NCTE: My (Incomplete) Recap

In my quest to find the professional development that meets my learning needs, I joined the National Council of Teachers of English last year.  Last week, I was fortunate enough to attend NCTE's annual convention. Here, I had the opportunity to hear from some amazing literacy experts---instructional leaders whose books I've read, devoured, and used in my classrooom.

At NCTE, I attended several meetings and many sessions. I'm still processing all I learned and experienced, and it would be impossible to post it all here. But the one thing I can say is that I am more certain than ever that helping our students grow as readers, writers, and thinkers is essential to equipping them to lead successful, meaningful lives.

What did I bring back home with me? Here are a few of the items I couldn't pack in my suitcase:

• Many picture book titles & the realization that I can use these in literature circles (From Releah Lent)
• Strategies to promote thinking and discussion in my classroom (From Ellin Keene)
• The understanding that I want ALL writers in my classroom to think of writing as a experience that they enjoy--not just as something they must do or dread! (From Ralph Fletcher)
• A gratitude that I belong to a reading/teaching community that helps me thrive as a teacher and that I hope I've created for my own students (From Donalyn Miller)
• A peace in knowing that my Twitter PLN is "open 24/7": from Teri Lesesne (a super-advocate for literacy and somone I greatly admire!)
• A new vision for my student book club (from Lynn Eichel)
• A resolution to share with my students: "We're in charge of making ourselves get better." -from Lucy Calkins
• The understanding that performance assessments are a way to examine my own teaching, not just my students' learning (From Christopher Lehman)
• The joy that comes from surrounding myself with a community of teachers who share my passion for literacy (from the Nerdy Book Club!)
• The assurance that through NCTE I have an avenue of service that aligns with my professional development goals (From NCTE!)

At the Exhibition Hall, I met some authors whose work I've read and appreciated for so long! I wished I'd taken more pictures!


Donalyn Miller (my friend/The Book Whisperer/Nerdy Book Club tribe leader/fellow Texan) AND Penny Kittle (author of Write Beside Them and BOOK LOVE -- her latest--oh, and she loves cute shoes, too!)


 Jenni Holm (Author of the Babymouse & Squish books!)
 
Seymour Simon (who writes all those great non-fiction books I have in my classroom library)

 

Rebecca Stead! (Author of When You Reach Me and Liar & Spy which are two of my favorite books!)

 

 Lucy Calkins! (Need I say more? My face tells you how happy I am to meet her!)
(The Art of Teaching Reading & The Art of Teaching Writing are books I keep on my teacher bookshelf and refer to often!)

One of the very best parts of attending the conference was meeting some of my fellow Nerdy Book Club members (great teachers & librarians)! Whenever we gathered, we talked about books & reading & writing, and we had the best time learning & sharing with one another. Yes, we also talked about shoes (because my fellow Nerdy Book Club members know me as someone who loves cute shoes). I thought it would be nice to feature some of their (our) shoe choices in this post:

My cowgirl boots have taken me far. But they're most at home in Texas.  

Cute leopard print!

Guess who? A #nerdybookclub leader!

Party shoes! (Not worn on the exhibition hall floor!)

  

Tall boots. (Worn on the exhibition floor!)

Pink and pretty! (Sorry about the checker effect.
That happens sometimes when I use my camera phone.)



Many thanks to Jen, Jennifer, Niki, & Jillian for sharing shoe talk with me!
(By the way, one of the pictures belongs to fellow 4th grade teacher/friend Colby Sharp! Can you guess which one?)

I know I won't ever fully appreciate just how much I gained from attending this conference. The people I met, the friendships I made, and the worlds I discovered are now part of who I am as a teacher/learner, and the ultimate beneficaries of this are my students--who inspire ME daily!