What's in a name?
The story behind (and revelation of) Learning Environment's full title.
“What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.”
―William Shakespeare,Romeo and Juliet
In the quote above, the Bard (and the Story of Your Name activity I reference below) implies that what lies behind and beneath the surface of a name is perhaps just as important, if not more so, than one’s name itself. However, as Romeo and Juliet, my former students, and I have discovered, it is also true that names (and titles) 100% matter. For these reasons, I am delighted to share that my book now has a full title, but first, a story from the classroom.
One of my favorite activities that I liked to do with students at the beginning of the school year to foster relationships, particularly within my advisory (AKA homeroom), is called the ‘Story of Your Name.’
In this activity, like the one detailed here, students are asked to share where their name came from and its significance.
Students often told stories about relatives, inspirational figures, or other meaningful characters. Sometimes, the story was straightforward: " My parents just liked that name.” Occasionally, the story was shared with difficulty (students were named after an estranged relative, for example).
Regardless of the story, however, each had the power to build bonds between classmates and encourage students to hone their storytelling and group discussion chops.
Sometimes, after students shared their stories, I asked them to make a vision board or slide representing the story of their name, encouraging them to add family photos, sentimental items, and things that were interesting and important to their identities.
I even extended this visioning activity a few times by teaching students how to use an application called ArcGIS Story Maps (and wrote a chapter about it in Learning Environment).
The point is that knowing the story behind someone’s name is a powerful way to reveal what’s beneath the surface. That is why I am excited to announce that Learning Environment now has its full name (err.. title).
Learning Environment: Inspirational Actions, Approaches, and Stories from the Science Classroom.
While the name above will be the final title and subtitle, it was not my book’s first. Indeed, when I first started writing, I knew Learning Environment had to be the main title. And while I can’t remember where, how, or when that name first appeared in my mind, it stuck once it was there.
The reason I love ‘Learning Environment’ is for its double meaning.
When educators speak about the intersections between the physical space in which they teach, the educational philosophy they believe in, and the pedagogical actions and approaches they employ, they describe the learning environment they hope to create in the classroom. Indeed, much of what I write about in Learning Environment is a revelation of what I think a meaningful learning environment should look and feel like for students (and teachers).
Whether partnering with experts in the classroom, using an expeditionary learning framework to shape curriculum, celebrating the success of students, pursuing passions via professional development, collecting data as community scientists, or rearranging the furniture in the classroom - the chapters of Learning Environment reveal much about the learning environment I sought to create with and for my students.
The second meaning of Learning Environment is less straightforward. It has more to do with the content of what I taught (environmental science) and the context in which that teaching took place (ideally outside the classroom and in partnership with the surrounding community). In this way, the learning that took place in my classroom was about and took place within the local environment.
And while each meaning of learning environment above relates to different elements of my classroom, they both beautifully intertwine to make Learning Environment the perfect title.
The story for the subtitle, however, was less straightforward.
Below is a timeline and commentary on the back-and-forth of the subtitling creation efforts between my editor and me.
Fall 2022 - The original subtitle
Learning Environment: The classroom as the starting line for student empowerment and community change.
In my book proposal, which I pitched as a teacher memoir, I thought this title was a nice synopsis of what I was looking to write about, and while my outline for the book was compelling to my editor at Beacon. A suggested genre shift from memoir to ‘actionable guidebook’ informed the next subtitle iteration.
Late Summer 2024 - The manuscript subtitle
Learning Environment: Actions and Approaches for Connecting Classrooms to the Real World
More action, more guidebook, less memoir
October - December 2024 - The subtitle back-and-forth.
10/4 - Editorial board feedback
“The feedback on the title/subtitle was that it largely worked but didn’t capture the joy that suffuses your work.”
10/5 - I suggest… ‘Learning Environment: Lessons from and a love letter to a teacher’s time in the classroom’
A marked shift… and a revelation about how I feel about my writing in relation to my time in the classroom.
10/8 - Editor feedback on this new direction…
“the subtitle you floated is definitely closer to capturing the spirit of your book, but I think it also needs to point to lessons/actions in some way.”
10/29 - I float, “Learning Environment: Authentic actions, approaches, and anecdotes from and for the classroom.”
Back to the actionable guidebook feel.
11/12 - Editorial team suggests a favorite, “Learning Environment: Actions, Approaches, and Stories from the Science Classroom” (as well as 4 other varieties)
the rationale…
‘science’ makes the main title make more sense,
omit ‘for the’ as it is implied by ‘actions,’ ‘approaches’ and ‘classroom’
Adding ‘stories’ to capture the “narrative aspect of the book” and “to highlight [my] storytelling chops”
+ Other subtitle options offered…
Localizing Education, Embracing Community, and Other Lessons from the Science Classroom
Actions and Approaches to Localize Teaching Practices and Transform the Classroom
Actions and Approaches for Teaching Beyond the Classroom
A Localized Approach to Education and Other Lessons from the Science Classroom
adding the word 'inspirational 'also helps signal that this book is not just a utilitarian guidebook but one that is both practical and aspirational
11/12 - I bite on their favorite suggestion and add on
“Learning Environment: Inspirational actions, approaches, and stories from the science classroom.”
My justification - “[Inspirational"] aligns well with the book's overarching spirit, [and] will subtly imply that the actions and approaches can be transferable to other educational settings and contexts/contents plus provide emotional appeal and perceived value to the potential reader…adding the word 'inspirational 'also helps signal that this book is not just a utilitarian guidebook but one that is both practical and aspirational.”
And because book naming (perhaps like all naming decisions) is hard, I also suggest…
Learning Environment: Inspirational actions, approaches, and stories from an urban science classroom.
Learning Environment: Actions, approaches, and stories - from the science classroom to your own.
Learning Environment: Actions, approaches, and stories - from a science classroom for your own.
12/6 - “Subject: Unanimous love for the title/subtitle”
A title/subtitle is chosen. “It’s a resounding triumph!”
Learning Environment: Inspirational actions, approaches, and stories from the science classroom.
“everyone loves the title and subtitle and agrees it works from marketing, publicity, sales, and editorial perspectives.”
So, while sometimes names and titles come quickly, it is also clear that sometimes they do not (and require collaboration). However, I hope you will agree that the story of how and why names were made is worth pursuing, regardless of how they were created.
Thank you for reading and supporting me on my journey into authorhood.
With a full title ready for my book to be etched (OK, laser printed) onto each cover, the birthing of Learning Environment: Inspirational Actions, Approaches, and Stories from the Science Classroom seems more real than ever.
Next up… endorsements, presales, and cover design reveal.
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