Reading Teacher Writes

Sharing a love of literacy with fellow readers and writers

Tag Archives: educational conferences


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Slice of Life Tuesdays: Currently…

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Currently…

Watching “Royal Pains” season premiere, because after reading George (by Alex Gino), I became more intrigued by some differences between other humans and myself. Then, after listening to the incessant jabbering about Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner, it seems the media is obsessed  with the topic of transgenders. I just wanted to see how USA Network was using this media storm to gain viewers this summer.

Reading my syllabus/requirements for the EDU 517 Elective Workshop credits after attending the AWESOME All Write Institute last week in Warsaw. I will be blogging about the All Write sessions the rest of this week on my blog here at http://www.readingteacherwrites.com. Check in daily to share in my enthusiasm for continued learning about reading and writing!

Listening to my daughter laugh in the next room. She is so adorable! Even as a teenager, I feel that when she is happy, I can be happy, too.

Making dinner in the microwave. I did not stop today!

Planning to get some work done in this SHORT summer we have! Today I babysat my granddaughter (who is a pleasure), and I will see her again Thursday. Tonight I mowed the long grass. Tomorrow I will take the dog to be groomed — a long-past-needed chore! After that, we need to complete some odd/handyman jobs at home, and I HAVE to find time (when it’s not raining) to have a garage sale. I will take some more time for professional leaning at the ILA Conference in St. Louis next month. I cannot wait! Then it’s back to work (so soon?).

Loving that I do have some time off this summer to do these other tasks and activities, as well as get some rest.

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Slice of Life Tuesday: On NOT Attending the NCTE14 Conference

No, I wasn’t able to attend the NCTE Conference. Woe is me. (Aw, quit feeling sorry for me — I’m fine!) I am a life-long learner who loves to travel to educational conferences. “Weirdo.”  I know. But that’s what I like to do. Back in May, I asked my principal if I could attend two conferences this year. One event I really wanted to attend was the NCTE 14 Conference at the beautiful Gaylord Resort in National Harbor. I’ve never been to Washington, D.C. before. I was ready to see some new sights and take part in the best PD opportunity of the fall! She said, “You could do that one.” But when it came down to filling out the paperwork, life happened. Time, money, family obligations, just happened at the wrong time this year. (Don’t get me started on the year — 2014 will NOT be missed!)

I logged on to Facebook and Twitter and signed up for the mobile app for NCTE14, hoping that attending virtually would help me to get over the mental pain of staying home. I have to say, it was nice to stay home in my warm pajamas on Wednesday, getting up at my regular weekday time instead of 4:00 a.m. to catch a plane to D.C. It was cold and windy! However, the relief soon turned to anxiety as I heard friend after friend, author after author, role model after role model, land at the airport and start preparing for their presentations and dinners and fun! Oh, to miss out was torture!

I was home, though, attending to work and family. I did get to go out to dinner, see my nephew for his birthday, and relax for the weekend. I used social media for hours, reading about and “Tweeting” with those who were there. It was nice to hear how much learning soaked up in the minds of the participants. Everyone shared their stories and pictures. (Thank you!) Although jealously reared its ugly head, I was also excited to “see” and “hear” about the reunions of the great people I have admired from afar for many years. The “Slicer” dinner looked absolutely fabulous, and I was there in spirit. Many fellow Slicers commented to me and I felt welcome — even though I was only watching my iPad screen. “Next time,” I said.

“Story is the Landscape of Knowing.” My story starts and ends in Indiana, but stories are everywhere. My story is not new, nor is it significant in the overall scheme of things. One lesson I learned from the NCTE Conference this year is that NEXT TIME I will be a part of the landscape, paying my way if necessary. I KNOW that life is a journey, and I KNOW that my story will be told — as an insider — next year!

And since next year will NOT be 2014, nothing can stop me!

 

 

(To all those who shared with me via Facebook and Twitter, again I thank you for your generosity! I’m so glad you all had a great time at NCTE!)