Ask the Author: David P. Perrodin
Answered Questions (6)
David P. Perrodin
Writing contributes to the collective knowledge base of humans. My work will benefit others - and others will carry my interpretations and ideas into entirely new areas as time changes the contexts. What will school safety be like in the year 2080 when cars are autonomous, singularity achieved, and rescue forces include sophisticated robots and drones? Will my book "age" well, or will it become a relic that is laminated to the time and context of the date of its release? My book is valuable. I have documented baselines in school safety.
WHAT'S FRUSTRATING? A frustrating part of writing is when a book nears release and I discover new information which would have been appropriate for a chapter - but that will always happen - you just have to draw a line on the clock and save the new information for the next book, a podcast or a journal article.
WHAT'S FRUSTRATING? A frustrating part of writing is when a book nears release and I discover new information which would have been appropriate for a chapter - but that will always happen - you just have to draw a line on the clock and save the new information for the next book, a podcast or a journal article.
David P. Perrodin
The seed for School of Errors was planted with my PBS school safety presentation on May 22, 2013. I delivered a rhetoric-free, empirical presentation centered to helping viewers understand the intricacies and trends of school safety and how what they were being told by the mass media aligned or was different from the factual evidence. The success of that presentation motivated me to draft an outline for an empirical school safety book and in 2016, I signed the contract to write School of Errors.
David P. Perrodin
Write down your ideas or pause to record them on your phone. There were nights I was running around my city and fluttered through a fresh idea for a chapter or even the skeleton for a book. Cool! I was convinced that I would recall those thoughts a few hours later -- and, of course, I didn't! Always write down your ideas as soon as possible!
David P. Perrodin
A friend had just completed his 7th or 8th book. He is a successful author with progressive popular works in nonfiction. We were talking about his passion for writing when he paused, and said to me, "With your expertise in school safety, YOU should be writing a book - people don't know how the system works - you do, and you have terrific stories!" I mulled over his remark for a few months and then began the steps to solicit a publishing contract. On the cusp of retirement, I was also positioned well to write a book that would reveal and challenge the $3 billion school safety industrial complex. Writing this book 10 years ago would have been, likely, a career-ender - not a career-launcher!
David P. Perrodin
In summer, day-long solo bike treks of 70-80 miles through the countryside help empty my mind. I sometimes talk through a clunky chapter as I bike - but don't record myself or take notes. In winter - well, it's spiked boots and 2-3 hour long evening hikes through the snow - same process of emptying my mind. Sometimes I just take a break! Other times, I rough out an outline of a chapter - just pen and paper. I seldom involve other people in my work until it reaches more of a refined state. Writer's block is more a solitary process for me - and introspection is wonderful.
David P. Perrodin
Educational journals invited me to submit short essays about specific areas of school safety - including threat reporting systems, excluding students with disabilities from safety drills, and options for improving school safety drills. I've been busy writing at least one article per week.
Concurrently, I'm a co-researcher on a study about "Resiliency" with researchers in Iran and am also the sole author of a pair of totally unrelated white papers.
My second book has commenced without a working title - Yikes! In a thumbnail abstract, I propose that the institutional review board (IRB) standard for university research be adopted for all K-12 school safety drills. School safety drills are legislated by the states - and 7 states don't even have a mandated drill set for schools!
Hyper-realistic drill trauma, or "drill theater" is an authentic, sprawling issue facing American schools and impacting students, staff and parents. There's a much better way - and that involves a complete adoption of the IRB process to the K-12 setting.
I'm thrilled with the research aspect of that manuscript - so much to learn about IRB and I was stunned that IRB wasn't formally adopted in the US until 1974! No more zapping students with electric shocks to measure the effects of negative reinforcement on telepathic abilities!
Concurrently, I'm a co-researcher on a study about "Resiliency" with researchers in Iran and am also the sole author of a pair of totally unrelated white papers.
My second book has commenced without a working title - Yikes! In a thumbnail abstract, I propose that the institutional review board (IRB) standard for university research be adopted for all K-12 school safety drills. School safety drills are legislated by the states - and 7 states don't even have a mandated drill set for schools!
Hyper-realistic drill trauma, or "drill theater" is an authentic, sprawling issue facing American schools and impacting students, staff and parents. There's a much better way - and that involves a complete adoption of the IRB process to the K-12 setting.
I'm thrilled with the research aspect of that manuscript - so much to learn about IRB and I was stunned that IRB wasn't formally adopted in the US until 1974! No more zapping students with electric shocks to measure the effects of negative reinforcement on telepathic abilities!
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