Life & Work with Dorothy Nell Betts of Kansas City ,KS

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dorothy Nell Betts

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Dorothy “Nell” Betts, born in Shreveport, Louisiana, draws inspiration from her close relationship with her grandparents and the value they placed on family. Her family moved to KCK, in 1977, where she attended the last school year of Sumner High school. She graduated from Wyandotte High School
Later in life, she found love and built a blended family, resulting in seventeen grandchildren. Early in her marriage she made the selfless choice to stay at home to care for her youngest son, who had special needs at the time. During this period, she opened and ran a daycare, pursued child development classes, and earned a BA in Child and Family Studies from Park University in Parkville, Missouri. Her dedication to her family and education is commendable.

Once her son was old enough to attend public school, he was placed on an Individual Education Plan (IEP), to address his delays and after watching how the staff supported her son, it inspired her to apply for a job. She was hired as a Para-professional and work with a Special Education teacher who encouraged her to soar further in the field of Early childhood. After six years of being a Para-Professional, she was given the opportunity to serve in her community as a classroom specialist in a head start site to initiate and help develop the public school early childhood literacy curriculum.

She noticed when she read books to the children they lite up with amazement and wonder. Books became their escape from everything around them. Diving into author studies, looking at illustrations and noticing how words move throughout the pages captured her as well.

Years after that experience she decided to pursue a MA in Early Childhood Unified, where she was qualified to teach general education and Special Education in the school system. She is a member of National Education Association, graduated from Emporia Cum Laude with a 3.65 GPA and have had several poems published throughout her journey but her freshman publication of Layla Louise and the best Peachy Cobbler Ever, is her crowning moment and there is more to learn about who she was, is, and to become.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The journey to earn my degree in education was long and often uphill. I had to sacrifice a lot of family time, but my husband was my rock throughout it all. His demanding job at the railroad and night shifts allowed us to coordinate our schedules effectively. When I received my graduation packet, I was pleasantly surprised to find an honor cord included. The significance of the honor cord was powerful; it symbolized the long nights and crunching deadlines I had overcome.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
“Who in the world am I? Ah, that’s the great puzzle,” wrote Lewis Carroll in Alice in Wonderland, capturing the essence of Alice’s journey to understand herself amidst the wonders of Wonderland. I’ve also embarked on my own journey of self-discovery and have come to realize that I am a proud creator of children’s books—a self-published author shaping stories that resonate with young minds. It took me a while to reach the point where I could say that with clarity and conviction. I had to bill up the confidence level to believe that I had what it took to write a worthy story. I can recall my 2nd grade teacher and how I had such a huge girl crush on her. She was so colorful and full of wonder, that I started drawing in a different way.

Words started flowing in my mind every time I drew something, but I suppressed the idea of writing until my junior year of high school, when I joined the school newspaper and poetry class.
There it was, the words that were coming from me, forming lines and symbols on paper, and years later jotting down my idea became such a habit that stories started to evolve.

But it was not until I begin meeting my grandchildren that my soul for writing lifted up off the ground and soared. My third born grandchild inspired the character of my freshman release, with her fearless tenacity, Layla became the catalyst for me being here at this moment in my life. It was so awesome to see my momma expression when I happily shared, “Hey mama, I wrote a book.!”

There it was, the words that were coming from me, forming lines and symbols on paper, and years later jotting down my idea became such a habit that stories started to evolve.

My aim is to inspire children and families to appreciate life’s everyday wonders, cultivating joy, connection, and lasting memories. As an Early Childhood educator, I’ve witnessed firsthand the profound impact literature can have on the development of young minds. I’m deeply committed to enriching lives and strengthening bonds within communities by fostering positive experiences through storytelling.

What I feel sets me apart from the crowded field is that my books will offer make and take activities to support engagement. Early literacy is and will always play a major role in the beginning of language aquistion and combined with meaningful activities that expand language it can give young children a pivotal head start.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
*How to Self-publish a Children’s Book* by Eevi Jones was the book that helped me get off the ground. With so much information available, I felt overwhelmed. To manage this, I put myself in the shoes of the young students I teach. Considering how they receive information helped me process it for myself—little chunks at a time. Storyteller Academy, Gift KC, and Porter House KC has been a source of knowledge that has been instrumental on this journey.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dnbetts5662?utm_source=qr&igsh=eGwwMjF3cHJpdTZ1
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dorothy.n.betts?mibextid=ZbWKwL