Today, all across the country thousands of teachers are opening their email from National Board and shedding tears. Some of joy. Some of disappointment. Some have been working for years on the four components of accomplished teaching, and some have packed it all into a single year. There is no way to convey the anxiety and anticipation they have been feeling unless you have gone through the process.

Today as I entered my log in information my hands were shaking and my heart was beating in my throat. I tried to steel myself for whatever I would read. I knew how hard I had worked and was proud of my efforts-that wasn’t going to change based on the news today, but I knew the news today was going to change me. I would either be celebrating or game planning-there would be no quitting. The score would no more be a reflection of who I was as a teacher than the standardized test scores of students reflect who they are as learners (and people). Yet they have profound implications in the way others see us.

When I logged in the word CONGRATULATIONS! stopped me cold.  Tears flowed down my cheeks and I began to sob. My shoulders felt instantly lighter and I was euphoric.  After my mini-melt down I immediately began to think of my teaching partners who worked with me on this journey. There were four of us in my district who jumped in together. We helped each other video tape lessons, review our writing, give feedback on our work, and they generously loaned me their classrooms since I didn’t have one of my own. I had gone to monthly meetings sponsored by Maine Education Association for two years and partnered with teachers from across the state. How did they do?

Slowly I started to hear from them. Some shared their sense of joy and relief. Others, their heartbreak.  One missed certifying by ONE POINT.  Part of my commitment to this process was to support others on this journey and so my real celebration will happen when all of my colleagues share the joy I felt today.

If you know a teacher who is working on their National Boards I urge you to offer them encouragement and support. It is an incredibly challenging quest. No one gets there alone-we all need each other.  If they certified today, help them celebrate.  If they didn’t, be a shoulder for them.

To those of you today who opened that email and received your news…I know that you are more than that score. You are courageous and passionate about being a life long learner and you have my respect and admiration.  I hope you are celebrating, and if you are not know that you will be. And when you do, that celebration will be even sweeter.

What’s On My Book Radar?

PASHMINA by Nidhi Chanani

This debut novel by Nidhi Chanani is both modern and miraculous. Priyanka is a teen who lives with her single mother in America and longs to learn about her Indian heritage. However her mother refuses to talk about her past or her homeland. ‘Pri’ discovers a pashmina tucked away in her mother’s suitcase, and when she wraps it around her she is transported to a place she can only assume is India, complete with talking animal guides and a mysterious shadow figure she is determined to identify. Caught in a tug of war between two worlds, two societies, and two identities we get to know Pri and her family. We also learn much about Indian culture and food- which is delightfully delicious! I hope students will love this graphic novel as much as I did. Enchanting!

Last weekend I met up with thousands of educators from across the country (and beyond) in St. Louis for the 2017 National Council of Teachers of English Annual Conference with the goal of growing and improving their teaching craft. I met up with dozens of authors who wanted to share their stories and their love for writing and books with the world. Though I paid every penny of my expenses, I realize what a privilege it was for me to be in attendance and I make it my mission to share what I’ve learned and experienced with others. I’ll share a few of those takeaways here in my blog.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW ALL SKETCHNOTES

For the past several years I have used Sketchnotes to capture the ideas, quotes, and wonderings I find important during the sessions I attend.  You can see these visual notes by clicking on the link above. Here are some of the big ideas I left NCTE17 with…

• We need to expand the definition of reading and writing.  There is a canon of writing that is too formulaic- and too often we judge texts as “not real reading”. We will invite more readers and writers into the fold if we redefine what reading and writing is.
• Being a human being in the world is more important than being a reader or writer. If literacy doesn’t help us to explore what it means to be human then it is just an assigned task and not an act of engagement and purpose.
• Reading and writing is a personal art. Everyone deserves to figure out what process works best for them. Our job is to help them discover this, not just follow our directions.
• We all have defaults in our reading and writing-that comfort zone we tend to dwell in. When we are aware of them we can more easily break free and expand our repertoire and approaches.
• Teach with humility. We don’t have all the answers, we cannot be experts in everything. There is so much we can learn from our colleagues and our students if we approach our teaching with an open mind and an open heart.
• Ask ourselves, “What masks have my students had to wear to exist in the spaces we’ve created?”
• “The DNA we are walking through this world with is complicated. How do we teach people we consider as ‘others’ when we are the gatekeepers?” –Jacqueline Woodson
• Before we speak our truth…consider the truth of others. Remember, our identity always comes into the conversation.
• Consider soft starts to the school day to welcome our students into learning spaces that are inviting, stimulating, and creative.
• “Readers who progress, learn to read by reading.”-Marie Clay  Too often our most struggling readers do the least amount of actual reading. Skill work and interventions replace the reading of continuous texts.  Think about this.
• Continually ask ourselves: Am I teaching my students or am I covering my material? If we (including students) aren’t clear on expected learning outcomes they’ll just be doing tasks.
• Books are not diverse if what we mean is they are non-white. That sets up white as the default. What may be a window to one is a mirror to another. Authentic voices are the key to sharing books that promote empathy and understanding.

There were so many more nuggets that I will hold onto (and you can see them in the sketchnotes or photos) but these were what resonated a week out from the conference and so I believe they will stay with me. You can see photos of sessions here:

CLICK HERE FOR #NCTE SESSION PHOTOS

What’s On My Book Radar?

SMART COOKIE by Elly Swartz

My review is from the ARC of this book that will be released January 30th.

Family secrets and recipes make this one sweet story! Frankie’s mom died when she was 4 and she decides she wants her dad to meet someone who would make them a family of 3 again. She sets up an online dating profile and compiles a list of Possibles who never seem to fit the bill. Meanwhile her dad is busy running a B&B that is losing business because there are rumors it is haunted. This has Frankie wondering if her mom could be a ghost, so she begins writing her letters for advice. And then we have Gram who seems to have secrets of her own and behavior that is becoming more curious for Frankie. There are so many amazing subplots going on in this book, it kept me captivated. (and the descriptions of the daily cookies at the B&B kept me salivating!) Elly Swartz knows how to write complex characters in compassionate and compelling ways. On the heels of Finding Perfect, I think Swartz has found another perfect story!

NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) conference is coming up this week in St. Louis. Many teachers across the country will be going to share in the experience, many more will not. Trying to convince schools that this is a smart investment for them is often difficult. Here are some reasons I recently shared with my school board, I’d love to hear others. If you are one of the lucky ones who can attend these conferences, be a voice of advocacy for your colleagues and a testament to the power of professional development.

Don’t forget turn back around
Help the next one in line
Always stay humble and kind

1.Meet experts and “gurus” face to face

The authors and experts we learn from in professional texts are accessible and open to collaborative conversations at these events.  There are opportunities for Q&A, meet and greets, book signings, and just running into them in a convention center.  Teachers will be empowered to see that these “experts” are teachers themselves, who have taken their passions to the next level.

2. Exposure to cutting edge research and state of the art teaching.

Presentations at these conferences are the latest in research, instruction, pedagogy, assessment, and organization. They’ve been vetted by a review panel and needed to pass an array of standards for quality, so we can trust the validity of the information.  Education is constantly changing, and our teachers and schools should have opportunities to learn and adapt.

3. Networking

Meeting people from other states, regions, or countries can expand our understanding of education like no other experience. We often realize we are more alike than we are different, and yet we each have unique challenges and gifts that make educating America’s youth more than a “one size fits all” reform initiative. We can make lifelong connections to people who will inspire us, support us, and teach us on a personal level.

4. Break out of your comfort zone

Traveling to a new place can be somewhat stressful, but also exhilarating. Understanding what life is like in unfamiliar surroundings can be eye opening. Learning in a new space activates our brains in new ways and offer up opportunities for fresh/flexible thinking. Connecting with people who may teach differently or have varying opinions can challenge our long held beliefs, routines, or values. They can often reinforce them, or cause shifts.  Either way, that cognitive dissonance is essential for growth as an educator.

5. Enhance professionalism.

We are treated like professionals at these conferences. Everyone views us as a leader in our field, someone willing to devote days of our busy lives to focus on being the best we can be. Presenters, organizers, and vendors show gratitude and respect for the hard work that goes on each day in our classrooms. There is a shared sense of purpose, empathy, and camaraderie with other professionals in the field that enhances our sense of professionalism for a long time to come.

6. Intense focus on learning

Much like immersion in a language, teachers are immersed in a focused purpose of improving teaching and learning. We eat, breathe, and live teaching the entire time we are attending a conference. Dinner conversations are often continuations of the day’s learning. We are infused with ideas, energy, passion, and encouragement.

7. Empowered by like-minded and passionate professionals

We are surrounded by “nerdy” teachers that feel like our TRIBE. There is strength in numbers and we definitely leave a conference feeling stronger because we know we aren’t alone in our passion. We can appreciate that the dedicated teachers we work with each day are just like teachers all across the country and our shared purpose feels empowering.

8. Expand circle of leadership

When teachers go to a conference and come back to share what they’ve learned and experienced, they are seen as leaders who are willing to give back to their schools.  They aren’t hoarding their new learning, they are expanding it exponentially. It builds expertise in our schools that broadens our resources for supporting one another.

9. Invest in Our Teachers (and Ourselves)

Teaching is an exhausting profession in which we give and give and give each day. If schools don’t invest back into our teachers, we are draining a precious resource.  Even if a district is paying expenses for attendees there is an incredible personal investment of time and energy. Teachers often have to rearrange their home lives and responsibilities to make accommodations. There are always unreimbursed expenses incurred that have a financial investment required. Teachers do this anyway, because we see it as an investment in our skills, motivation, and passion. If teachers are willing to make the investment, our schools and communities should, too.

10. Invest in Our Students (Our Kids Are Worth It)

Speaking of investment…aren’t our kids worth the best trained, most motivated, incredibly passionate teachers we can give them? Don’t we want them to have teachers who are dedicated enough to devote days of their lives to make their learning better? Don’t they deserve to have the most cutting edge assessment and instruction to facilitate their learning. It doesn’t just happen by luck, we need to cultivate it and make it a priority.  Remembering why we are here and doing what we do, it makes sense to make sure our students have the best teachers we can give them.

BONUS

And then when your teachers ARE presenters it can be even more powerful:

11. Build Expertise

If you’ve ever had to share information or expertise with a group of smart individuals, you know you need to bring your A Game-there’s no “phoning it in”.  When schools send teachers to present at conferences they are supporting a teacher to hone their skills to the highest degree. Teachers put in countless hours in observing, writing, reflecting, and revising. This level of self-reflection builds increased expertise that no other professional development can.

12. Bring Prestige for Our Schools

When presenters share the excellent work that is going on in their schools, they are showcasing the talents and successes that have been hard won. They shine a light on our teachers and students for others to celebrate and learn from. They are passionate ambassadors for their schools-more powerful than a public relations firm! Conference participants often want to connect with the teachers from our district and network to build greater capacity. It draws us into membership of a learning community larger than ourselves.

I’d love to hear even more ideas that support greater teacher participation as well as ways districts help to fund this as well.

What’s On My Book Radar?

POEMS ARE TEACHERS by Amy Ludwig VanDerWater

I have been so excited for this book’s release and when it arrived I devoured it. Amy Ludwig VanDerWater has been my “go-to” poet/teacher for years. Her website The Poem Farm http://www.poemfarm.amylv.com/ has helped me teach and think about poetry in new ways so I knew this book would be amazing–and it didn’t disappoint. Each lesson offers us 3 poems as mentor texts (1 contemporary poet and 2 student poets) for learning about: craft, ideas, point of view, structure, titles and more. You do not have to read it cover to cover, just dive in and enjoy. Your teaching of poetry will be inspired and your appreciation for poetry will be enhanced. It’s amazing.

This past week Maine was hit with a powerful storm that left us powerless! It knocked out power to over 1,500,000 homes and businesses.  We were caught off guard by its magnitude.  The drought we’d experienced this summer weakened the roots of many trees that were still heavy with foliage and as a result thousands of trees were toppled, taking utility poles and wires down with them.

Schools across the state were shut down anywhere from a day to a week. We are a rural state, so many were also without water since well pumps rely on electricity.  For many of our students school was the only warm, lit place with food and water. Many of us teachers found our schools a place to clean up, charge electronics, and commiserate with one another.

As difficult as these days were, many of us found an incredible silver lining. In a time when discourse and interactions have been so polarized, we saw an incredible coalescing of community. Those with power opened their homes to others for a place to shower or get a warm meal. Schools opened showers to community members and offered charging stations for devices to keep people connected.  Restaurants and stores provided free warm meals to anyone in need. Words of encouragement and support sprouted up on social media. People expressed happiness for others as they celebrated the return of power, even though they may have been in the dark themselves.

In a 5th grade I was working in this week I asked the students to quickwrite a response to the statement The storm was actually a good thing. Nearly every response refuted the statement until we shared and reflected. At that point, many students began to share some wonderful moments they had with their family or friends. “Well, actually it WAS good because we got to go to my memere’s. and Oh, yeah…we got to go out to eat, that was fun! and We got to read with flashlights.” Many also talked about how happy they were when the power came back on, and that felt really good.

Empathy. Appreciation. Community. These were gifts that the storm left in its wake. I hope that in this season of giving thanks that we will continue to hold onto these. We can nudge our children to think beyond the frustration of events, to contemplate the gifts or lessons that every experience offers us. We’ve got that power.

What’s On My Book Radar?

THE PECULIAR INCIDENT ON SHADY STREET by Lindsay Currie

The perfect way to cap off my Halloween, reading a chilling ghost story. Weaving modern day tween troubles with the macabre mystery of a returning ghost of a long dead child, Lindsay Currie has created a creepy, yet empathetic story kids will love. Tessa Woodward moves with her family from Florida to Chicago when unexplainable things start happening in her new house: drawings appear, her brother’s doll begins crying, and things are disappearing. With the help of three new friends they embark on a quest to solve the mystery of what happened in her house on Shady Street many, many years ago in hopes that some normalcy can return to their lives.

Last weekend I participated in the Literacy for All Conference in Providence, Rhode Island. Organized by Lesley University in collaboration with the University of Maine and the University of Connecticut, there were more than 100 workshops available to educators.  I was a featured speaker who presented 3 of those workshops, so I was a little more limited on what I could attend, but I wanted to make the most of my time at this fantastic conference.

I was able to see keynotes by Kelly Gallagher and Stephanie Harvey and featured sessions by Penny Kittle,  Kate Roberts, and Georgia Heard. I left inspired and energized by their advocacy and passion for literacy.  You can check out my Google Album of photos from these sessions. Don’t pass up a chance to hear them speak if you can!

This is the third year I’ve been using Sketchnotes to capture the big ideas and take aways that I want to return to and reflect on more deeply when I attend conferences.  Before that I would take copious notes, but rarely revisited them-also the act of trying to capture everything verbatim was an exercise in memory control and not in visualizing and conceptualizing what the speakers were saying.

Now, as I hear speakers present ideas, I am visualizing their essence and quickly sketching images or jotting phrases. I think about how ideas connect and build on each other. Instead of a linear set of notes I have a more dynamic collection of take aways. I know that if I want more information I can read their books and visit their websites. I don’t feel the pressure to capture it all.

You can see my collection of sketchnotes from the conference in this Google Album.

Each year I see many more teachers taking visual notes (aka Sketchnotes) at conferences.  I am excited that they are finding this approach to be a helpful way to process the information in a personalized way.  Perhaps I will ask others if I can share some of their sketchnotes in future blog posts. If you use Sketchnotes, drop me a line!

INSIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF A CACTUS by Dusti Bowling

Middle school is hard enough, but imagine trying to make your way with no arms, or with debilitating Tourette’s Syndrome. Top that with moving to a new school in the middle of the desert. That’s the situation for Aven, an amazing girl who just happened to be born without arms and her friend , Connor, with uncontrollable tics. Together with their new friend Zion they form a friendship that helps them solve mysteries, take risks, and feel accepted. I just couldn’t put this book down! If you are looking for books that encourage empathy and compassion, that have strong characters who just happen to have disabilities, and want an engaging plot to pull in readers-you NEED this book in your classroom!

October 20th was the National Day on Writing sponsored by NCTE. As their website says, “Every October 20, NCTE celebrates the importance, joy, and evolution of writing through a tweetup, using the hashtag #WhyIWrite and events hosted by thousands of educators across the country.” The belief is that writing is critical to literacy, but also to our quality of life. Raising awareness and appreciation for the role that writing plays in our lives is the goal of this event. This year NCTE created a new page WHY I WRITE to spread the conversation.

Teachers at my schools posed the question, “Why do you write?” to their students and got wide ranging responses, many predictable, some unexpected.  A second grade student shared, “Writing calms me down.” demonstrating a benefit to writing that cannot be measured by assessments!

I saw countless  responses on Twitter with the hashtag #WhyIWrite that helped me appreciate writing even more than I already do. Some were humorous, many were passionate, all were personal.

This week I will be a featured speaker at the Literacy For All 2017 Conference in Providence, RI. One of my sessions will be Who Says We Don’t Have Time To Write? designed to encourage and support teacher writers. I know those in attendance will most likely be the choir I will “preach” to, but I hope they can bring back some inspiration to their colleagues to inspire them to be writing teachers.

One aspect I will be discussing is how writing can enhance our lives beyond the classroom:

I mean, who doesn’t want these benefits?

I will also offer a Padlet of resources they can reference and share with colleagues that can offer ideas, tips, and inspiration.

I want teachers to reflect on Why I Write beyond October 20th each year and appreciate the important role writing can play in our lives each day. I hope that other teachers will spread the love of writing to students, families, and colleagues as well.

What’s On My Book Radar

Happy Teachers Change the World by Thich Nhat Hanh and Katherine Weare

I have been building a practice of meditation and mindfulness the past few years and trying to bring that practice into my teaching and coaching. So I was thrilled when I saw my hero Thich Nhat Hanh and teachers from his Plum Village in France had authored a book with this very focus. Though I have just started it, I wanted to share this as a resource that could benefit every teacher. As their website says, “The instructions in Happy Teachers Change the World are offered as basic practices taught by Thich Nhat Hanh, followed by guidance from educators using these practices in their classrooms, with ample in-class interpretations, activities, tips, and instructions. Woven throughout are stories from members of the Plum Village community around the world who are applying these teachings in their own lives and educational contexts.” The practices start with ourselves and then extend to our students and classrooms in purposeful and mindful ways. If you are looking to bring more mindfulness into your life, this book could be the gift you deserve!

Working in schools I frequently hear comments like, “We don’t need to focus so much on narrative writing anymore.” or “We need to do more informational and argument writing.”  And while it is true that we want our students to become stronger writers of informational and persuasive pieces of writing I believe the best way to do that is by learning to craft a powerful story.

What’s On My Book Radar

It can be frustrating as a teacher to participate in professional development (PD) that you don’t perceive as meeting your needs. I’ve been there myself. I’ve come to realize that PD needs to be differentiated, the way instruction for our students needs to be differentiated. Schools cannot meet the needs of every teacher with the limited time and resources they have dedicated to professional learning. As a result, they need to focus on federal, state, district, or school based initiatives-some of which are mandates they have no control of.

So as educators, we need to find ways to take charge of our own PD. Since I have grown my PLN (Personal/Professional Learning Network) I have found so many more opportunities to do just that. Where in the past I might buy and read professional books for myself or wait to see what workshops would be coming to my area-I now have global networks of educators who are literally streaming PD into my life on a daily basis. I am continually inspired, challenged, and excited by the ideas and innovations of my colleagues and will never hunger for professional growth because of them.

Twitter

If you are reading this blog, there is a good chance you are already on Twitter and do not need convincing about how amazing this platform is for building a PLN and growing your PD.  But what about the colleagues in your school who are looking for opportunities to stretch and grow professionally?  It is often very difficult to explain how incredible Twitter can be when what they see is a president tweeting insults to others or Russians using it as active measures to disrupt democracy. Twitter is getting some bad press (and not entirely unjustly) but it remains one of the most powerful tools for bringing ideas and people together.  We need to show, not tell our colleagues how this can put the power of PD into their own hands. Start with

• Suggest some educators/authors  to follow  ACCOUNTS to FOLLOW
• Share some hashtags to follow  HASHTAGS for TEACHERS
• Share archives of a Twitter Chat  TWITTER CHATS FOR TEACHERS
• Help them participate in a Twitter Chat TWITTER CHAT SCHEDULE or HOW TO PARTICIPATE

INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK

Similar to Twitter, other social media platforms can also be a great vehicle for connecting with like-minded or content related educators.  We can easily get “lost” surfing through social media. It is important to follow people who will inspire you so you don’t get mired in drama and minutae if you want to use these as professional tools. Sometimes setting up separate personal and professional accounts can be helpful. Here are a few ideas to get started.

• 17 Best Teacher Instagrams
• 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagrams
• 8 Instagram Hacks for Teachers
• 7 Ways Innovative Teachers Use Instagram
• 14 Great Facebook Groups Every Teacher Should Know About
• 20 Excellent Educational Facebook Groups to Join

Voxer

This is one area I want to explore more this year.  This is a “walkie-talkie” app for smartphones. Many education chats, conferences and leadership teams now use a Voxer group to collaborate.

• Voxer 101
• Cybraryman’s Voxer Info
• Voxer Versatility

EDCamps

As great as virtual communities can be, there is nothing like connecting with passionate teachers in person.  EDcamps are springing up all across the country. These day-long, free professional development conferences are incredible. Last weekend I attended nErDcampNNE (Northern New England) here in Maine.  Not only did I get to learn from amazing kidlit authors and innovative teachers, I had the opportunity to share my own passion and expertise as I introduced a roomful of teachers to Sketchnoting. It was such an empowering experience for everyone. We created our own schedule of sessions from participant requests/suggestions. People stepped up to facilitate and share, then teachers could choose whatever they wanted to see-AND for those sessions they missed, they had access to the Google doc of notes and ideas

Micro Workshops

Even closer to home, is creating professional development opportunities from the wealth of expertise in our own schools.  This year in my district we have had several teachers share their knowledge in after school sessions and opened it up to teachers from other buildings (we have 4 elementary schools in my district).  One teacher shared tips for differentiating with English Language Learners (ELLs) in the regular classroom and another shared how to use ClassDojo to build community and increase communication. We have other teachers who want to learn about SMART boards and DonorsChoose so we will try to set up micro workshops on those topics. I have teachers who have set professional goals on writing, so I am offering a series of micro workshops with strategies from my Close Writing book.  I’d love to say we are paying teachers for this, but our budget doesn’t support it-so we are offering certification credits for those who attend, and extra ones for those who prepare and present. Talk about dedicated professionals!

My point in all of this, is that teachers no longer have to wait for professional development to come to them. They don’t have to bemoan the idea that district PD doesn’t meet their needs. They can be empowered to recognize their own needs and take charge of meeting them-and it can be a lot of fun!

What’s On My Book Radar?

Wish Tree by Katherine Applegate

I have been waiting for this book for months and I worried that after listening to all the hype, I would be disappointed. It’s hard to live up to the acclaim that this book got, but I am thrilled to say it exceeded any preconceived expectations I had! In the same way she created The One and Only Ivan as a beautiful story with a powerful message, she has crafted Wish Tree. Never preachy but truly edifying, Applegate allows us to confront hard truths in gentle ways. In this story, the Wish Tree “Red” has stood for 216 years observing the ever-changing neighborhood. For years  people have tied scraps of ribbon or paper inscribed with wishes on its trunk and branches. When a new family moves in and a young girl shares her wish, Red feels compelled to move beyond observer. I cannot describe how gorgeous this writing is-I savor each line and find myself slowing down to let the words linger. The message contained in those words is even more sublime given our current political and social climate. I cannot recommend this book enough. Truly elevated to one of my all-time favorite books.