Blog Archives
A Teacher, Evangelist, and Leader
Born Missionary tells the remarkable life story of Islay Walden, a man born into slavery who overcame blindness, poverty, and prejudice to become an educator, poet, and minister. What inspired you to tell the story of Islay Walden?
Islay Walden was the founding minister and teacher at the church and school where my maternal ancestors lived. I was aware that he was a poet, known as the “Blind Poet of North Carolina.” but when I began looking for information on his life, I noted that there was scant information published about him. Most of the information was repetitious and frequently inaccurate. In addition, none of the essays noted that his primary focus was to bring education and the gospel to his community. Poetry was a tool he would use to help him accomplish that. None of the biographical essays noted that he had begun two successful school programs, one in Washington, DC, and the other in New Brunswick, New Jersey before returning to North Carolina. However, his reputation as a teacher, evangelist, and community leader had not gone unnoticed during his lifetime or at his death. Thus, after reading an obituary that extolled his talent as a “born missionary,” I chose that for the title.
How much research did you undertake for this book, and how much time did it take to put it all together?
There was a section about his life primarily focused on his poetry in my previous book, From Hill Town to Strieby, which took about four years to research. This book was published four and a half years later. Once I began seeking research information beyond literary criticism, I found that there was very little official information available. I found that the best guide was Walden’s own poetry, which was heavily biographical, a fact not noted in any of the literary reviews or biographical essays.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
It was important to be able to show that while Walden had been successful as a poet, he had used his poetry primarily to further his vocation as a teacher and minister. His desire to bring education and foster the faith of his community were his greatest desires. He believed those were the tools that would help all he encountered and especially his community in North Carolina prosper both materially and spiritually.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from Islay Walden’s story?
I want people to know that his was a story of resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity. He overcame a legacy of slavery, financial challenges and physical disability to gain an education in order to help all he encountered to have a better life.
Author Links: Goodreads | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Website | Amazon
Born Missionary: The Islay Walden Story
Margo Lee Williams’s Born Missionary tells the remarkable life story of Islay Walden, a man born into slavery who overcame blindness, poverty, and prejudice to become an educator, poet, and minister. The book traces his journey from the plantations of North Carolina to the halls of Howard University and the New Brunswick Theological Seminary, where he became one of the first African Americans ordained in the Reformed Church in America. Through meticulous research and a clear narrative voice, Williams reconstructs a life of faith and resilience. She doesn’t just recount events. She restores the humanity and voice of a man who was almost lost to history.
Reading this book stirred something deep in me. I could feel the grit in Islay’s story. His persistence through blindness and hardship hit me hard. The way Williams weaves letters, poetry, and newspaper clippings into a vivid picture of his struggles makes the past feel close. Her writing feels both scholarly and warm, and she lets the historical documents breathe. I’ll admit, there were moments when the detail slowed me down, but I didn’t mind. The care she took made me trust her. I found myself rooting for Islay, not as a distant historical figure, but as someone I might have known. Williams also captures the contradictions of his time, the faith that built him up, and the racism that tried to keep him small.
Emotionally, I found myself angry, proud, and sometimes just quiet after reading a passage. Williams doesn’t sermonize; she shows the quiet power of purpose. Her portrait of Islay’s devotion to teaching and preaching made me think about how education itself was a kind of rebellion. I liked how she handled the tension between his poetry and his ministry. You can sense that both were ways for him to see beyond blindness, to express what light looked like to him. It’s moving without ever feeling forced.
I’d recommend Born Missionary to anyone who loves history that feels alive. It’s perfect for readers interested in African American heritage, the Reconstruction era, or stories of perseverance that don’t sugarcoat the past. Teachers, pastors, and anyone who believes in second chances will find something here. It’s not just a biography, it’s a reminder of how one life, lived with courage and faith, can echo through generations.
Pages: 121 | ASIN : B091MF5B48
Growth Mindset
The Teaching Guarantee: Making a Difference is an inspiring and practical guide for school leaders and educators seeking to cultivate a culture of excellence, responsibility, and ongoing improvement. Why was this an important book for you to write?
My first book, The Teaching Guarantee: Every Day is Different, was finished to coincide with the start of my 50th year in education. The apparent second part of The Teaching Guarantee was the importance of making a difference as a school leader. As I mentioned in the first book, each new appointment for me had to provide me with two things: an opportunity and a challenge. Each challenge required me to make a difference at each school. So, this second book guides leaders, especially school leaders, on how to make a difference in their organisation or school. It was completed in time to mark the end of my 50th year in education.
I have been very fortunate to have a breadth of school leadership experiences encompassing all aspects of school education. For Tema International School, the opportunity provided me with a boarding school environment, the missing link in my experience base. The school’s chairman of the board, Anis Haffar, has mentioned several times over the past eight years that I should share my experience with others. This Teaching Guarantee series enables me to do this.
How much research did you undertake for this book and how much time did it take to put it all together?
My research involved 50 years of personal experiences in schools across three continents, which I have applied to my writing. The reader feedback from my first book inspired me to write a second. The first book was crafted over 12 years, with many chapters completed while I was in hotel quarantine during COVID-19 on three separate occasions (in Fortress Australia). Using a format similar to my first book, I found it easy to complete my second within 12 months. In terms of the book’s organisation, I broke the process of making a difference, or change management, into what I considered were the key aspects (sections) and elements (chapters).
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
There were several key ideas that I wanted to share with readers and future leaders.
Leadership and culture are essential to change management.
The first task of a new leader is to survey the organisation and identify the biggest issues to address. Then, fix the first issue effectively within the shortest timeline. This will establish your credibility. Continue the process to enhance the reputation of your school or organisation.
Adopt a growth mindset across the organisation and a Kaizen approach to continuous improvement.
Over time, establish a culture that embraces change according to standards and adopt a ‘team of leaders’ approach.
Ensure your vision and values are authentic.
Let performance be your evidence in terms of organisational growth.
Adopt a mantra of making a difference. It is a gratifying experience.
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from The Teaching Guarantee?
I am concerned about the global challenges so many schools face since the return to the ‘new normal’ after the COVID pandemic. It is critical that school leaders make a difference by addressing the priority issues effectively and not using a band-aid approach. Keep things simple and enjoy what you do.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
The Teaching Guarantee series, offering invaluable insights for aspiring school leaders. This dynamic guide emphasises that making a difference is not just a responsibility but the core mission of any thriving organisation.
Drawing on 50 years of authentic school leadership experience, Ken Darvall reveals how leaders can create a powerful impact on schools and beyond. The principles he shares are not only practical but also adaptable across various industries. This book serves as a hands-on manual for school change, offering clear, actionable steps without the usual complexities that hinder progress. It empowers leaders to take charge and ignite positive transformations in their schools and organisations.
Addressing Issues Through Change: Discover how effective change management can resolve problems and boost the effectiveness of your school or organisation.
The Importance of Quality Leadership: Learn how to tackle the most challenging issues head-on for meaningful and lasting impact.
Building a Strong School Culture: Uncover the secrets to cultivating a robust school culture that epitomises making a difference.
The Teaching Guarantee: Making a Difference is a rallying cry for schools and their leaders to embrace the mantra of making a difference. Whether you’re a seasoned leader or just starting, Ken Darvall provides the tools and inspiration needed to drive significant, positive change within your organisation. Get ready to make a lasting impact and transform your leadership with this must-read guide!
The ABCs of Motivation
Can You Help Me Give a Sh*t?: Unlocking Teen Motivation in School and Life combines real-life stories with research-backed strategies, providing a comprehensive resource that can rekindle a teen’s enthusiasm for learning. What was the inspiration for writing a book on this topic?
A student asked one of my (Becca’s) colleagues, who was teaching a class on study skills, “Can you help me give a sh*t about high school? I want to, but I just don’t know how.” That colleague came to me and another colleague for advice. In the process of offering support, I realized that most of the books out there only offer token anecdotes about students’ experiences, without really collaborating with them on building solutions. So I began interviewing young people about their most and least engaging experiences in high school, and what made the difference between them. In the process, my first interviewee, Grace, became my co-author. We interviewed high school and college students from across the country, and integrated their anonymized stories into insights for parents and educators in this book.
How much research did you undertake for this book and how much time did it take to put it all together?
It took us about two and a half years to conduct the research, write, and revise this book. We formally interviewed 20 young people from all over the country and identified the themes in their experiences. We also reviewed secondary research from education and psychology to confirm if the themes students were surfacing had shown up for other researchers, and interviewed professionals (educators, researchers, and psychiatrists) and parents to generate actionable insights for the end of each chapter.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
The most important idea is that student motivation, like any human motivation, doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s not just a personality trait that some people have and other people don’t. It’s heavily influenced by environmental factors, and students, educators, and parents can do things to make those factors more supportive of motivation. If you make environments that support what we refer to as the ABCs of motivation (ability, belonging, and choices), motivation increases.
The other key idea is that this can’t happen for people, it needs to happen with them: students, educators, and parents need to collaborate to build solutions together. Parents and educators also struggle with their motivation – they’re overburdened and stressed out, frequently in situations that limit their own ABCs. Respectful, creative, and thoughtful collaboration is the only sustainable way to build solutions that will work for everyone.
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from Can You Help Me Give a Sh*t??
If you’re a student, parent, or educator feeling overwhelmed, stressed out, or apathetic about school – you’re not alone! These are flip sides of the same coin, and a natural response to a system that, on the whole, isn’t designed to help anyone in it maintain sustainable motivation for learning, curiosity, and growth. At the same time, waiting on systemic change can take too long for the people stuck in difficult situations right now. This book will help give ideas on what to do right now to improve motivation, as well as start conversations that can improve the broader system over the long term.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Instagram | Website
Sparked by this student’s request, educator and parent Dr. Rebecca Block and undergraduate student Grace Edwards began talking with teens across the country. Students spoke about when and how school fell short and what made the difference when it didn’t.
Can You Help Me Give a Sh*t? shares those stories, alongside research in psychology and education, to explore how to help young people build lasting motivation – not the kind that leads to short, panic-driven bursts of productivity, but the kind that energizes over the long haul.
Don’t wait for systemic changes. Discover engaging stories and practical strategies to empower parents and educators to:
– Build relationships that support sustainable motivation
– Encourage student voice and agency
– Make school feel more relevant
– Manage screens’ impact on motivation
A must-read for anyone invested in rekindling students’ love of learning. Get this book to start making a difference in your teens’ lives today.
Empathy and Support
A Different Lens follows a young skunk who struggles with his morning routine and schoolwork leading to feelings of frustration and isolation. What was the inspiration for your story?
As an educator and a mother, I have the privilege of connecting with many children. A few years ago, an extraordinary boy with ADHD was going through a particularly challenging period. One day he told me, “Don’t you understand? It doesn’t feel good at all to have a hard time!” It was at this moment my understanding of what Dr. Ross Greene has said, “Kids do well when they can,” moved from my head to my heart. I witnessed how empathy and support changed this child’s life. I also became keenly aware that so many people with invisible disabilities are negatively impacted because their challenges are misunderstood. I wrote this book so that readers of all ages could have the opportunity to see the world through the eyes of someone with an invisible disability. Given this experience, I hope they will see this population through “a different lens,” and be inspired to show patience, empathy, and support.
The art in this book brings the emotions of Simon to life so even younger children can understand what he is experiencing. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Zoe Bendoff?
Partnering with Zoe was a fantastic experience! It was a close collaboration. We live in the same town, so we met throughout the process. I shared hopes for each page, requesting simple images that focused on the emotions of the characters. Zoe blended in her ideas and added her signature style creating beautiful illustrations that truly capture the feelings of each character. She also embedded many personally meaningful “hidden nuggets.” For example, the handwriting in Simon’s journal and the word “Different” in the title are my son’s handwriting. She is extremely talented and was truly a joy to partner with.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
As Dr. Stuart Shanker said, “When you see a child differently, you’ll see a different child.” What may appear to be off-task, attention-seeking, or defiant behavior is often the symptom of an invisible disability and outside the child’s control. Everyone wants to do well. When we assume positive intent and aim to support all children in a way that is individualized to their needs, they can be the best version of themselves. When this happens, those children and everyone around them benefit.
Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out, and what can your fans expect in the next story?
Book number two is in process and will be published in the spring of 2025. It is about a day in the life of one of Simon’s classmates- Robyn. Check back in the spring to find out more!
Author Links: GoodReads | Adori Publishing | Amazon
“A Different Lens” is:
A must-have for every elementary school’s Diverse Book Club list
A book for educators and administrators of 1st-5th grade classrooms supporting social-emotional learning
A resource for parents to teach children about empathy, neurodiversity, and invisible disabilities, such as ADHD.
A tool for enhancing adults’ understanding of the diverse abilities of children within their families, schools, and community
Simon struggles to complete simple tasks at home and school, leading everyone in his world to feel upset and annoyed. Inevitably, Simon’s frustration reaches a boiling point and he makes a huge mistake in front of everyone! How will Simon ever recover? Why can’t he just do better? In the end, readers will realize that Simon, like everyone, is doing the best he can, and with a little support, the world can become a better place for all.
Can You Help Me Give a Sh*t? Unlocking Teen Motivation in School and Life
Are you concerned about your teen’s lack of motivation in school? Can You Help Me Give a Sh*t? by Dr. Rebecca Block and Grace Edwards provides a refreshing and practical approach to addressing student apathy. Inspired by a student’s heartfelt plea for help, this insightful book explores the root causes of motivation struggles among teens, primarily focusing on the issue of disconnect.
Rather than placing blame, Can You Help Me Give a Sh*t? offers a constructive guide for parents and educators to bridge the gap between teens and their education. Block and Edwards present a wealth of practical strategies to foster meaningful connections and support systems that resonate with today’s youth. This book transcends the often slow pace of systemic change, equipping readers with the tools to build relationships that make teens feel understood and valued. The authors delve into methods that encourage students to take ownership of their learning, helping them see the relevance of schoolwork to their personal goals. Additionally, the book addresses the significant challenge of managing screen time and its impact on student motivation, offering actionable advice on navigating this modern obstacle.
Written in a captivating and accessible style, Can You Help Me Give a Sh*t? is essential reading for anyone committed to improving a teen’s educational experience. It combines real-life stories with research-backed strategies, providing a comprehensive resource that can rekindle a teen’s enthusiasm for learning—and perhaps even reignite your own passion for education.
Pages: 310 | ASIN : B0D2N2319G
Hello, Are You New?
Hello, Are You New?, by Carmen Cassar, offers a delightful exploration into the familiar anxieties and excitement surrounding a child’s first day at school, all through the eyes of a relatable possum character. This engaging narrative guides young readers through the possum’s morning preparations for school, effectively mirroring the flurry of thoughts and questions children often have about this significant milestone.
Cassar skillfully addresses common curiosities and concerns—ranging from the nature of the teacher to the classroom environment and peer interactions. This approach not only resonates with young minds but also provides a gentle reassurance about the new experiences awaiting them. The illustrations in the book are particularly noteworthy, featuring a charming, cartoon-like quality that enriches the story. They invite readers into a visually stimulating world, offering plenty of elements to observe and discuss.
A key aspect of Hello, Are You New? is its message about the value of education and the beginning of life’s adventures in school. This theme is woven seamlessly into the story, leaving young readers with an understanding of the myriad opportunities for learning and growth that school offers. Cassar’s book stands out as an insightful and heartwarming tool for parents and educators to help children navigate the transition into school life.
ASIN : B0CSND5M8T
Constantly Challenge Yourself
The Teaching Guarantee is a collection of lessons learned over 50 years of working in the school system, starting as a teacher, moving into administration, and becoming a principal. Why was this an important book for you to write?
Experience is a wonderful thing! During my 50 years in education, I have enjoyed educational leadership experiences covering all educational sectors in Australia and overseas, including primary, secondary, and international schools, training organisations, international business colleges, school quality assurance reviews, and tertiary study abroad programs.
Many lessons have been learnt over this time and I wanted to share these as I believe many teachers and prospective principals may benefit from the various aspects that I discuss. As I mention in the book, the clues are within.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
Life is full of challenges and opportunities, and teaching and school leadership provide them by the bucket load. It is not an easy job, but every day is guaranteed to be different and full of special moments and memories.
Like every day is different, so is every child and every school. So, constantly challenge yourself to improve what you do.
Embrace change so that the students you teach will enjoy change, rather than shun it.
Get as many varied experiences as possible in different learning environments and communities.
Challenge yourself when leadership opportunities arise.
Always remember you are a role model; as a teacher for your students and as a Principal for your school community.
When difficult moments arise, remain calm and resolute.
Always be fair but firm, and everyone will respect you for your consistency.
Never lose your sense of humour.
Your well-being is sacrosanct, so always remain balanced.
What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you were a younger teacher and just starting out?
Experience IB (International Baccalaureate) education as soon as you can and travel the world as part of your IB journey.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from the experiences you share in this book?
Teaching is a vocation, but it is not for everyone. While salaries may not be attractive or reflect your real worth, the joy you receive at the end of each year when you reflect on the impact you make on each of your students is priceless! It is what teaching and school leadership are all about—making a difference!
Author Links: Goodreads | Website | Amazon
The author comments on the important aspects of schooling and being a principal. These reflections and observations may result in thoughtful discussions and lead to actions in schools to improve their current practices in any way that will benefit the students under their care.
LITERARY TITAN 