The 2016 NCTE Conference was a great experience. I mention quite a few people in this post. Some of them I know and others I don't. I have tried to link to their professional spaces if I could find them. It would be nice, if you know any of the people mentioned, if you would send this post along to them through Facebook or email.
There were so many great sessions at NCTE 2016. I can't begin cover them all, but I can try to hit some personal highlights.
On Friday (11.18.16), it was a pleasure to present with Michael Moore, Lisa Sheriff, Gretchen Rumohr-Voskuil, and Fawn Canady. We all briefly described a text we would use to start the school year. By doing this, we hoped to offer some rationales that might help teacher think in new ways about their choices. We were fortunate to have Alan Sitomer has our discussant. He smoothly made sense of our question: What text would you choose to start the school year? Stay tuned, maybe there is an article in the making.
On Friday (11.18.16), it was a pleasure to present with Michael Moore, Lisa Sheriff, Gretchen Rumohr-Voskuil, and Fawn Canady. We all briefly described a text we would use to start the school year. By doing this, we hoped to offer some rationales that might help teacher think in new ways about their choices. We were fortunate to have Alan Sitomer has our discussant. He smoothly made sense of our question: What text would you choose to start the school year? Stay tuned, maybe there is an article in the making.
In addition, on Saturday morning, I heard some fine conversations about the state of research around YA literature. How do we teach it? How do we classify it? How are we tracking the work that we do? One of those sessions was G.05 Complicating Youth, Literacy, Gender, and Race through the Study of Young Adult Literature in English Teacher Education. This panel included Carlin Borsheim-Black, Amanda Haertling Thein, Sophia Sarigianides, and Mark Sulzer. The discussant, Rob Petrone, adeptly summed up the presentations. That time slot was an embarrassment of riches for YA enthusiasts. While listening to them, I was missing G.01 The intersection of Literacy, Sport, Culture and Society that include an abundance of YA linked discussions. To see the list of most of the presenters in this session check out the table of contents of the new NCTE publication edited by Alan Brown and Luke Rodesiler, Developing Contemporary Literacies through Sports. G.40 Culturally Diverse Young Adult Literature: Voices of Advocacy and Community featuring Kekla Magoon and Meg Medina. Who would want to hear them? Included in this round table were a host of YA scholars and advocates: Steffany Comfort Maher, Emily Wender, Ricki Ginsberg, Emily Pendergrass, Judith Hayn, Sean Connors, Alice Hays, Jody Polleck, Lisa Hazlett, Amme Marie Smith, Melanie Hundley, Stacey Reece, Dawn Jacobs Martin, Kelly Bull, Kathryn Kelly, Katie Sluiter, Shannon Mortimore-Smith, Wendy Glenn, Grechen Rumohr-Voskuil, Travis Reyes, Shelly Shaffer, Terri Suico, William Williams, and Allison Varnes. Many of these folks I know. Conversations with them is one of the primary reasons I come to NCTE and the ALAN Workshop. The others I want to know and talk with. At the same time, you could have gone to G. 48 Developing Reading Identity: When I was Your Age Ari Zeiger, Karin Perry, and Sarah Debacher. Unfortunately, their chair, Teri Lesesne was able to attend this year. (A notable gap in the conference for all of us.)
By looking at a single block of time, it easy to see that you can't do everything. You have to make choices that are difficult. This doesn't even begin to look at session during the same time that looked at writing (G.12), social justice in English Education (G.09), with a shout out to one of the Co-Chairs: Jennifer King a mentee, whom I missed talking with during the conference), digital engagement (G. 03, G.06, G.17), student voice, the NCTE Research Awards Session (G.02 where there needs to be a shout out to my colleague Denise Davila), a tribute to Arthur Applebee (G.08), including parents in literacy (G.11), autism awareness (G.13) and so many more worthwhile and informative session.
This close look at one block of sessions makes me think about planning now for next year. It also reminds us to make connections and keep in touch. We can work alone, form partnerships, and engage as communities while we move forward to advocate for literacy.
By looking at a single block of time, it easy to see that you can't do everything. You have to make choices that are difficult. This doesn't even begin to look at session during the same time that looked at writing (G.12), social justice in English Education (G.09), with a shout out to one of the Co-Chairs: Jennifer King a mentee, whom I missed talking with during the conference), digital engagement (G. 03, G.06, G.17), student voice, the NCTE Research Awards Session (G.02 where there needs to be a shout out to my colleague Denise Davila), a tribute to Arthur Applebee (G.08), including parents in literacy (G.11), autism awareness (G.13) and so many more worthwhile and informative session.
This close look at one block of sessions makes me think about planning now for next year. It also reminds us to make connections and keep in touch. We can work alone, form partnerships, and engage as communities while we move forward to advocate for literacy.
The pictures above help me point to a few more important memories.
In a middle level session on Thursday evening, I heard Rich and Sandra Neil Wallace and Antero Garcia and Laurie Halse Anderson discuss the history of social justice history and what we can do today. Donalyn Miller and Colby Sharp continue to promote ready with the Nerdy Book Club. Matt Skillen lead an interview with Ta-Nishi Coates that helped us all think the current state of race relationships. I heard an optimistic opening speech from David Hesse. I listened carefully as Jo Knowles, Ellen Hopkins, Meg Medina, and Laurie Halse Anderson discuss the issues of censorship. Under Joan Kaywell's guiding questions they discussed some important reason why our students need these books in their lives. I was able to meet face to face with a writer, a teacher, and a blog contributor--Marquin Parks. I have known for a long time that kids don't care what you know until they know how much you care. I was reminded by Jason Reynolds, Adrian Folgin, and Matt de la Pena about the power of our direct and unflinching attempts to "love" students and others. To understand how we must communicate with them, even if they are resistant. I wish I could have recorded their kind and motivating words.
In a middle level session on Thursday evening, I heard Rich and Sandra Neil Wallace and Antero Garcia and Laurie Halse Anderson discuss the history of social justice history and what we can do today. Donalyn Miller and Colby Sharp continue to promote ready with the Nerdy Book Club. Matt Skillen lead an interview with Ta-Nishi Coates that helped us all think the current state of race relationships. I heard an optimistic opening speech from David Hesse. I listened carefully as Jo Knowles, Ellen Hopkins, Meg Medina, and Laurie Halse Anderson discuss the issues of censorship. Under Joan Kaywell's guiding questions they discussed some important reason why our students need these books in their lives. I was able to meet face to face with a writer, a teacher, and a blog contributor--Marquin Parks. I have known for a long time that kids don't care what you know until they know how much you care. I was reminded by Jason Reynolds, Adrian Folgin, and Matt de la Pena about the power of our direct and unflinching attempts to "love" students and others. To understand how we must communicate with them, even if they are resistant. I wish I could have recorded their kind and motivating words.
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