Charlene A. Derby

I draw on my expertise in learning design to create unique resources for parents and teachers. "Everyone Needs a Timeout: Self-Care Strategies for People and Pets" coauthored with Shaun Davis, PsyD and Kelsey Weber, CPDT-KA, LFDM-T is now available along with customizable planner. The planner includes a monthly timeout challenge with ample calendar space for your activities and appointments. See the preview pages in the Amazon marketplace that include clever illustrations by Richard Byron. My young adult books, "Saige Turns a Page" and the accompanying "Activity and Discussion Guide for Parents and Teachers," tells the story of an eighth-grade girl who faces challenges at school and at home. Her go-to strategy is incorporating cooking into her projects and family relationships. The book includes some of her favorite recipes. The guide provides facilitation instructions for reinforcing the life skills of meal planning, food safety, career planning, and family relationships. Readers who purchase the guide have access to free, downloadable worksheets for each topic. In my children's book series, "A Boy Learns to Bake," I share the heartwarming experiences of teaching children to bake. These books include a story, research questions, a recipe, vocabulary, and a letter to parents detailing the benefits of multi-sensory learning experiences. This series is available in both English and Spanish. The fact that the boy's baking activities is inspired by holidays is important to the structure of the series. The research questions in each book are designed bring back the national memory of what the holidays stand for and why we celebrate them. Additionally, I believe that baking is an excellent developmental activity for children. I also understand busy parents and their need for fun-filled activities that they can share with their children. "One Sock is Missing," illustrated by Richard Byron, is a whimsical tale of how the lost socks spend their time and of their desire to return safely to the sock drawer. In my non-fiction book, "Running the Hurdles: Managing the Educational Process for Children with Learning Differences," I share my expertise on working with the educational system to advocate for my child's learning needs. While the book touches on education law, it goes beyond rights under the law to enlighten parents on informal performance analysis and the interpersonal skills needed to navigate the special education system. The content is wrapped around the easily-understood track and field analogy of running the hurdles. I became a published poet while in high school and have continued to write throughout my career. Now, I have the opportunity to focus on freelance projects and am excited to work with talented friends who help me bring my ideas to life. I am also a member of Publishers and Writers of Orange and San Diego Counties, a group that motivates and inspires me. In my down time, you may find me having coffee with friends, experimenting with new recipes, or reading a mystery novel. My husband Richard and I hale from Southern California. We have one adult child. I hold an MA in Business from the University of Redlands, Redlands, California and a BA in English and Secondary Education from Spring Arbor University, Spring Arbor, Michigan.