, please click here http://eepurl.com/9SYzX.
Francesca is an ESL teacher with seven years of experience. She's based in Beijing, China. Since she began working with kindergarteners in China in 2009, she's developed some of her own methods for teaching English which are also adaptable for students with ADHD, Autism, and other learning challenges. Francesca has launched an IndieGogo campaign to develop her MAYI Learn English method of teaching.
1. What gave you the idea to create the MAYI Learn English method of learning ESL?
I created MAYI Learn English five years ago when I started to teach English in Beijing, China. I worked for many kindergarten classes and private training centers as well. But I had some difficulties when I got special kids in my classes. And none of classic ESL methods were suitable for them. And I refused to let these little cuties sit in the corner because they weren't capable to follow a classic curriculum.
2. It sounds like there are a lot of parts to your project, including curriculum/learning materials, software, and the magic pen. Could you tell us a little bit about the main parts of your project and how they connect with each other?
Well, in classic ESL methods, you have a student's book and a workbook and a CD. But this is not enough for special children, because the exercises are not enough or are inappropriate.
So my method includes of course my version of these traditional things, but I also created a phonics book which matches with the Magic Pen (electronic pen) and software. There's a unique interaction between them. The App will help students to learn about the sound of the letters. Phonics are very important to know how to read.
The teacher's guide will explain why this exercise is important and how many minutes you have to do it. And how to do it step by step. I also made flash cards but with new genres. Because this isn't patented yet, I can't explain too much. It's bigger than the regular version on the market and more visual.
3. How do you use aspects of MAYI Learn English in your own work as a teacher?
I still use it in my day job. It took me so long to make it because every time I used the school method, I always found something that wasn't functional.
For example: one day at school, one of my students struggled with the letter N. In the books, they had just one page for the calligraphy and one page with three different pictures of words starting with letter N. No CD or DVD was included with this method. And this child was Autistic. I had no idea what to do with him. I was completely lost. And my Chinese assistant told me, "It doesn't matter if he can't do or follow the lesson. Don't waste your time with him." I was choked and angry. And I said "No way, I will never let him alone in the corner." So I used plastic jigsaw puzzles to create a huge letter N. And I passed my hand over it, and he did the same.
I thought at this moment: that's the key. Make it bigger and think out of the box. And I was right. And after that, he wrote the letter N in his book.
4. What do you see as some of the main challenges in teaching ESL, and how does your project help address these challenges?
The most challenging part for me as a teacher is to change people's minds. It's not true that if your child has fun during the class, then he or she will learn nothing. Education must have real innovation and not just for classic students but also for gifted "babies." And I also want to continue to improve my method for English speakers in the future.
5. Why did you decide to utilize IndieGogo to help fund your project, and what will supporters of your crowdfunding campaign receive in return for their support?
I decided to use the IndieGogo crowdfunding website because every school where I worked before wanted to use my method, but their management was unacceptable for me. Then I decided to launch my campaign.
My backers will get my method + T-shirt + electronic pen or CD/ DVD. And they will have their names and pictures into the books + credit in the App and DVD.
The magic pen is a pen that I handcrafted by myself for my ADHD students (it's a prototype). I made this pen to let my ADHD students have a stronger focus. If they hold the pen for a long enough time, then the pen will change color and the ink as well.
If I receive enough pledges to open my own training center, then the backers' names will be on the glass wall. I said IF. And it will be like this for each center that I will open in the future. This is my dream!
With shrinking state and federal budgets, it can be hard to get the necessary supplies into a classroom. D. Thoreson is a first year high school English teacher who is trying to win a grant to buy a couple of computers. The juniors that Thoreson teaches need more access to technology, and the grant would allow for a workstation where students could make presentations and videos, edit digital photos, and familiarize themselves with software applications that they'll be using in the larger worlds of college and work.
To help Thoreson's students out, visit Thanks a Million Teachers and search for Dewey High School in Dewey, Oklahoma. Then you can find Thoreson's proposal and cast your vote. You can vote every day if you want! The contest runs through the end of March and is sponsored by Farmers Insurance.
Good luck to D. Thoreson and the students of Dewey High School!
Marguerite Beaty lives in Miami, Florida, where she enjoys taking photos and teaching photography classes. She has an MFA in Photography from the University of Miami, and she worked as a stockbroker in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Learn more about Marguerite at her website, Crea8fotos. She offers a variety of classes in photography as well as business classes for artists. Her classes include in-person and online options.
1. As a photographer and photography teacher, how do you find a balance between fine art photography and commercial photography?
I do not think that I ever found a good balance between the commercial photography and the fine art photography. They contradict each other in every way! The commercial photography is all about another person's vision and will be used for marketing or advertising. In other words, it will be used to sell something. The fine art is about my vision. It's about my philosophy or the way that I see things and then somehow put it all together. I was able to use my vision in some commercial photography but it was more about how to do a photo session than the actual final product.
2. Your digital mastery program looks to be very comprehensive. Do students need to have any previous experience before taking these classes, and what are some of your goals for students to achieve in this program?
The Digital Mastery Program is created for the beginner: the person who just bought a camera and has no idea which button to press. This program is also good for the person who has a good idea about photography but wants to study it in depth. There is also the part II which is great for the advanced photographer. The idea is to understand the camera very well and to take control of the picture taking by making decisions. When you shoot in the auto mode, the camera will decide everything for you and there are many techniques that will not be very successful. So it will come down to this: do you want to create your photograph, or do you want your camera to create it?
3. For students who are located outside of the Miami area, what are some online learning options you offer?
For students who are from different states and countries, I teach via Skype! I love it and it has worked quite well. I am finishing a new series of classes that will be available online. Those will be for people who prefer to learn on their own.
4. What do students learn in your business classes, and are these online or in-person classes or a combination?
The photography business classes were designed after I met several self-taught photographers who asked me to teach specific techniques and began to ask about sales and marketing. As our conversation flowed, I saw that they needed a plan and to organize themselves so that they could actually create a profit while doing what they loved.
The business class are one-on-one online (via Skype). The students will do research and will have several assignments. So this has a large component of self-learning and the advantage of a number of real-time sessions to discuss things.
5. What inspired you to start teaching, and do you feel like your teaching influences your artwork (and vice versa)?
I have always enjoyed teaching. While I was working towards my MFA in photography, I did quite a bit of teaching-assisting or adjunct teaching. It is fun to exchange ideas and to be challenged creatively. I do not think that teaching has affected my artwork. It does make me think more and do a lot more research on photography--so maybe it has influenced me. I am not sure how!
Bryan Fiese is an educational expert who has been working with both students and educators for over 14 years. His thesis states that modern youth's (Generation Next) dependence on technology is causing a widespread lack of interpersonal communication skills. Bryan's insights are helpful toward educators' and parents' understanding of this generation; through understanding, we work together and clear and effective methods of communication and motivation can be determined. Learn more about these methods at the Motivated Teacher website.
Bryan's strategies and methods have been adopted by schools across the United States. He has appeared on radio broadcasts and national television and presented to countless types of audiences across this great nation through a continual calendar of conferences, training sessions and workshops. Visit Bryan's personal website for more about his writing, speaking, and training work.
Bryan has uploaded a series of videos to YouTube as an introduction to his work. The video below is the first in his "No Teacher Left Behind" sequence.
