NCTE '15 Highlights!

Every week, Ruth Ayres over at Discover. Play. Build. invites people to share celebrations from their week.  Please visit and consider linking up your own celebration. 

Thanks to Ruth for providing a platform for me to share my big and small celebrations. 

This year's NCTE convention was a whirlwind of activity as usual. 




I was thrilled to be able to have two of my colleagues, Anna Sedenka and Lynne Walsh with me. We had so much fun learning and talking together!

But I missed my friend Susan Dee who brought me to my first NCTE 3 years ago, so I decided to bring her along with me. Flat Susan met many new people and connected with old friends.

Pernille Ripp and Jillian Heisse

Gordon Korman

I had many fangirl moments meeting authors I admire. 

Linda Urban

AVI

Kwame Alexander

Sharon Draper

At The Nerdy gathering with Lynda Mullaly Hunt and Nikki Loftin

Ok, so I did not meet her, but I LOVE Kate DiCamillo! Hearing her speak was a huge thrill!

 Then there are MY nerds!! I love being able to call this group of passionate educators my friends! 

Melissa Guerette, Michele Knott, Jason Lewis, Lesley Burnap, Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Of course we had Flat Susan with us! (Photo bomber, David Smith).

One inspiring session featured Teri Lessene, Donalyn Miller, Kylene Beers and Bob Probst! I sat on the floor because all the seats in the HUGE auditorium were filled!

Check out this fabulous group of authors at the Nerdy Penguin Bash hosted by Donalyn Miller, John Shumacher (Mr. Schu), and Colby Sharp. 

Finally, presenting with my panel was such a dream come true. I admire and respect each one of these ladies tremendously. 

Me with Cynthia Lord, Lynda Mullaly Hunt, and Alyson Beecher

Weekends like this keep me inspired, motivated and ready to do what is best for my students. I can't wait until next year!

Slice of Life-Preparing for NCTE14

Each Tuesday the amazing bloggers at Two Writing Teachers host Slice of Life Stories (SOLS). This is where bloggers link up to share anything they would like to share about what is happening in their lives. 

This week I feel very fortunate to be able to attend my second NCTE annual convention. I attended last year and it was the best professional development I have ever had. I reflected on the experience here and here. 

This year I am beyond thrilled to be presenting my very first session on a panel with my dear friend Susan Dee and three of my favorite authors, Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Jennifer Nielsen and Leslie Connor. Yes, I know, I can't believe it either *pinches self*. 

The experience of putting this presentation together has been wonderful and humbling. With the exception of Susan and I, we all live in different states. There have been countless emails, Google docs and a Google Hangout where we were able to talk together for the first time as a team. 

These ladies are talented, dedicated and know their stuff! I feel blessed to be part of this amazing line up. 

I am very excited to get to DC to see old friends, meet some friends "in person" and make new connections. It is sure to be another experience to remember. 

If you are attending NCTE this year I hope you will consider attending our session (G.46) Grow Through It: Fostering Resilience and Empathy through Story on Saturday morning from 9:30-10:45 in Maryland B. See the Smore below for more info. 

Celebrate This Week-June 7, 2014

Every week, Ruth Ayres over at Discover. Play. Build. invites people to share celebrations from their week.  Please visit and consider linking up your own celebration. 

I have been away from regular blogging for about a month now. I am increasingly unable to balance the end-of-the-year-craziness at school with my own children's extracurricular activities and blogging, so something had to give. I am hoping to get back in a blogging groove soon. 

I hope you all have many things to celebrate from this week. Here are a few of mine from this and recent weeks. 

A Nerdy Announcement
I am not sure I have officially announced it yet, but a few weeks ago I learned that a proposal I submitted to NCTE, on behalf of my panel, was accepted! We will be presenting at NCTE this fall. I am still pinching myself and get nauseous just thinking about it. I get to present with my dear friend, Susan Dee and amazing authors Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Jennifer Neilsen and Leslie Connor! I KNOW RIGHT?!! Being able to work together with these incredible ladies whom I respect and admire is just thrilling to say the very least. Our session focuses on using literature from K-middle school to foster the development of resiliency and empathy in children. I am beyond excited!

It's About Time
Here in Maine it was a terribly long and exceptionally cold winter. Even though there are still mornings when we kick on the pellet stove, it seems that spring is finally here. Yes, I know it is almost summer, but Maine doesn't seem to realize that. The trees finally have leaves and there are flowers popping up in my garden. My family keeps a small vegetable garden plot at our town's community garden due to our yard's lack of full sun. We were able to put the seeds and seedlings in the ground and some are starting to peek out of the ground. 

Teamwork and Togetherness
Although we have a week and a half to go, things are in "wrap-up" mode at school. Yesterday was our 4th grade field day. This is an event the students and I look forward to all year. It was such a nice day to just be silly and fun with them and to encourage and congratulate each other. My voice is hoarse today from screaming so loudly during the tug-of-war. I love watching them together as they have become a tight-knit group who look out for one another. In the afternoon the students (and teachers) are so tired that all we can really manage to do is to watch a movie. We watched Disney's Frozen. Let me tell you that you have not lived until you have heard ten year-old boys belt out "Let it Go". 

Just Too Sweet
Lastly, I celebrate this special reading moment. I posted this video on Facebook earlier this week. My eight year old son, TJ, has autism and he loves certain books. He has a few he loves to read, but he seldom reads to anyone. My husband filmed TJ reading one of his favorite books, How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight. You can't make out many words, but I think you get the gist. I am so glad that we have technology to capture sweet moments like this. 

What Are YOU Celebrating This Week?

Slice of Life- Surprises at NCTE '13

Each Tuesday Ruth and Stacey at Two Writing Teachers host Slice of Life Stories (SOLS). This is where bloggers link up to share anything they would like to share about what is happening in their lives. 

While I am back at home and into my regular, hectic routine, my thoughts are still at NCTE.  I will probably need a couple of posts to reflect on this amazing experience. 

A year ago, I had just recently launched my blog and started participating on Twitter.  I followed all the tweets from NCTE 2012 and was beyond jealous. As I read about the new things people were learning and the connections they were making, I vowed that I would attend in 2013 no matter what.  

I am not exaggerating when I say that attending NCTE was THE best professional development experience I have had in my 20+ years in education.  I was lucky to be there with my terrific Maine friends: Susan Dee, Mary Bellavance, Melissa Guerrette, Marylou Shuster, Jen Felt, Justin Stygles and Paula Bourque. 

I was prepared for a great time, but there were a number of things for which I was totally unprepared. 

I am going to use this post to write about what surprised me about NCTE and advice I would give a first timer.  

*You don't sleep much.  You are up early for breakfasts or sessions and you stay into the wee hours of the night talking with old and new friends.  The Starbucks in the lobby may become your new favorite place. 

*You will get emotional.  I did not realize that tissues would be necessary at a literacy convention. When you meet a beloved author, you will cry.  When someone shares an inspiring story, you will cry (aka-Donald Graves breakfast).  When you meet online friends in person, you will cry.  In my case, if you think about the fact that you are actually at NCTE, you will cry.

*You don't eat regular meals.  Generally, I am not a meal skipper.  However, when given the choice between learning from Chris Lehman and Kate Roberts, followed by hearing Temple Grandin speak rather than eating lunch, well of course you'd choose to skip lunch. Pack granola bars. 

*You might not see the host city.  I am a New England girl and I love Boston.  We were right in the heart of the city and I did not see a single bit of it.  In fact, I did not step foot outside from Thursday afternoon to Sunday afternoon when we left. 

*You will get free books, LOTS of free books. Yes, I had heard that publishers give out free ARC's. But I was totally unprepared for the exhibit hall. Every time you turn around, a new author is signing a new book and many of them are free.  I had 2 big bags full of books. Thankfully we drove to Boston and could bring our books home, but you may want to bring extra money to ship your books if you have to fly home.  

All of those books lead me to my next tip....

*You may need a chiropractor or massage upon returning home. All those books are really heavy and you will have to carry them in a shoulder bag or in your arms.  Either will lead to neck and back pain, but it is so worth it.  

*If you don't get to a session early, you may not get a seat.  Many sessions fill up quickly.  It brought tears to my eyes (yes, again) to see teachers sitting in the floor of the room or standing outside the room straining to listen and learn from the presenter.  It was a true testament to the dedication of teachers that want to learn all they can in order to help their students. 

I am still processing all that I learned and experienced while in Boston.  In future posts I will attempt to synthesize my learning into something I can express in a somewhat coherent way.