Celebrating NCTE and More

Well, that was an unplanned break! I hadn't planned on taking two weeks off, but during the NCTE/ Thanksgiving season, these things happen. That makes me especially grateful to join Ruth Ayres and her celebration community today. You can find Ruth's blog and more celebrations linked up HERE. 

This week I am celebrating...

NCTE
My friend, Donalyn, calls NCTE "plaque removal." Many friends remarked that they wouldn't be teaching anymore without this conference. I think both comments are a testament to the power of this conference. I travel to NCTE and am immediately surrounded by friends who are as passionate about teaching as me. I am beyond grateful for a district and husband who support me attending this conference each year. What a blessing it is to listen to so many presenters and friends inspire me and want me to return to the classroom that minute and teach? A powerful experience. 

A photo for my students with Melissa.
Our classes have connected this year from Maine to Illinois. 

Authors
I love that so many authors attend NCTE. I imagine writing to be a lonely job at times. Being able to share the impact their writing has had on my students (and myself) is important to me. To me, authors are part of a partnership with teachers and librarians. We work together to hook children into reading. Getting to know authors, hearing their stories, gives me an added conversation to share with students. I was grateful to celebrate books, authors, illustrators, and publishers with my students when I returned from NCTE. We did some "speed dating" with many of the ARCs I brought back. To see the excitement in the room while the kids previewed books was exhilarating. 

My students are crazy over Phil Bildner's A Whole New Ballgame.

Nerdy Book Club
I've long been a member of the Nerdy Book Club, even before there was a club. I think anyone who grew up as I did with an addiction to books was too. I love that Donalyn Miller and Colby Sharp took this concept of loving books and created a blog. Along with those two and Cindy Minnich, I now help run that blog by scheduling posts. It is a great resource. But NCTE each year reminds me that Nerdy is more than a blog, it is this entire community that we are a part of. Presenting with the Nerdy panel this year was powerful. My students know that presenting stresses me out, but this one didn't. I felt good about it. Attending the Nerdy party on Saturday made me smile. All of these teachers, authors, illustrators, publishers, etc gathered together - what an amazing community! Long live Nerdy! 

Our fabulous Nerdy Book Club panel for NCTE.

My Students
Man alive, my students rock. I've known this, of course, but traveling away from them reinforced it. I created a Padlet for them to comment on, if they wanted, when I was gone. For my part, I promised to add photos. Many had never been on a plane, so I said I'd take a photo out of the window. I also promised I'd take a photo with some authors for them and post them there. I had no idea that it would be my students posting comment to me that would move me to tears. They knew that flying and presenting made me nervous and felt compelled to write me notes. Such cool kids. I think I will set up a Padlet for us to communicate over Christmas break as well. It was an awesome experience. 

Created with Padlet

Family
NCTE takes me away from not only my students, but my amazing family. I am grateful they understand why I feel compelled to go to these conferences and not only tell me to go, but encourage it. That also makes coming home all the sweeter. Spending time together this week over Thanksgiving break is a blessing I don't take lightly. My boys are growing far too fast, Chris and I try to step back and simply enjoy it on a regular basis. 

Hoping you all had a wonderful week! 

Celebrate This Week - Ireland

I love that Ruth invites us to celebrate each week. That chance to reflect and find the moments worth celebrating centers me, even when I forget to blog about it. Check out her blog HERE for more celebrations linked up at the bottom.

I’m back! We returned from eleven amazing days in Ireland, pulling into our driveway late Thursday night. While my eyes are still bleary from a bit of jet lag, and I am feeling very behind at home, I still wanted to take a moment to join Ruth in celebrating this week. I have so many reasons to celebrate…

Family

I haven’t lived at home for over twenty years. My sister, brother, and I haven’t lived in the same house for such a long time. This is just one reason I was so excited for this trip. For two weeks I would live with my first family again. I’d see my parents when I went to bed, when I woke up. I’d talk to my siblings over every meal. As an added bonus, I would get to know the rest of my family – in-laws and nieces – even better. It was wonderful.

Mindset

We stayed in three different towns in Ireland, for three to four days each. One thing that really struck me was the relaxed attitude. The Irish people that we encountered weren’t fazed by much. Whether it was waiting in line, finding a parking spot (and holy moly, they have some crazy parking and driving), or anything else – they were relaxed. They seemed to take everything in stride and not give too much of their attention to anything that really didn’t matter.

What did matter? Time with friends and family, laughter, and Guinness. J I will keep this at the forefront of my mind.

Community

I am reminded constantly that our community is what we create. I have a fabulous one in my tiny town in Monticello. I also have an amazing one online. Friends in both communities knew how stressed I was about flying. They reached out and sent me text messages, emails, and kind notes checking in on me. I appreciated that more than I can say.

Returning home, I felt a bit of #FOMO (Fear of Missing Out – thanks Kristin and Franki!). Many of my friends were attending International Literacy Association in St. Louis. I had originally decided to go and then sometime last year reconsidered. I knew I’d be exhausted coming off of my trip. So while I’m sad I’m not there, I’m grateful for Twitter where I can read wonderful tweets sharing the learning from so many friends’ sessions. It helps lessen the #FOMO just a bit.

Beauty

It’s no secret, I love sunrises and sunsets. My entire family knows this, and my students do too. I would say I get at least one email or text of an amazing sunrise or sunset photo a week, many from former students who saw it and thought of me. I tell everyone that I love them because they remind me of how beautiful our world is on a daily basis. Visiting Ireland was to be surrounded by beauty – all day long. Looking out my bedroom window in every house, I was struck by how blessed I was. I am so grateful I had that experience.

I’m glad to celebrate the past two weeks, and also grateful to celebrate everything there is to come. The final part of summer stretches out in front of me. I cannot wait to see what is in store.

Celebrate This Week - Celebrating Endings

I love Ruth’s reminders to celebrate each week on her blog (HERE). 

Tuesday will wrap-up my fifteenth year teaching in Monticello. Saying good-bye never gets easier. Never. Each year I look at that beautiful sea of faces staring up at me – most excited to begin their summer, some a bit apprehensive about leaving what is known – and I get choked up. Five years ago that sea of faces expanded. No longer was I self-contained and sharing my year with 25 or so students, but my circle expanded to three of the five fifth grade classrooms and 75+ children each year.

It is hard to say goodbye.

Friday was our last day switching for subjects for the year. Monday will see my students helping to close up our room, pack away their supplies, and a chance to learn from a speaker. Tuesday we will have our “field day” will all sorts of events for the kids to play on. So Friday was it.

I began the class the way I always do on our last day, reflecting on our reading for the year, taking photos with each child sharing how many books they read during our time together. The room was filled with laughter and chatter. Kids shared titles, exclaimed over how much they had read. We had a long discussion before beginning regarding these “numbers” – how there was no competition. 12 books were celebrated as much as 200. The students were fascinated on the total amount the entire classroom read and cannot wait to find out how much our three rooms read once my class does this activity on Monday. And with the last photo taken, it was time to read.

I read aloud every single day to my students. Often it is a picture book. Occasionally it is a chapter book. With our condensed class time, those books are often saved for the homerooms. Sometimes it is an article or the back of the book for a book talk. Today would be our last read aloud time together.

The students moved into the position they knew well after our time together. Circled up at the carpet, they smiled. I told them it would be a new book; I have never read it to a classroom before. When I shared the title, author, and illustrator, murmurs of recognition flooded the room. They knew this pair’s work with previous picture books we have shared. And then, I read.

As I read, my brain kept jumping ahead. I was thinking things like:

I’ve totally got this. In control, no problem.

I wonder if they understood that metaphor?

Love this one, so powerful.

Oh no, sadness creeping into my heart, no. Still will see them before Tuesday. I’ve got this.

And then, all too soon, I reached the last two pages. The impact of the book and the finality of this time hit me like a ton of bricks. I knew the cry was coming. A sob escaped my lips before I could stop it. I looked up at their faces and saw watery eyes staring back.

Not helping.

I finished and put the book on my lap. Deep breath.

I stood and started to talk. I tried to tell them how much it meant to be their teacher. How I will love them forever and will always be here if they need me. Why I fought so hard to make reading and writing a part of their life.

I don’t know if they heard me. Tears were streaming and I couldn’t hold them back.

I finally surrendered to it and told them they were welcome to read for the last few minutes, that I needed to have a moment. I turned to get a tissue and was surrounded with arms. Student after student came to give me a hug. Words were whispered. I heard more than once, “I don’t want to go.”

Teaching is so powerful; sometimes we forget the impact we can make. In the day-to-day part of our job, we are juggling so many balls; we’re just trying to keep them from falling. Friday morning I got that awesome reminder that what we do matters. It really does.  There is nowhere I would rather be.

For the record, I made it through the second class with minimal tears. I was prepared.

I make no promises on reading this book to my homeroom on our last day. I think I should probably stock up on the tissues now.

And, should you want to have your own emotional meltdown, go check out the book that caused the ugly cry. You will be glad you did. 

Celebrate This Week - Holding On To What's Important

I read Ruth's post this morning (HERE) and paused. I loved it, I really did. I had a conversation about failure with a friend recently. I don't consider failure a negative, I really don't. My failures are what I learn the most from. While sometimes they can feel like set backs, I think they are critical for growth. And this year has been full of them. 

Looking at Ruth's post, I thought of my own writing life. It has been a mess. Last year about this time I was pretty set on writing a book for teachers. I was blogging regularly. I had absolutely written more for Choice Literacy than I have this year. So what happened? 

I still love writing, but I have learned that I tend to go all in on one area of my life, and it leaves me lacking in other areas. If I am tweeting a lot and keeping up with my PLN, I'm neglecting reading. If I'm reading a lot, I'm not writing. And so on. So this school year I have worked a lot on balance. 

It began in August. After writing about 15,000 words towards a professional book, I felt like I had lost my footing. I wasn't sure what direction I was taking, but I didn't like it. Then a friend's health made me reevaluate. When I was writing, I was writing a lot. I wasn't present in my life. I began to pull back. 

When I paused, a new mindset fell into place. A book might come one day, but not today. This blog will be posted to on a less regular basis. I tweet less. I have written fewer articles. I've read a lot, but not as much as before. 

And yet, I have gained so much. I've been with my boys more. I've began to exercise regularly. I work to spend more time with people around me. To really enjoy the life I am living. 

I've lost some important people this year, and so have many in my community. The saying at the top of this post is one I now cherish. Some attribute it to Buddha, some say it is a Buddhist saying, but I really don't care where it came from. It is what I am trying so hard to live. I doubt I will care if I wrote that book when I reach the end. I'm sure the number of books that I read won't cross my mind. But those I love will. The way I lived my life will matter. And that is what I will place at the center. Everything else can fall in around that. 

As I finish this school year I realize that I'm not where I thought I would be at this time last year. Technically, I failed, and yet I have learned more about myself than I ever thought I could. What a gift it has been. 

Celebrate This Week - Christmas Break

I’m joining up with Ruth Ayres for her weekly link-up, Celebrate This Week. Check out all of the posts linked up at her blog HERE. Thanks for starting this, Ruth!

This is an easy week to celebrate. Parties at school, Christmas break, time with family - what's not to celebrate? I stayed late every day this week at school, and worked when I got home, so I could have my grading done and grades posted when I left. At home, gifts are purchased and presents are wrapped. We are ready for two weeks of relaxation and time together. I cannot wait.

ONE
I love celebrating with my fifth graders. They are so excited to give me gifts - and seem to know me pretty well. I got lots of items I could enjoy while reading: warm blankets, beautifully smelling candles, chocolate, hot chocolate, etc. There were beautiful scarves, mugs, gift cards to head out and eat (and not cook!) I also had several items with the Starbucks logo featured prominently, including all of these gift cards. I cannot possibly thank my students and their families enough. They make my job so much easier.

TWO
I think hard about what book I give my homeroom class, this year it was easy. With the sequel coming out in April, Rump seemed like the perfect gift to give. All of my three classes got the bookmark celebrating the brilliant Brown Girl Dreaming. I hope they might enjoy a little reading time over break.

THREE
We had our snacks and drinks in the classroom yesterday while watching my favorite Christmas movie of all time - Christmas Eve on Sesame Street. This came out in 1978 when I was four. My family used to watch it every year on PBS. When I moved out as a young adult, I purchased it as a video, replacing it with a DVD as technology changed. My own family has it as required viewing beginning on Thanksgiving night. Each year for the last few years I share it with my students. The simple storyline centers around friendship and kindness. While the kids usually look at me skeptically when I pull out Sesame Street, they laugh and smile as they watch the video. I love sharing this favorite with them.

FOUR
I am celebrating by beginning my holiday #bookaday as soon as I post this blog. I'm going to make some tea and curl up with The Lost Track of Time by Paige Britt. Perfect start to my Saturday.

FIVE
Finally, please enjoy this video from my students and me. Happy Holidays! 

Celebrate This Week - Twenty-seven Days

Twenty-seven days.

Relationships have begun.

Learning who we will share our year with.

Likes, dislikes.

Fears, dreams.

Assessment,

So. Much. Assessment.

Recorded and administered.

Conferring notes poured over.

Twenty-seven days

Doesn’t seem like that much.

Until you look back,

And realize how far you have come.

My mind reaches back,

Thinking of those students

Who have just moved on.
Comparing, worrying.

Looking over the writing

For this new group of seventy-five,

Soon to be seventy-six.

And my heartbeat speeds up.

Run-on sentences,

Capitalization and spelling errors.

Confusion on a narrative versus an essay.

Mini-lessons failing to be applied.

And then,

You breathe.

This is where we are.

We’ve already come so far.

It just takes time.

After all, it has only been,

Twenty-seven days.

I’m joining up with Ruth Ayres for her weekly link-up, Celebrate This Week. Check out all of the posts linked up at her blog HERE. Thanks for starting this, Ruth!

Celebrating My Students

I’m joining up with Ruth Ayres for her weekly link-up, Celebrate This Week. Check out all of the posts linked up at her blog HERE. Thanks for starting this, Ruth!

Do you ever have one of those days that you realize just how completely blessed you are? That you are grateful for every single thing? I’ve had a weekend like that filled with football games, flag football, and a town celebration. It is, indeed, reason to celebrate.

I could celebrate the celebrity that comes with being a teacher. Hearing your name screamed and being rushed at while someone throws their arms around you is a pretty awesome feeling. My former students that are in high school are a bit more subdued, but I still love seeing them. Watching these kids grow, I feel such a sense of pride and gratitude for getting to be even a small part of their lives.

I could celebrate the game. What a game! I love high school football. I love the sense of community. The feeling of screaming and jumping up and down for heart pumping plays. I could celebrate the joy of jumping and cheering in the end zone with friends I have known since I was young. I could celebrate an incredible win, 58-55, which is amazing all by itself.

I could celebrate our high school’s flag football program, which is new this year. How Liam loves going and looks forward to it more than anything else in his week. When I woke him today all I had to say was, “Flag football,” and he cheered and hopped out of bed.

I could celebrate my community. I volunteered to work in two booths at our town celebration today. In one I spoke to community members about our referendum coming up. Every interaction was positive. I received hugs from parents of former students. Spoke to friends from town. Received compliments and encouragement – both of which I was so grateful for and will pay forward.

I could celebrate the chance to visit with students – former and current. Whether it was at the game last night, walking with a football player this morning to ask about his injury, hugs on the square today, book conversations, or the former student who walked me home from the town celebration in the rain, I love each and every one of them. What a gift they give me every day.

So many celebrations, I cannot even comprehend how truly blessed I am. Walking in the door to my home, I smiled. I was drenched from the rain, exhausted from the day, but Liam greeted me at the door. He had to show me the whistle he had won uptown at the celebration. He’s been asking me to borrow my whistle from school all week, and I haven’t been able to figure out why. Looking at Liam, it finally made sense. See, the reason he wants to go to flag football has a lot to do with these guys:

Nate and Clay are two of my former students. The high school team volunteers as the coaches of the flag football teams. Nate and Clay are Liam’s coaches and it is an understatement to say he idolizes them just a bit. Every play of that game last night, he watched them. He wanted to get there early today to see them. And when they walk around coaching, want to guess what they have hanging in their mouths? Yep, a whistle. So now I have a nine year old walking around our house with a whistle.

As a teacher, I work hard to make sure my students know I care about them. Before I begin to worry about the standards I teach, I am always thinking about how I can strengthen our relationship to make it one that will last for our year and beyond. I constantly try and teach my students not only our curriculum, but also how to be people they can be proud of. It never dawned on me - until today - that those kids I was working with would be teens that my own children would look up to. Wow. I am beyond grateful for former students who are willing to be role models to my own children. My heart is filled with gratitude and love.