The values and purposes of Authors & Editors (A & E) have evolved through the ages—or at least, through our many decades of existence and experience. It all started in the 1960s out of necessity—the economic and personal need to do our best in our respective fields of study and professions: language teaching, pedagogical training, materials development, human resources, social work, mentoring, and technology.
Because the A in Authors & Editors also stands for Arthur (E. Rubin), our partnership evolved to include the goals of accomplishment, accommodation, accuracy, acknowledgment, action, adaptability, advancement, answers, and aging.
The E in Elaine (Kirn-Rubin) also represents eccentricity, effectiveness, efficiency, effort, emphasis, enlightenment, enthusiasm, excellence, and always a little bit extra.
More specifically (and in alphabetical order), we believe in, value, and support:
Appealing to Adult, Alternative, & Any Other Learning Styles. At any age, individuals vary in the ways they interact with stimuli, information, and educational processes. Our strengths, weaknesses, and motivations may also fluctuate throughout our lifelong communication and learning processes. We believe in making good use of whatever works, always adapting and improving our educational expertise, materials, and methods.
Beginning at the Beginning. It often helps to start with what we already know or can easily learn, progressing at optimum speed in manageable yet enticing steps to what is new and exciting. Benefits of starting, re-starting, recycling, and moving forward include: [a] building and making good use of self-confidence; [b] establishing positive, productive attitudes and interaction; and [c] merging learning/teaching skills with personal growth.
Connections in Language Instruction & Study. Here are four components that exist in most areas of first, second, and foreign language learning and teaching: [a] content, [b] materials [c] methods, and [d] levels of proficiency. When coordinated naturally, these four elements become effective tools of successful language acquisition and improvement. Balance and eventual completeness are related goals.
De Unam Pluribus. In tight economic times—and looser ones as well, nearly any type of (free or low-cost) material can be used for a large variety of educational goals--while maximizing our use of time, energy, and money. Even better, we can turn the concept of “e pluribus unum” found on our currency into “e unus pluribum,” (= “out of one, many”) by devising effective multi-skills, multi-purpose lessons and engaging activities from just one set of audio-visual and/or print materials. Doing so seems to prove endlessly satisfying to almost everyone involved, especially those that enjoy “making it come out even.” Conversely, organizing the huge variety of available content, materials, methods, and ideas under unifying, generic concepts has also proven immensely valuable.
Everything to Know (Now) About . . . This concept arose out of our need to put it all together and contribute maximally to the world while we still have the time, energy, and resources to do so. The idea is to collect, re-organize, explain, revise, and make optimal use of whatever has been most important to language teaching/learning in the past--and is likely to continue to serve in the future. So far, the Authors & Editors products that exemplify this goal are Alphabet Answers: Everything to Know (Now) about Teaching & Learning World Writing Systems and PhonicSpelling: Everything to Know (Now) About Phonics & Spelling Instruction. Along with (Still) Doing Without the Photocopier, these resource books offer a huge variety of creative "best practices" ideas, concepts, and reproducible materials.
Go-Giving Instead of Go-Getting. For us, the Laws of Value, Compensation, Influence, Authenticity, and Receptivity (from Bob Burg’s/John David Mann’s The Go-Giver: A Little Story . . .) apply to more than materials and methods that promote excellent teaching, interaction, and learning. In their words, we “believe in living on the creative plane rather than the competitive plane.” In addition to “selling” the best language education and resource products available, we are eager to provide whatever we have and are best at—and to connect with people eager to benefit and inspire in mutually joyful, helpful ways.
Independent & Successful: “Teach ‘Em How to Fish.” Despite its changes for modern, more cynical times, the original quote, "Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime," still has--and can be an important--value in learning, mentoring, and progressing. For us at Authors & Editors, it helps to focus our energies on training and facilitating (as opposed to lecturing) and on the "main ideas" of how-to concepts (as opposed to explanatory details.
Leaving a Legacy. What we do at various stages of our career and lives is worth preserving, expanding, and passing on to others. "The great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it," said William James. To leave a lasting legacy, we need to put what’s true and important into (relatively) durable form for ourselves and others to access—whether our means are auditory, visual, verbal, printed, electronic, and/or whatever else develops. As long as our gifts offer and inspire excellence, purpose, encouragement, and love, they will endure!
M.A.G.I.C. = Motivating Activities & Ideas In Context. For us at Authors & Editors, there’s “magic” in effective, relaxed, and therefore joyful communication; in engrossed involvement with knowledge and people; in focused concentration on what we are doing; and in (finally and really) “getting it” and passing it on in even better forms and ways. All of these elements seem to motivate naturally; to include activity as opposed to passivity; to expand to the world of ideas and concepts; and to relate to the context of living our best lives.
Use Whatcha Have, Get Whatcha Need, Give Whatcha Got, Connect Whatcha Can, . . . . As the world (economy, administrators, mentors, learners, and everyone else) “matures,” the need to “put it all together” grows. So many of us seem to want to match our offerings to others’ necessities and desires; to save time, energy, and money; to replace wasteful pursuits with productive ones; to benefit from and go beyond what already exists; to connect proven knowledge/wisdom to experimental technology; and to preserve, distribute, and grow the legacy of our life’s work. And it gets better and better when we are doing it together.
Through creativity and challenge, Authors & Editors Products Proven Practical can help teachers teach and learners learn--perhaps not effortlessly but at least quickly and pleasurably. The materials and concepts offered in the The Online Authors & Editors Creative Language Teaching & Learning Catalog are intended for everyone who can make good use of them. This 36-page PDF'ed Creative-Language-Teaching & Learning Resource can be printed out and/or viewed online; a printed "hard copy" can be sent to you on request.
You can order products directly from our Authors & Editors Online Store, by telephone at 310-836-2014, with a purchase order by FAX at 310-836-1845, or by mail to Authors & Editors, 10736 Jefferson Blvd., #604, Culver City CA 90230-4969. Or just meet with us in person, and tell us what you need or want.
the Authors & Editors Online Store, or a list of no-cost immediately useable materials at Teaching Tools, Tips, & Techniques. There will also be complete or partial Teacher-Training Workshop Handouts and links to Informational Articles & Resources.
