Where Do Ideas Come From?

During my classroom visits, I get asked all the time where my ideas come from and I honestly don't know. For one thing, I get ideas at the most oddball times... it's one of the reasons I always travel with a pen and paper with me- except when I drive and if you know how well I drive you'd know that's a good thing.
But what do you do when you can't think of any ideas? For instance, last week I couldn't think of one idea for this blog so I admit- I let last week pass by without one. But I think if the kids start asking me what I do when I can't think of idea I would honestly answer that I just wait. Get away from the computer, go do something else, forget about writing and 9 times out of 10 something will pop up. Like this blog- ten minutes ago I didn't have an idea and now- here it is.

Suddenly I Was Singing

I didn’t always sing during my classroom visits. One day about a year ago, I arrived at a school and the air conditioning had malfunctioned and it was incredibly hot in the classroom which was filled with three classes of kids and teachers. I started my usual presentation, but soon realized it was going to take something special to keep the kids listening in the sweltering heat. I have a performance background going back to my high school days when I was onstage in many school musicals so suddenly, out of nowhere, instead of talking to the kids I suddenly found myself singing. The look on their faces was priceless. They looked at each other as if to say, “Is she um… actually…SINGING?” I immediately got their attention and soon they were singing with me. I love surprising the kids because sometimes, actually often, I surprise myself.

The I Believe Bunny on the Big Screen

Last month, I visited a local elementary school and read my books The I Believe Bunny and Sharing with You to the students and had a lovely time. I mentioned to them that I have an I Believe Bunny web site (www.ibelievebunny.com) and they immediately wanted to see it. In an eye blink, their teacher got on her laptop and put the I Believe Bunny web site up on the white board, an interactive board that I hadn't even noticed when I walked in the room. Before I knew it, she clicked "Songs and Videos" and my son Johnny was there in a picture six feet high singing The I Believe Bunny song. The kids were captivated and I admit, so was I. I had told them about how I sang the song with Johnny and my daughter Melody, but it was amazing for them to be able to watch the video almost life-size before their eyes. Yes, I admit, I come from the world of the blackboards and chalk, but white boards are really something!