This year I have the privilege of attending all four days of NCTE and two days of The ALAN Workshop. Up until now, I had always been a classroom teacher who had to pay her own registration and travel, take her only two personal days, and write sub plans. It was never easy or affordable to make the arrangements without support from my school, but I needed my people, people who also found worthwhile all the personal and financial costs to be in a big, shared space with teachers writing about teaching, talking about teaching, being vulnerable in opening their classroom to others, willing to learn, wanting to be challenged, inspired.
Not enough teachers have the means to make this happen. I know this, and I am glad NCTE offers one-day registration now. I wonder how many accepted proposals won’t be presented because teachers can’t make the trip. I know at least one. I wonder which cities and states are not represented at this conference, and I hope we can get NCTE conventions closer to them.
Now that I am employed by Oklahoma State University, I have support, and I feel so much better about being here. My institution expects and encourages me to present and network.
I share here my slides and handouts for anyone who can make it but wants a closer look and for those who can’t be in Baltimore. Email me, and I will happily chat with you about these sessions and others I attend.
Much gratitude to all the session chairs for offering me a seat at the table and for all the presenters who share their hearts and minds at NCTE and ALAN this year.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
A.02. Teaching Beyond Fear: Inquiry Around Gun Violence in the English Language Classroom, 9:30-10:45 a.m., Ballroom II
- Slideshow (roundtable)
B.14. Good Hope: Honoring Students’ Social-Emotional Needs and Neurodiversity in the Classroom, 11:00-12:15 p.m., 313
D.22. Nurturing and Sustaining Critical Educators: A Mentoring and Network Session, 2:30-3:45 p.m., 328
Friday, November 22, 2019
E.14. Images of Possibility: Teaching and Learning Toward Freedom, 9:30-10:45 a.m., 312 (Chair)
How ideas about inquiry and teaching intersect and inform the kinds of questions we ask in educational spaces. We ask not only why we do our work, but how we come to do our work in particular ways.
H.01.The Intersection of Literacy, Sport and Culture in Society, 2:00-3:15 p.m., Ballroom II, table 2
- The ALAN Review
- Slideshow (roundtable)
I.02. LGTBQ+ Spirited Inquiry in ELA: Lily and Dunkin’: Book Groups and Safe Spaces to Question and Queer Junior High Curriculum, 3:30-4:45, Ballroom IV, table 7
Flyer (roundtable)
Saturday, November 23, 2019
J.10. Unsettling Education: Searching for Ethical Footing in a Time of Reform, 8:00-9:15 am, 309
- Minimizing Grades in ELA Slideshow (roundtable)
N.01. Join us for this special session led by junior high students with 8 roundtable discussions about teaching English language arts with students leading the way. Meet authors Padma Venkatraman, Lauren Wolk, and Jennifer Jacobson. 4:15-5:30 p.m., Ballroom II
- Program Description
- Slideshow
- Link to session slides and handouts.
Sunday, November 24, 2019
O.44.Conferring: The Heart and Art of Writers’ Workshop, with authors Jennifer Jacobson and Padma Venkatraman, 9:00-10:15 am, 346
Looking forward to seeing you, Sarah. From 2009-2018 I had good support from my public school admin in Idaho. The first year they supported me w/ $500.00. Last year eight teachers from my school and three district writing coaches were fully funded. It was amazing. This is my first year paying my way, but that’s because of retirement. My district also funded my attendance at CATE last year and the year before. I wish all teachers had the support I enjoyed for a decade.