Let's Talk Authentic

Today was the first day of the Illinois Reading Council conference.  I got to start my day in a hilarious yet thought provoking session with Jeff Anderson on informational and explanatory text.  Jeff started us out on our feet with a revised version of "Stronger" that had us smiling and nodding our heads.  Should I admit that I own every book Jeff referenced in is session except one, and I immediately bought that one through my phone?  I figure if Jeff says a book is good, then it probably is.

Next I saw a session for literacy coaches and all I can say is that I have some philosophical differences. I just kept thinking that I'd like to introduce the presenters to Teri Lesesne and her Unprogram.

Lunch with Jeff Anderson was, as expected, lovely save for the surly waiter who was in charge of our table.  He did not appreciate us asking for more ranch dressing.

After lunch I had the distinct pleasure of hearing Katherine Sokolowski and two of her Monticello colleagues talk about different apps and web 2.0 tools they have incorporated into literacy instruction in her school.  Though I knew about a few of them (Magic Wand canner and LiveScribe pen to name two), others were new to me.  I'm looking forward to trying them out over spring break.

Finally, I made my way to Trent Reedy's presentation where he talked about his time as a soldier in Afghanistan and how his experiences there inspired him to write Words in the Dust.  I can't say that Reedy is an especially polished public speaker, but honestly.... that's one of the things that made me like listening to him so much.  He was real.  His passion for his subject great.  The emotions he showed while speaking of what life was like in that small village in Afghanistan were raw.  At times, he seemed as if he was on the verge of tears... just as many of us in the audience were as we listened to him.  This is the second time I've seen  Reedy tell his story.  The first was at an Anderson's Books events shortly after Words in the Dust came out.  I was moved that day to buy and read the book, but I don't remember the delivery of the story being so emotional and on the edge of barely controlled anger in some places.

In the course of his story,  Reedy talked about how his wife sent him a copy of Katherine Patterson's Bridge to Terabithia and how he read it in one day.  I'm not sure I'll ever be able to forget the power of his voice as he told how he NEEDED that book.  THAT book on THAT day changed his life.  It's an important reminder to us as teachers and parents that we can't give up on putting those just-right-at-that-moment books into kids' hands.  We might never know when that book might be the thing that makes a difference in a child's life, that provides comfort in a time of pain or hope in a time of despair.  We might never know when a teenager makes a different choice than the one s/he originally planned, one that may even save a life.

I may be sick to death of the words "aligned to Common Core" and "close reading" and "text-dependent questions," but I can honestly say I'll never be sick to death of the power of a story to move me to tears.

Thank you, Trent Reedy, for sharing your story with me.

Road Trip!

Short post tonight as my friend and colleague Sarah and I are in Springfield for the Illinois Reading Council Conference.  We have just completed step one of our IRC ritual... going through the program and highlighting our preferred sessions for tomorrow.  I'm excited to see my friend Jeff Anderson first thing tomorrow morning!

I'll try to post highlights of the day tomorrow afternoon before we go to dinner, and of course, I'll be tweeting throughout the day.  Watch for #IRC13 updates!

Equal Time

So tonight was daughter #2's orchestra concert.  This is the beginning orchestra with over 150 beginning string players in it.  The kids have only been playing since late September, so the difference between last night's concert and this one is HUGE.  It's good, however, to regain perspective; to remember how far the older one has come and to have a picture of where the litte one may go.

Here's Abby all ready for her performance:

I'm very glad the concerts were Monday and Tuesday evening, because tomorrow after school my friend Sarah and I head to Springfield for the Illinois Reading Council Conference.  I so enjoy these 2.5 days where I can recharge my professional batteries.  When I come back to school next week, I'll begin putting my foot in next year, thinking about how I can be a better coach next year than I was this.  I'll have new ideas and thinking to share with my colleagues as well.

Lest you think tonight's concert was torture, here's a short clip of the Beginning Orchestra playing "Bile 'Em Cabbage Down."

Wowed!

Tonight's slice continues on the theme of my daughters.  This is not a surprise, given that so much of my life right now is being a mom.  This week marks the spring concert week for my district's orchestras.  Monday night:  Chamber Orchestra (the oldest kids) and the Cadet Orchestra (4th graders). Tuesday night:  String Orchestra (fifth & sixth graders) and Beginning Orchestra (3rd graders).  My daughters are in both ends of the spectrum.  Molly is in Chamber as a sixth grader - quite an honor, and something that has given her amazing confidence and has inspired her to practice more to keep up with the seventh and eighth graders.  My youngest is in Beginner... and she is very much a beginner, only playing since October.

I've been hearing the Chamber Orchestra play for our school assemblies for eighteen years, and I never cease to be amazed by the young musicians in my school.  Knowing that my kid is one of them is just icing on the cake.  Many people might cringe when they hear the words "junior high orchestra," but this one is NOT cringe-inducing.  They are pretty darn good!  Here's a small sample of Sabre Dance.
So yes.... I am a proud mama once again, and I can't wait to head back to that gym tomorrow night.

What a Great Way to Start a Week

This week, many of my friends from around the country converged on Grand Rapids, MI, for the Michigan Reading Association conference.  Because I'm going to be out of town next weekend for the Illinois conference, I didn't think it was fair to ask my husband to take on sole care of the girls for two weekends in a row.  I was incredibly jealous of all the tweets flying around about the amazing sessions and the fun socialization happening all weekend.

Even though I didn't get to go to the conference, I was lucky enough to have dinner tonight with my friends Jillian and Lea (and new friend Kim) as Jillian and Kim drove back to Wisconsin from their trip to Michigan with all of the rest.

We spent a pleasant hour and a half talking about future conference plans:  will we attend NCTE in Boston?  Will we submit proposals for Minneapolis in 2014?  Driving?  Flying?  ALAN after?  What about this summer?  What will you be doing?  ALA?  Jillian and Kim filled us in on all that we missed in Grand Rapids, and it was <almost> as good as being there (well, not really, but I'm going to pretent that it was).

The most amazing part of this conversation was that we talked almost NO books!  If you know us, then you know this is not usual for us. After all, what makes us friends is not just that we're all English teachers, but that we are all voracious readers of YA literature!  I guess that means we need to get together again soon to talk about our new favorite books.....

Who's in?

Proud Mama

My school (which is also my oldest daughter's school) has a tradition of offering social dancing lessons to sixth graders for a six week span each winter.  I live in an area where seventh grade is a big year for bar and bat mitzvahs, so this is good timing for teaching kids not only how to dance a waltz and a cha cha but also how to behave appropriately in a social setting.  The boys get spiffied up in ties and dress pants and the girls wear dresses and white gloves (so they don't have to worry about sweaty hands).

The last session is Parents' Night, and the kids' parents get dressed up and join in the fun.  We sit in the bleachers and watch the awkwardness unfold.  Trust me... a gym full of sixth graders being watched by their parents as they dance... that's the full on meaning of awkward.

This was my favorite part of the night:

Molly danced with her daddy.  She looks so grown up and poised.  I couldn't help but flash back to  this:

It's hard to see sometimes how much she's changed when I'm with her every day.  And it's more than just the outside.  She's growing into an amazing young woman.  She's kind and friendly.  She's smart and talented.  She has goals that she wants to achieve:  write a novel, become a third grade teacher.  I'm sure she'll reach them, too.

All I know is... the roughly 9 years between those two pictures passed by in a flash.  I'm sure the next 9 will, too.

Relief!

A month ago I took the Illinois certification test for my General Administrator license.  I've been on pins and needles ever since, waiting to get my results.  Historically, I have been a pretty good standardized test taker, but it's been over twenty years since I last took one.  I was fairly sure I had passed, but there were several questions on the test that I just didn't know the right answer for.

When I think about actually using this piece of paper I've been working toward for the past year, I am torn.  In one way, I think working in a district-level position as a curriculum coordinator or professional development coordinator would be an exciting move for me at this point in my career.  As a classroom teacher for almost 20 years, I've certainly seen my share of educational trends and buzzwords come and go, but I also grew in my professional knowledge and have learned what works for the learners in my classroom.  In my one year as a coach, I've been privileged to work with teachers in my building who want to grow as professionals. Both of these positions have provided me with a foundation on which to build as an administrator.

On the other hand, if I moved into an administrative position, I would be one step farther removed from the classroom.  I'm not sure how I feel about that at this point.

Of course, there's no law saying that I immediately have to seek employment as an administrator as soon as my licensure is complete.  I do, however, have a husband who would like to move to the historic area of Naperville, which would be too far to commute from Northbrook.....