Myers, R.E. 1924–

(Robert Eugene Myers)

PERSONAL: Born January 15, 1924, in Los Angeles, CA; son of Harold Eugene (an owner of a tire store) and Margaret (a homemaker; maiden name, Anawalt) Myers; married Joyce Elinor Daily, 1946 (divorced, 1949); married Patricia A. Tazer, August 17, 1956; children: Kathleen, Edward E., Margaret A., Hal R., Karen I. Ethnicity: "White, Anglo-Saxon Protestant." Education: University of California, Berkeley, A.B., 1955; Reed College, M.A., 1960; University of Minnesota—Twin Cities, additional study, 1960–63; University of Georgia, Ed.D., 1968. Politics: Democrat. Religion: Protestant. Hobbies and other interests: Gardening, music, sports, photography, reading.

ADDRESSES: Home and office—1357 Meadow Ct., Healdsburg, CA 95448-3347. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER: Elementary school teacher in Oregon, California, and Minnesota, 1954–61; Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN, assistant professor of education, 1962–63; University of Oregon, Eugene, assistant professor of education, 1963–66; elementary school teacher in Eugene, 1966–67; University of Victoria, British Columbia, associate professor of education and associate director of teacher education, 1968–70; Oregon State System of Higher Education, associate research professor of education in Teaching Research Division, 1970–73; Northwestern, Inc., Portland, OR, film producer, 1973–74; University of Portland, Portland, associate professor of education, 1974–75; freelance film producer, 1975–77; Oregon State Department of Education, Salem, learning resources specialist, 1977–81; Linn-Benton Education Service District, Albany, OR, curriculum coordinator, 1981–87; freelance writer, 1988–. Visiting professor, San Diego State University, Northeastern Louisiana University, Winona State University, Oregon College of Education, University of Victoria, Paine College, and Texas Tech University; workshop presenter; guest on television programs. Mid-Willamette Reading Council, member of board of directors, 1983–85. Military service: U.S. Merchant Marine, 1943–45.

AWARDS, HONORS: Outstanding book award, Pi Lambda Theta, 1972, for Creative Learning and Teaching; Golden Eagle, Council on International Nontheatrical Events, 1973, for film Feather.

WRITINGS:

NONFICTION

(With E. Paul Torrance) Creative Learning and Teaching, Harper (New York, NY), 1970.

(With Torrance) Wondering, Creative Learning Press (Mansfield Center, CT), 1984.

(With Torrance) Imagining, Creative Learning Press (Mansfield Center, CT), 1985.

(With Torrance) What Next?: Futuristic Scenarios for Creative Problem Solving, Zephyr Press (Tucson, AZ), 1995.

Facing the Issues: Creative Strategies for Probing Critical Social Concerns, Zephyr Press (Tucson, AZ), 1995.

Cognitive Connections, Zephyr Press (Tucson, AZ), 1996.

Multiple Ways of Thinking with Social Studies, Zephyr Press (Tucson, AZ), 1997.

Mind Sparklers, Books 1 and 2, Prufrock Press (Waco, TX), 1998.

Character Matters, Good Year Books (Tucson, AZ), 1999.

Mind Stretchers, Prufrock Press (Waco, TX), 2001.

Stories that Build Character, Edupress (Fort Atkinson, WI), 2001.

Think and Write, Edupress (Fort Atkinson, WI), 2002.

Now What, Pieces of Learning (Marion, IL), 2002.

Spurs to Creative Thinking, Pieces of Learning (Marion, IL), 2002.

Word Play, Pieces of Learning (Marion, IL), 2002.

Developing Creative Thinking Skills, Mark Twain Media (Greensboro, NC), 2003.

Learning from Nature, Zephyr Press (Tucson, AZ), 2004.

Language FUNdamentals, Teaching and Learning Co. (Carthage, IL), 2005.

Lively Language Lessons, Books 1 and 2, Teaching and Learning Co. (Carthage, IL), 2005.

Motivating Writing Lessons, Prufrock Press (Waco, TX), 2006.

Writing Lessons, Mark Twain Media (Greensboro, NC), 2006.

Writing Persuasive Essays, Mark Twain Media (Greensboro, NC), 2006.

Contributor to books, including Rewarding Creative Behavior, edited by E. Paul Torrance, Prentice-Hall (Englewood Cliffs, NJ), 1965.

JUVENILE

(With Torrance) Invitations to Thinking and Doing, with teacher's guide, Ginn (Needham, MA), 1965.

(With Torrance) Invitations to Speaking and Writing Creatively, with teacher's guide, Ginn (Needham, MA), 1965.

(With Torrance) Can You Imagine?, with teacher's guide, Ginn (Needham, MA), 1965.

(With Torrance) Plots, Puzzles, and Ploys, with teacher's guide, Ginn (Needham, MA), 1966.

(With Torrance) For Those Who Wonder, with teacher's guide, Ginn (Needham, MA), 1966.

(With Torrance) Stretch, with teacher's guide, Perceptive, 1968.

It's a Butterfly!, with audio cassette, United Learning (La Grange, IL), 1977.

It's a Dolphin!, with audio cassette, United Learning (La Grange, IL), 1977.

It's a Squirrel!, with audio cassette, United Learning (La Grange, IL), 1977.

It's a Toad!, with audio cassette, United Learning (La Grange, IL), 1977.

It's an Alligator!, with audio cassette, United Learning (La Grange, IL), 1977.

FILM SCRIPTS

Feather (juvenile), ACI Media, 1973.

Flexibility, Teaching Research, 1973.

Learning Sets, Teaching Research, 1973.

Perseveration, Teaching Research, 1973.

Inducing a Creative Set: The Magic Net, Teaching Research, 1973.

Elephants (juvenile), ACI Media, 1974.

Film strips for children include Animal Friends, A.I. M.S. Instructional Media, 1974; Exploring the Unexplained, United Learning (La Grange, IL), 1974; Investigating the Unknown, United Learning (La Grange, IL), 1974; Sing along with Animals, United Learning (La Grange, IL), 1975; and Hand Tools: An Introduction to Working with Wood and Plastic, A.I.M.S. Instructional Media, 1975.

OTHER

Creative Learning and Teaching was published in Spanish and Portuguese.

SIDELIGHTS: R.E. Myers once told CA: "My motivation for writing has always had two sides: self-expression and professional reasons. The latter generally deal with helping young people become more creative. I am interested in intelligence, learning, instructional materials and techniques, motivation, and personality. I've done research in all of these areas."

Myers added: "In the past few years I've been involved in organizing, and giving workshops in, young authors festivals. Writing for today's teachers and students is a challenge. On the one hand, the situations confronting teachers have changed in variety and seriousness since I started teaching and writing about teaching in the 1950s. On the other hand, although young people aren't motivated by all of the same things, they still basically are excited about learning. It's inherent in human nature. I try to pique their intellectual sensibilities, and I try to engage their senses of humor.

"With regard to tickling the funny bones of young people, my approach is to cause them to discover the improbable, the quirky, the anomalous, and the ridiculous. They put the ideas together to create some humorous notion. I've always been influenced by James Thurber, and I suppose the materials I write reflect that fact; but I am not a disciple nor has anyone ever proved to be.

"Creative Learning and Teaching, the book E. Paul Torrance and I wrote so long ago, continues to be sold in the Spanish translation. I'm not sure why.

"I'm constantly humbled by my wife and children—all of whom seem to write better than I can.

"My style of writing would not be thought worthy of notice thirty years ago, but in this age of electronic devices it might be of some interest. I write in a journal in pencil. Then I copy (and do some rewriting) with the aid of my 1960 Royal typewriter. This copy, when collected in sufficient quantity, is given to a professional typist. Why no word processor? I'm a true Miniver Cheevy when it comes to writing. I like to use the pencil, erase, draw lines, and struggle to interpret what I've written. My wife believes this is in line with my stubborn personality."

Myers added: "Comforted by the knowledge that James Mitchener never used anything but a typewriter, I continue to be without a word processor and computer when banging out my books for the schools. One can't really think of oneself as a member of the writing fraternity if the audience is exclusively students, teachers, and parents, and so when asked what I write, I have trouble explaining it. The inquirer must wonder, 'What kind of writing is that if this guy isn't writing novels or poems or articles?' I sometimes wonder because I actually do put some fiction in my lessons and kid myself that the little stories I write have some artistic merit. Occasionally I sneak in some poems, too; but in that regard I've noticed that other writers of educational materials are also guilty of using their own verses to illustrate their points and also have the delight of seeing their poems in print. It is a sneaky way to get a poem published."

Myers more recently told CA: "The two most surprising things I've learned as a writer are that many of my ideas come from some unconscious source—I'm not aware of doing anything but receiving them—and that so many people, young and old, write very well. Since I've written seven or eight books that purport to help young people to write well, I'm most interested in the writing process."