Sharon draper biography childhood

Draper writes because she understands that kids today would rather read about people like them NOW. She wants young people to learn to read and says that "reading shouldn't be painful, it should be painless. This beautiful author is like the R. Kelly of the literary world, she doesn't limit herself to just one genre or demographic. Sharon has written fictional novels for pre-teens and young adults about drinking and drivingchild abusesuicide and surviving life's trials, she's written poetry books for children and adults, her newest book is about slavery and she has even written books for teachers.

As an accomplished public speaker, Sharon travels all over the world speaking to people about the importance of education and literacy. I'm a learner and a seeker of knowledge, and I try to take my readers along on my journey. I am passionate about what I do. For answers to all of your questions about Mrs. I guess I always knew I was going to be a teacher, but I had no idea that I'd become a writer as well.

Sometimes you choose your path; sometimes the path is chosen for you. Of course I couldn't know any of that when I was an infant, but the paths were being drawn for me even before I was born. What's the most fun thing about being a writer?? Absolutely everything! I love the solitude, the concentration, the magic feeling that overtakes me when the words come tumbling out, sometimes faster than I can type them.

I love watching the manuscript grow from one page to five chapters to twenty chapters to a whole book…. Do you still teach school? I teach wherever I go, but I no longer teach in one school every day. She declined, returning instead to Ohio where she married and assumed a teaching position in the Cincinnati Public Schools where as of she still spent each day on the educational frontline.

Draper knew even then that teaching at the high school, not the university level, was where she belonged. In the classroom Draper soon became known among students as a challenging and no-nonsense educator likely to recite selections from The Canterbury Tales from memory or launch into a discussion of issue-laden contemporary books. Nearly half her senior English students went on to become teachers themselves.

As an educator who saw joy and challenge as partners in the learning process, Draper looked for ways to capture and challenge her sharon draper biography childhood students, wanting them to stride away from high school with a sense of confidence and accomplishment. She once spotted a former student at the airport in London wearing one of these shirts.

This master-teacher was as respected as she was in demand among students at Walnut Hills High School in Cincinnati. She would not have it any other way. According to an interview she did with Ebony magazine, the day after the magazine hit stands Draper started receiving phone calls and letters congratulating her on her story and her win. To get a letter from Alex Haleyis that powerful or what?

That first success was impetus for Draper to combine her love of teaching with her love of words and story as an author and poet. Draper encouraged young writers by telling the story of rejection by 24 of 25 publishers to which Tears of a Tiger was sent. A sequel, Forged by Fire was her second novel. As a classroom teacher and mentor to novice educators, Draper knew that even the best contemporary titles often failed to draw young boys into the world of reading.

Fewer books still were written with young African-American boys in mind. Her next venture, the Ziggy and the Black Dinosaurs series, was written for those young readers. Always the teacher, Draper filled the book with history, knowing students would absorb the information effortlessly because of the strong, interesting story.

Sharon draper biography childhood: Personal life​​ Draper was born

While her writing continued on, Draper was also named both Cincinnati and Ohio Teacher of the Year, and in Draper was awarded the highest sharon draper biography childhood a teacher can acquire, the coveted U. Teacher of the Year Award. She was given the award in by President Clinton at the White House. Being named U. As a master-teacher and mentor of other educators, Draper was an able spokesperson for her profession.

As a creator of fiction of interest to hard-to-reach students, Draper was an able model for high standards and innovative teaching. As Teacher of the Year, Draper spoke to and on behalf of educators across the country. At the end, every child is confident, loves school, and is ready to move on to the next grade. Does that teacher get her picture in the paper?

Is he invited to speak because of an excellent job done? My privilege and challenge as Teacher of the Year is to speak for and about those teachers. The ones teaching in every school and every community who are just doing their jobs. As spokesperson and master-educator, Draper encouraged school systems and communities to re-think the place and contribution of teachers.

They need space … time to think and reflect … and to learn. We need to ask ourselves where and why true education is happening and try to duplicate those conditions, increasing the probability of its happening again and again. Teachers and students in every state in the U. Evaluation of past achievement is discussed. Goals for that and subsequent years are set.

Having long-since completed a Master of Arts degree in English at Miami University in Ohio, Draper engaged in ongoing post-graduate study. Completion of doctoral studies was in her ten-year plan. Personal and professional goals also included making time to write more poetry and add to her Ziggy and the Black Dinosaurs series. Draper was interested in further literary experimentation with the goal of reaching African-American students, especially boys.

Touring and meeting with teachers as Teacher of the Year has sparked a dream to find ways to mentor and encourage teachers and quality teaching. As a member of the National Board for Teaching Standards, Draper worked with colleagues within the educational community, business and community leaders, and government to develop standards by which teachers and teaching may be quantitatively and actively measured.

Professional development for teachers was a personal priority that Draper addressed by writing for professional publications and speaking to educators. Teaching is such a difficult, challenging job. Her work with the National Board for Teaching Standards challenged educators wary of accountability outside the educational community and challenged business and government to join schools as team members rather than outside critics.

Sharon draper biography childhood: Both her parents encouraged education --

She would measure her success in the names of students graduating with a deep sense of accomplishment and confidence in their own abilities and skill. James Press, Additional information for this profile was obtained through a news release, from the Ohio Department of Education on January 9, ; and the Ohio Teacher of the Year Program publications, Ohio SchoolNet, February 11, Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

Donaldson, Catherine " Draper, Sharon Mills —. Donaldson, Catherine "Draper, Sharon Mills —. January 8, Retrieved January 08, from Encyclopedia. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.

Her published work, including two young adult novels, a series of juvenile fiction, and two collections of poetry are grounded in the conviction that books can and must speak to the lives and dreams of young readers. Born to Victor and Catherine Mills in ClevelandOhioDraper was eldest of three children raised in a close-knit neighborhood.

Reading and the learning that naturally flows from written words surrounded Draper and her siblings. She credits her family and early schooling with giving her the gift of unlimited love of learning. They read and loved Shakespeare. She gave it to us and we. Draper completed secondary school in the Cleveland public school system, taking advanced and AP course-work.

She declined, returning instead to Ohio where she married and assumed a teaching position in Cincinnati Public Schools where she still spends each day on the educational frontline. In the classroom Draper soon became known among students as a challenging and no-nonsense educator likely to recite selections from Canterbury Tales from memory or launch into discussion of issue-laden contemporary books.

Nearly half her senior English students have gone on to become teachers themselves. As an educator who sees joy and challenge as sharons draper biography childhood in the learning process, Draper looked for ways to capture and challenge her senior students, wanting them to stride away from high school with a sense of confidence and accomplishment.

She once spotted a former student at the airport in London. This list is incomplete ; you can help by adding missing items. May Hazelwood High Trilogy [ edit ]. Jericho series [ edit ]. Sassy series [ edit ]. Ziggy and the Black Dinosaurs series [ edit ]. Out of my Mind trilogy [ edit ]. Standalone novels [ edit ]. Non-fiction [ edit ].

Sharon draper biography childhood: I was probably born

Poetry [ edit ]. Themes [ edit ]. References [ edit ]. Sharon M. Draper: Embracing Literacy. Scarecrow Press. ISBN Draper and Jason Reynolds". Publishers Weekly. October — via Ebscohost. Library Media Connection. Draper Encyclopedia.