NCTE Saturday Wrap-up

Today I join my fellow bloggers in "serving up a slice" 
to the Tuesday Slice of Life sponsored by

  Two Writing Teachers.

Saturday at NCTE was a marvelous experience filled with stories from writers, presenters, and slicers and capped off by a lovely dinner with slicer friends.  Feel free to scroll through quickly, the details are there to help me remember this red letter day.

1.  NCTE Author Strand - Stories of Reading:  Rethinking Instruction in a Digital Age - Franki Sibberson, Bill Blass, and Troy Hicks
Loved this session!  All of the presenters are currently writing books on this topic which should be published in time for next year's NCTE convention.  I felt that I knew Franki from blogging, and I've always heard great things about Troy.  I'm always a little leery of "digital sessions" because I get lost quite easily.  However, the deciding factor that landed me in this session was that it was in the same room where the TWTs team would present at 9:30, and I promised Kim that I'd save her a seat.  It was an incredible session!  Don't miss Troy's wikispace where he shares all his presentations from NCTE!

2.  Tools to Build a Culture of Writing Through Story - Anna Cockerille, Stacey Shubitz, Tara Smith, Betsy Hubbard, and Dana Murphy
What a delight to listen to our Two Writing Teachers team live (except for Beth)!  I feel that I already know these writers, even though Betsy is the only one that I had previously met in person.  Dana's presentation inspired me to think about family writing nights (a possibility for teaming with teachers from our three elementary schools).   I had the privilege of sharing this session with Kim, my new NCTE friend.  I'm looking forward to seeing her more at Tuesday Slice of Life.

3.  Poetry as a Dimension in the Landscape of Knowing - sponsored by the NCTE Committee on Excellence in Poetry for Children
Amy Ludwig Vanderwater was on this panel.  I enjoyed a quick chat, a hug, and asked her to autograph "Sheep's Whisper" in Lee Bennet Hopkins' new anthology, Manger, which I recently reviewed for Poetry Friday.
I didn't take any notes, just sat back and enjoyed a wonderful hour of poetry shared from the books on the 2014 Notable Poetry List.  Near the end of the session, I met Kevin Cordi, founder of the Poetry Box project and Joan Bransfield Graham (contributor to the box).  My students have always loved Flicker Flash.  Stop by Poetry for Children for a blog tour and the backstory for Joan's most recent book, The Poem That Will Not End.

I actually took a break for lunch and headed down to the exhibit hall where I was lucky to get the last two poetry books for a book signing with Laura Purdie Salas and Irene Latham.  I loved meeting and chatting with these rock stars of poetry,

Meeting writers was one of my favorite parts of the conference!  I even stopped Nancy Steineke as I passed her in the convention center to tell her how much I've used her book, Reading and Writing Together.  I sat behind Nancie Atwell in a session and couldn't resist tapping her on the back to tell her how grateful I am for In the Middle.  I love that both these teachers stayed in the classroom and shared their expertise with us through their books.  They were gracious and kind even though I'm just one of the thousands of teachers who have been influenced by their books.

4.  Middle Level Mosaic:  Stories from the Middle
As a long-time middle school teacher, I couldn't resist this lineup - Linda Rief, Teri Lesene, Donalyn Miller, Kylene Beers, and YA authors Alan Lawrence Sitomer, James Dashner, and Chris Crutcher.
It was a wonderful session of storytelling by each presenter.  I loved being nourished by story.

5.  Reading Poetry Across the Curriculum - Co-Chairs:  Janet Wong and Laura Purdie Salas
Janet and Laura led an energetic, poetry-filled session.  Even though it came at the end of a long day of workshops, I was energized by the poetry love that permeated this room.
I participated in two of the roundtables during this session:
Poetry and Art led by Paige Bentley-Flannery - She shared many hands-on activities and we were active participants.  It was great fun!
Poetry and Social Studies led by Sylvia Vardell - She shared picture books with links to social studies topics.   I was enthralled by Sylvia's tights with poetry printed on them.
And I closed my day by sharing this session with  Kim, my new friend from the First Timer's Breakfast.  I'm sad that we failed to take a picture together.  Next time, Kim!

Slicer Dinner!

I loved our dinner together.  Please forgive me if I asked for your name multiple times during the evening.  I'm definitely name challenged (a deficiency to which my students can attest) and need the visual prompt of seeing names as well as hearing them.  Often, I connect with you by the title and picture of your blog more than by your name.  The exchange of literacy gifts was fun.  I like how Stacey intentionally got us up and moving to a different part of the table for this event.  I received a beautiful handmade box (that folded flat for travel) with quotes about writing from a slicer who mistakenly stated that she's not crafty!  I'm so glad for the  pictures that have been shared from our evening together.  A big thank you to Stacey for all her efforts to organize this gathering!

And that's the end of my NCTE adventures.  I spent Sunday with my son and his wife before heading home on Monday.  Next time, I want to arrive earlier (that 3 hour time difference from west coast to east coast is challenging) and stay longer!  

Celebrate this week!

Join us each weekend for Celebrate this week with Ruth Ayres.  

 When we pause to celebrate, we find the joy.

A week filled with moments to celebrate and remember!

1.  A stop by the Stenhouse booth at NCTE

I jokingly told Chandra Lowe that I could open my own Stenhouse bookstore

as I circled the booth chanting, "Got it, got it, got it."  She replied that she knew I would succumb to the call of a new book.  She was right.  I purchased Poetry Mentor Texts, and Chandra shared her Trader Joe peanut butter cups with me.  

Perfect combo - book love and chocolate love.

2.  An expert packer and loan of a bag

My son Blake helped me pack my books so nothing would get bent

 and even let me borrow one of his Tom Bihn bags to haul my treasures home.  

3.  Bathroom art

No, not graffiti.

Our plane arrived in Seattle 45 minutes early!  

I discovered beautiful art outside the restroom near baggage claim  

and wondered where the rest of the collection was displayed. 

Apple

Blackberry

Canoe 

Yes, the rest of the alphabet was in the women's restroom

(still wondering it there's a set in the men's restroom too)!

4.  Bellevue Regional Library

I dropped my husband at the dentist and headed to the library where I found a pristine copy of Janet Wong's Minn and Jake at the Friends of the Library bookstore.  While I meandered around the library, I discovered the bookmark for You Choose the Next Newbery at KCLS.  I've already read Brown Girl Dreaming and The Meaning of Maggie.  I can't wait to read each of the titles chosen by KCLS children's librarians before the winner is announced in January.   Even though I'm retired, I'm hoping to lead an after school book club to explore these titles with students!

What other titles do you think 

are possibilities for the 2015 Newbery Award?

Brown Girl Dreaming
The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing
The Fourteenth Goldfish
The Meaning of Maggie
Rain, Reign
The Crossover
West of the Moon

5.  Continued fall color

Two trips in November...each time I was frightened

that all the leaves would be gone by the time I returned,
but I'm still enjoying brilliant displays.

6.  Writing by the light of the Christmas tree

A big thank you to Ryan and Lance for setting up the tree for me.

It's not decorated yet, but a lighted tree fills me with delight.

7.  SNOW!

Our Saturday sprinkling of snow in Seattle!

And I Love the Rain!

Welcome to Poetry Friday, a weekly celebration for poets and poetry lovers.  Be sure to get your taste of poetry love today at Carol's Corner.  Thanks, Carol, for hosting at this very busy time of year.

When we moved to the Northwest, I learned to embrace the rain.  I composed this haiku in celebration of the liquid jewels pattering our deck this morning.

Murmuring raindrops

Bare branches shimmer in puddles

Gentle refreshment

-Ramona Behnke

When I checked out books for the Poetry Box project last month, I rediscovered a favorite anthology, One Big Rain:  Poems for Rainy Days compiled by Rita Gray.  It celebrates rain through the seasons of the year and begins with autumn.  One of my favorite poems is "November Rain" by Maud E. Uschold.   She captures an image that I love in these lines from the poem:

"Trees and bushes, 

Nearly bare

Of leaves, now chains

Of raindrops wear

Along each twig."

You can read the entire poem in the book, One Big Rain:  Poems for Rainy Days.   Swing by Wild Rose Reader for Elaine Magliaro's excellent review and some of Elaine's rain poems.   

NCTE - Friday Wrap-Up!

Today I join my fellow bloggers in "serving up a slice" 
to the Tuesday Slice of Life sponsored by

  Two Writing Teachers.

I entered the massive hotel so early that the conference center was virtually empty.  There was no one around to direct me.  Since I'm directionally and map reading challenged, I looked for someone who might know where they were going.  I spotted two ladies and asked if they were attending NCTE.  They replied affirmatively.  I learned they were also planning to attend the First Timer's Breakfast.  I followed them.  Once we were seated at our table, I joined one of them to go downstairs to check in and pick up a name badge holder.  With my name prominently displayed around my neck, my new friend inquired, "Aren't you a slicer?"  It was Aileen Hower,  a fellow slicer.  Soon we were joined by another first time attender of NCTE, Kim Dooele.  We quickly found many points of  connection:  she completed the 31 Day Slicing Challenge in March, she posts to Poetry Friday, and she loves books and poetry as much as I do.  We spent our first two sessions of the day together and met up later in the day for another session together.

Here a few quick takeaways from my Friday sessions:

Literary Models and Mentor Texts to Teach the Craft of Writing

• Writers can borrow from a text in many ways:  writing topics, personal connections, characters, new plot lines, a character trait, language patterns, literary themes, genre elements, or author's style.
•  Ruth Calham - I reread books because I'm not finished learning from them yet.   It takes many reads to really get it.

Harnessing the Power of Narrative, Visual Art, and Lyrical Storytelling in Informational Books

• Jen Bryant - Research is a journey, a discovery, an adventure.  
• Personal note:  I recently discovered Bryant's Georgia's Bones, a new favorite. 
• Melissa Sweet - When I look at archival material, I'm looking for details and clues that become part of the design.  She showed us how Balloons Over Broadway is all about movement.
• Cynthia Grady - Research is an exploration of ideas that involves going from question to question, meandering and enjoying the process.  

Writing Teachers Write:  Journeys into Digital Composition

• I glanced across the room and spotted Tara Smith.  I immediately knew her, even though we had never met in person before. 
• I soon realized that this session was filled with fellow bloggers who may have been drawn to the session as I was by slicer presenters Cathy Mere and Julie Johnson.  I enjoy Cathy's poetry and posts.  Julie's post last February about the Poetry Box led me to contact Kevin Cordi and the opportunity to host the Poetry Box in October.  It was so fun to meet both of them.  

Knowing Stories:  How Published Authors and Student Writers Improve Their Craft through the Use of Mentor Texts

• Jeff Anderson - When we want to do something well, we study it.

The Lessons Poetry Teaches:  A Doorway into Writing

• Georgia Heard - Poetry can be the doorway for students to become fluent, competent writers.  
• Rebecca Kai Dotlich - Tools of the craft make up the playground of poetry.
• Paul Janeczko - Unless we read poetry, we will never have our hearts broken by language.

I wrapped up the day with a visit to the exhibit hall with Tara Smith where we luckily obtained copies of Fish in a Tree after one of the salespersons found a few extra copies in a cupboard.  I also discovered The Story Blanket, a delightful picture book at the Peachtree Booth.

Best Part of the Day:  Meeting and learning from authors. bloggers, and speakers

Worst Part of the Day:  Deciding which session to attend when you want to be three places at once

Posting Sunday night from DC

Join us each weekend for Celebrate this week with Ruth Ayres.  

 When we pause to celebrate, we find the joy.

A week filled with moments to celebrate and remember!

I'm glad that we can now post anytime during the weekend:

1.  I loved my first NCTE!

2.  It was delightful to meet friends that I know from the blogging world
and enjoy dinner with many slicer friends. 

3.  I had a fabulous time at Hotel Behnke complete with
my own chauffeur to and from the conference each day.

4.  I spent today with Stefi and Blake.  I attended my son  Blake's Sunday School class of 8 six and seven year olds (7 boys, 1 girl)!   We sang and danced to the Turkey Pokey.  I was amazed by student engagement as he taught via an iPad.  As they answered questions to reveal a picture of the risen Christ, my son quipped that the clouds reminded him of an impressionist painting.  One of the students replied that he had painted a Claude Monet. We also discussed whether you'll look like a zombie when you're resurrected (student initiated question)!

Shouting for Joy!

  "Welcome, Baby King of the Universe - 

    By your light I see..."

                                   "Mousesong"

                                   by Marilyn Nelson

Be sure to stop by Tapestry of Words for this week's taste of poetry love.  Thank you, Betsy, for hosting this week and for your delightful round-up poem!

This week I popped into Island Books to see if they had Manger, Lee Bennett Hopkins' new anthology of poems.  They didn't have it, but assured me they could get it in a day or two.  When it arrived yesterday, I got an email from the owner, instead of the usual phone call notifying me that the book was in.  I like to think that Roger stopped and read my copy when it arrived, and that he immediately ordered 25 copies for the store.  I'm tucking my copy into my bag for NCTE and hoping to get some autographs from poets at the convention.

If you're a crazy collector of Christmas books like me, then call your favorite indie bookstore and place your order.  I first learned about the book at Amy's Poetry Friday post in September.  The poems are written by the animals in celebration of the Savior's birth.  You'll fall in love with the lavish illustrations by Helen Cann.  You'll celebrate the birth of Christ with the animals and the poets.  You'll need to buy copies for all your friends!

A Baker's Dozen +1 or Avoidance Techniques 101

Today I join my fellow bloggers in "serving up a slice" 
to the Tuesday Slice of Life sponsored by

  Two Writing Teachers.

I'm a master at procrastination - read through this list to see what I'm avoiding:

 1.   Renew library books online.
 2.   Text my daughter - Does she want a gift subscription to Real Simple?
 3.   Write note to husband about Saturday's appt.
 4.   Post Sat. appt. on the calendar.
 5.   Text my brother - We're checking in daily about our exercise.
 6.   Grab a handful of chocolate chips from the top shelf in the pantry.
 7.   Order vitamins that I can't procure locally.
 8.   List the sections I need to write for tomorrow's meeting.
 9.   Clean the litter box.
10.  Bring in cat carrier from garage (so it won't be too cold for Ms. Hadley).
11.  Put a towel in the dryer so her carrier will be warm and cozy when we head to the vet.
12.  Phone Mary to confirm L's Sat. appt.
13.  Take the cat to the vet.
14.  Write my SOL.

Can you tell what I need to DO when I get back from the vet?

WRITE the sections for tomorrow's meeting.  And the purpose of the meeting?  My former principal  asked me to introduce slice of life to some of the 6th grade teachers!  So no more time for slicing, instead it's BIC (butt in chair) time.  I borrowed that acronym from Jane Yolen, but I know it's been around for awhile.

Day after tomorrow, I head to DC for my first NCTE convention.  Isn't it a shame that I never made it there while I was in the classroom?  I can't wait to bump into some of you and to attend some of your sessions!