Progress. My One Little Word for 2017 served me well. My goals to get the house in order, to present more professional development at school, and to travel to my favorite places all got the “Check” off the list. As I said in January, “That’s me this year — ‘in progress.'”
Highlights included clearing clutter and completing maintenance in the house. Each month gave me a different task and celebration.We had 3 successful garage/yard sales and kept up with the yard using our new sprinkler system. Because the driveway took away part the hill from our side yard, mowing the grass was easier. I even organized the storage closet in November while looking for Christmas decorations.
I gained confidence as a presenter at my school with some interesting literacy professional development, and I even booked my first “gig” out-of-town as a presenter for reading workshop. I love sharing my learning with others. I hope to present much more in the coming year and beyond. My sixth grade students engaged in a Mock Caldecott unit of study, and we read a lot of books and wrote for many purposes. I wrote much more (well, not recently) and I was proud of my book reviews and guest blog posts (I’ll have another guest post tomorrow, in fact. Check out www.teachmentortexts.com). And…I landed my dream job as a librarian! That was the best part of 2017. 
I ran around nearby cities to promote Kwame Alexander’s book, SOLO (he wrote with Mary Rand Hess). I was selected to be on his Solo Launch Team, which was Absolutely Amazing! Although I missed the big party in New York City, I had a great time, and the book is awesome. Read it! (By the way, REBOUND — a companion to THE CROSSOVER — will be out next year. Put that book on your list, too.)
My husband and I enjoyed a relaxing spring break in Florida, and I also traveled to Warsaw for All Write Institute, Chicago for the Scholastic Reading Summit, Michigan for NerdCampMI, and St. Louis for NCTE’s Annual Convention (where I reunited with my #G2great friends). Wow! What a year. I will keep up that same travel schedule in 2018, and hopefully add some more states to my “visited” list.
What a year of progress! I wonder…what should my One Little Word be for 2018?
Reading Teacher Writes 
December 19, 2017 at 11:07 PM
Congrats on booking your first out of town gig about reading workshop. Those will be some lucky teachers!
December 20, 2017 at 3:09 PM
Thank you! I appreciate the comments.
December 20, 2017 at 1:10 AM
That is wonderful about getting your dream job! Very cool. My word was impact for 2017, and it really made an impact on me. I enjoyed reading your reflection.
December 22, 2017 at 12:49 PM
Your word has served you well. Getting a dream job is amazing. I hope your new word will appear when you know what you need.