Thursday, May 7

Today was the last day of the convention. The day started with a big session - I think they called it the "closing session" or something like that. It was in a huge room, and there lots of people there. The president of the International Reading Association did a little speaking, thanked some board members who were completing their term of service, and introduced the new president, Dr. Kathryn Au, from Hawaii. I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Au a couple of years ago, and she was as impressive this morning as I remember her being. She spoke of her experiences in education, her family, and the plans for next year's conference in Chicago!

The main speaker this morning was Dr. Ben Carson. Dr. Carson is the head of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins. Let me explain - he is a medical doctor whose specialty is brain surgery on kids, and he is the main doctor for that at one of the leading hospitals in the world. One thing he is famous for is doing a surgery to separate conjoined (or Siamese) twins who were joined at the top of the head. When he talked about that surgery, he said it took more than 28 hours. More than 1 whole day! But the twins lived and are now finishing sixth grade. Wow! Dr. Carson did talk some about his job, and the two books he has written, but mostly, he talked about his childhood. He did not have an easy childhood. He lived in a very poor area of a very big city. His mom didn't know how to read (although he didn't know that at the time) and they did not have an easy life. However, his mother would not allow him to make excuses and be "stupid." She required him to take responsibility for his actions, and wanted him to be the best he could be. To help him do that, she would not allow him to watch very much television, and required him and his brother to read two books a week from the library and hand in written book reports. (Hmm...maybe I should start making you guys do that. What do you thin LOL!) Dr. Carson became a curious person and decided he wanted to know about lots of things. He learned, on his own, about classical music, literature, and art. He studied just because he wanted to know more. Little did he know, when he was learning those things, that the knowledge of art and music would help him get into a special program that allowed him to learn to be a neurosurgeon! Dr. Carson was very impressive, and I think I'm going to have to buy his books and read them! (I also think I'll watch the Hallmark movie about him - Gifted Hands - when it comes on TV again.)

After the closing session, I went to a session about "inquiry groups" - kind of like small group research. The presenters were Stephanie Harvey and Harvey Daniels, and they jokingly called themselves "Harvey-squared." Theirs is another book I'm going to have to buy and read! I have a lot of studying to do this summer!

Last, I went to a symposium about a "book of the month" club that one school does. At that school, each month the whole school reads a different book and responds to it. They don't do it all at the same time - each class works on it at different times. I really like that idea, and think I'll do that with my class next year, and maybe I'll see about partnering with other classes, too. This year, the school worked to respond to the books using technology tools. They used things like voicethread, glogster, and google docs. Using tools like those, I think you could even do this kind of project with classes at different schools. My thoughts are kind of whirling with possibilities!

Wednesday, May 6

Well, it was another long, but good, day at the convention! It is after 11:00, so you're not going to get much from me tonight, I'm afraid. Tomorrow, I'll be back at the hotel earlier, though, so I'll be able to give you more description then!

Here are the highlights:

*A really nice breakfast put on by Pearson (an education company) to celebrate and kick off the "2009 Jumpstart's Read for the Record." This program is designed to celebrate reading and encourage people to read to preschoolers. This year's book is The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, and they gave each one of us a copy of the book! Thank you Pearson!

*A couple of really good sessions about using technology in the classroom. I got some ideas that I think might work for next year, and some websites I need to check out. There were a couple I think you guys might like.

*Another session about how teachers can best help kids with reading.

*A last visit to the exhibit hall. Today was the last day for the exhibitors to be selling things, so I went and bought some things for our classroom (I'll show you those when I get home!) and a few more books. The books were on sale, which was exciting, and a nice excuse to buy a few more.

*A yummy dinner at a local diner.

*The poetry olio (pronounced o-lee-o), which included poetry performances by several poets, including Brod Bagert (we have some of his books in our classroom library). It was a lot of fun! (And I got a free book there, too!)

Tuesday, May 5

**This is a post from my class wiki about my activities and experiences at the International Reading Association Annual Convention.

I thought we'd start today with some pictures that I finally got uploaded to my computer. :)

This picture is the stage at the convention center. This is where we had the Awards Ceremony and where the speaker was on the first day.

The theme, as you can probably tell, is Beyond the Horizon.

This picture is of my bags - completely full of books and posters! And this is just what I got on MONDAY!

Here I am with author, Julie Danneberg, and the very first-ever-purchased copy of her newest book, Family Reminders.

This is the advance copy (also called a galley) of Andrew Clement's newest book. He wasn't at this conference, though.

No, this was not at the conference! This is a picture I took at the Mall of America at Lego-land. I'd never been to a lego store before, and I was amazed by what they could make with legos!

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Tuesday

Now that we're caught up with pictures, let me tell you about what I did today!

1. Breakfast meeting: The breakfast I went to was very nice. Not only was the food good, but the program was nice, too! There were six people on a panel who talked about ways teachers can help kids be better readers.

2. Symposium: When this convention talks about a symposium, they are mean that there will be several people who all speak, but about one central topic, and it usually lasts for more than 2 hours. The symposium I attended was a group of authors who all talked about touching the hearts and minds of students. The authors were all so good! They clearly enjoyed visiting together and listening to each other.

• First was Annie Barrows, who writes the Ivy and Bean books. i'm not sure if you guys know those books or not. I know I have the first of the series, but they're mostly written for kids who are probably 2nd or 3rd grade. They're pretty funny books, though!
• Next was Ashley Bryan, who is a poet and illustrator. I have one of his books, I think in the poetry tub, called Shine On. He is such a wonderful speaker! I saw him once last year, as well, and he always recites poetry with his audience. He says a line, and then the audience would say it back to him. Some of the poetry he recited with us was by Langston Hughes. He talked a lot about students finding the voices of the poetry and the importance of reading poetry out loud.
• Katherine Paterson spoke next. She wrote Bridge to Terabithia, Same Stuff as Stars, The Great Gilly Hopkins, and many other books. She was wonderful! She spoke so eloquently about where she's gotten ideas for her books. She made us laugh and cry - just like in her books. I really enjoyed listening to her.
  
• The next person was a huge thrill for me - Seymour Simon! You know how much I love books by Seymour Simon! He used to be a science teacher, and said that in writing books, he is actually trying to explain things to himself. He explained how he tries to compare big things in ways that help people understand. Did you know that he has written more than 200 books! Wow! I actually got to see Seymour Simon yesterday, too, when I bought some of his books and had him autograph the books. :)
  
• Martin Sandler spoke last. I was unfamiliar with his books before today, but I sure am going to get familiar with them! His most recent book is about Abraham Lincoln, and it sounds so interesting! I went to buy it after the session was over, but by the time I got there, they were already sold out! I was so disappointed! I'm going to buy it when I get home, that's for sure!
  

After lunch, I went to a "Special Interest Group" meeting. This group of people work to promote quality literature for children. They put out a list each year called the "Notable Books for a Global Society." This is fancy-talk for books that help kids understand people and cultures in the world. Author Jacqueline Woodson spoke at the meeting. She has written chapter books like Locomotion as well as picture books like Show Way and The Other Side. I know I have Show Way in our classroom, and Mrs. Tutschulte has the other one in the library. Both of those books are really wonderful, and it was interesting to hear her talk about and quote from her books. Hearing an author read his or her book aloud to a group is really meaningful. At the end of the meeting there was a drawing for books, and I won a book! (Have I mentioned how much I love free books?) I chose a chapter book by Patricia McKissack about Negro League Baseball.

I did go back to the exhibits and bought more books and met more authors:

• Katherine Paterson
  
• Ashley Bryan
• Eileen Spinelli (she is the wife of the guy who wrote Maniac Magee and has written several picture books)
  
• Trinka Hakes Noble (this is a new author to me - I think we'll enjoy her book The Orange Shoes)
  
• Jane Yolen!!! (She wrote that picture book about the missing Roanoke Colony, Owl Moon, and many other books. I got to buy one they haven't even put in bookstores yet!)
  
• And many more...
  

I went to dinner with my friend, Dr. Susan Knell. We went to a family-owned Italian restaurant, and had a nice dinner. We were so tired this evening that we decided not to go out and try to do anything. We want to be all rested for tomorrow, because there is lots to do tomorrow! Tomorrow I have another breakfast to attend, and three sessions I want to attend. I'm really going to try to be financially responsible tomorrow and not spend too much money in the exhibits, so it is probably good that I have so many sessions to attend. That will leave me less time to go to the exhibits! I do need to go to the exhibits at some point, though, because I found a really neat thing I want to buy. It is called a "clearboard" and you use it kind of like a whiteboard. You use the same kind of markers that you use for a whiteboard, except that it is clear and you put a paper inside it, then answer the probalems right on the board - and erase them when you're finished! I have some other teacher-y kind of things I want to buy, too. The really fun thing tomorrow is the Poetry Olio. I went last year and got to hear lots of really great poets and enjoy a fun evening listening to them perform their works.

More tomorrow...

Monday, May 4

My day at the convention started with what is called the "Opening Session." It is like a big assembly with almost everyone attending together in a huge room for speakers, and other things. It started out with a junior high choir from St. Paul, MN singing two songs. They did a really good job, and I think their choir director was pretty proud of them. There were people who made announcements, welcomed everyone to Minneapolis and the convention, and things like that. The main speaker was a man who writes for adults, and has had some best-selling books. His name is Khaled Hosseini, and he wrote Kite Runner. He was very interesting and passionate about the importance of education for all people.

Next, since I had a little time, I went to the exhibit hall. The exhibit hall is where companies set up booths to show what they have to offer teachers and students, and to sell things to teachers. These companies also know that teachers love free stuff, and so a lot of them have things to give away in addition to the things they are selling. I got bunches of posters, pins, bookmarks...and free books! Some of the books are "real" books that have been out for a while. Others are called "advance copies" and are uncorrected proofs, meaning that there may be changes once the book is published in its final form. I got several advance copies, including a new book by Andrew Clements! Hooray! It is called Extra Credit, and I can't wait to read it!

A lot of the companies that come to this conference sell books, because this is a conference for reading teachers! The book companies also bring in authors so teachers can meet them, ask questions, and get the books signed that they buy from the companies. One of the first books I bought today was by the author Julie Danneberg. She wrote the picture book First Day Jitters, but she also has a new chapter book out called Family Reminders. I thought it looked like a good book, so I bought it. When I took it to her to sign, she said this was the first of that book ever to be sold! Isn't that cool?! It isn't even in bookstores, yet, so I bought the first copy of the book! She autographed it, and also put a note saying it was the first one sold. I thought that was pretty cool. I have a picture with her, but my camera and my computer aren't cooperating, so I can't get it posted right now. I'll try to get it working so I can post some pictures later. I did meet several other authors, including the poets Bruce Lansky and Brod Bagert, and my favorite author of nonfiction, Seymour Simon.

In the afternoon, I went to the Delegate's Assembly. I was sent by the Kansas Reading Association to be a representative at this assembly. It is kind of like when we elect representatives to go to the senate. I was supposed to speak for and vote according to how our state association thinks is right. I sat with people from Maryland, Michigan, and North Carolina. There were also people there, who spoke at the meeting, from Australia, New Zealand, and Finland. It was interesting to hear people speak and hear what they had to say.

This evening I went to the Mall of America with my friend who is travelling with me. Wow! What a place! We ate dinner at Bubba Gump's Shrimp Company. It was so yummy! I was incredibly full when we got done there, so I wasn't up for riding the roller coaster or any of the rides. We did look at some of the shops in the mall, but we only saw a few compared to how many stores are in that mall. It has 4 floors of stores! I did go to the Lego store, though, and bought some new pieces of legos to add to our class set. I thought some new pieces might spice things up a bit.

Tomorrow is going to be even earlier than today, so I really need to get to bed. I am going to a special breakfast that one of the publishers is doing. I also have some really interesting sessions I'm going to tomorrow, and I don't want to be too sleepy to pay attention! I'm hoping that my camera will cooperate tomorrow, so I can get the pictures uploaded.

I am so happy to be in Minneapolis! I am exhausted tonight, but thrilled to be here.

I love Minnesota. I have lots of happy memories of being here for fishing trips as a child. I have lots of bittersweet memories of Minnesota from being here with my niece, Eliza, when seeking treatment at Mayo Clinic just a short distance from here. And I'm happy to be back for the International Reading Association Annual Convention.

I decided that it was really close enough for me to drive here - and it really is. However, I'm not really used to driving that far all by my lonesome. I did okay, though, and didn't feel too guilty stopping when I needed to...or just when I wanted to. IMy favorite thing during my drive here were the wind farms in Iowa. The windmills are absolutely enormous, and just fascinating to me. I love seeing those huge windmills scattered over the horizon!

The first day, I drove from KS to Albert Lea, Minnesota, just over the state line. Albert Lea is a nice town, and I had a restful night there. Today I came the rest of the way to Minneapolis, which was less than 2 hours of driving. I got to my hotel here, checked in, and then went to get registered at the conference. The main thing I had to do at the conference today, besides registering, was attend the Awards Ceremony. I got to receive an award for the Kansas Reading Association called the Award of Excellence. It was a nice ceremony, and then they had a reception for us, too.

Tomorrow will be a good day. The Opening Ceremony is tomorrow, and there is always an interesting speaker the first day. After that, I'll get to go to the exhibits hall where they have lots of things for sale, lots of free stuff, and lots of authors!! One of the authors I'm hoping to get to meet this time around is Jane Yolen. She has written lots of books, including Owl Moon.

I'd better go for now. The bus will come to shuttle us to the convention center very early in the morning, and I am very tired tonight. More tomorrow...

Manners

Someone on plurk posted a request recently for a list of positive lunchroom behaviors. Isn't that a constant battle in schools? There is so little time for lunch, that you wouldn't expect things to go badly in such a short period of time, but it often does. Behavior seems to go right down the tubes for a lot of kids when food and friends are in the same space. Why is that?

Our school is not typical. I teach at a very small school of only 92 students, kindergarten through fifth grade. Our kindergarteners are only at school for half a day, so at lunch, we have fewer than 80 students present. Another thing that is unique to our school is that we eat family style. Each person at lunch has a plate, silverware and a napkin. Bowls and platters of food are at each table, and everyone passes the food and serves him or herself. There are requirements for what foods must be on each plate, of course, but there is a bit of leeway that allows for trying new foods without a major commitment.

We have been doing lunch this way for more than ten years, but still struggle some with appropriate behavior at the table. Or secretary read the book The Essential 55 by Ron Clark and formulated a list of manners based on that book.

• When you first sit down for a meal, immediately place your napkin in your lap. If your silverware is wrapped in a napkin, unwrap it as soon as you sit down and place the napkin in your lap.
• Never place your elbows on the table.
• Use one hand to eat, unless you are cutting or buttering food. Never have your fork in one hand and a glass in the other.
• Do not lick your fingers or use any part of your shirt as a napkin. There is a napkin provided for the purpose of cleaning your fingers and face. There is no need to lick yourself clean.
• Do not smack your lips and chew noisily.
• Do not chew with your mouth open.
• Do not talk with your mouth full. Sometimes people will place a hand over their mouth and talk anyway. Don't do that. Wait until you have swallowed your food to speak.
• Do not slurp.
• Do not play with your food.
• You are to use your utensils for eating almost everything. Here are eight types of foods you may use your hands to eat:
• pizza
• cookies
• bread
• corn on the cob
• hot dogs, hamburgers and sandwiches
• french fries and chips
• fried chicken
• small fruits (like grapes on a stem), apples, oranges, carrots, etc.
• Never reach over someone's plate to get something. You should say, "Will you please pass the bowl of potatoes?"
• You should never complain if you do not like the food or if there is a wait.
• When you are finished eating, ask to be excused.
• It is always polite to think the cook for preparing your meal.
• When it is time to leave, remember to WALK down the hall.

Does each child manage to follow these guidelines of etiquette exactly? I wish! It is amazing what sticks with them, though. Some students have to be reminded constantly to keep their elbows off the table and use a napkin, but they always stop and thank the cook for making a nice meal for them. Some children consistently reach over others for food, but always remember to put their napkins in their laps.

Every day is a learning experience. We keep plugging along, reminding students (and sometimes teachers) to use their best manners, and we do see progress. I hope our efforts to improve manners at lunch will help you do the same thing at your school!

Decisions, decisions

This picture was taken this afternoon in my classroom. Three of my students had been looking through books, trying to decide what book to read for this month's book review assignment. Suddenly, it was time for PE, so I told them to leave the books and finish up when they got back to class. I was struck that this is a common scene in my class - and that made me happy. I like that my students have choices, that we have to be creative about book storage because there is never enough room for all the books. And I'm so happy my students love to read.

I've been tagged!

I've been tagged! Now I have to figure out 7 things to tell you about myself. I hope I can tell you something interesting. :)

1. I was a 4-Her when I was younger. I participated in lots of different projects, but my "main" projects were foods and crochet. I was fairly successful, although there were certainly a few exceptions! The major exception in the foods project was the year I did the yeast breads project. What a disaster! A wonderful mom from our club was the project leader, and she helped my friend, Shelley and I through all the pitfalls of yeast, but it was just no use for me. I was a yeast "murderer", and unfortunately, not much has changed since then. I did quite well as a crocheter. I never earned a ribbon lower than a blue, and was awarded reserve champion a couple of times, and even got the champion ribbon once!

2. I went to a small, country school in elementary school. All the kids and teachers knew each other, and classes were small - rarely more than 25 kids in a class. I think that is one reason I love teaching at Vinland - it reminds me so much of my own elementary school. There aren't very many other places in the US where the entire school can be in the lunchroom (or even the library) at the same time, and where every teacher knows every child's name.

3. I have several charities I support, but the 2 that are my "pets" are Habitat for Humanity and the Ronald McDonald House Charities. I make a crocheted afghan for each Habitat house in our community on behalf of my church, and also have the honor of presenting each family with a bookshelf and library of books on behalf of our local reading council. The Ronald McDonald House is close to my heart because in 2005, my niece, Eliza Mae, was diagnosed with cancer. Our family spent a lot of time at the Ronald McDonald House in Rochester, MN while Eliza received treatment at Mayo Clinic. It wasn't just that it was "home" for my sister, mom & Eliza for several months, but it was a safe haven. While we were there, we met people with sick kids, who were experiencing some of the same ups and downs as us. It was a built-in support group. The kids at school know the Ronald McDonald House is meaningful to me, and they bring me their pop tabs to take to the House. I love the way the kids open up their hearts and give, when given the opportunity.

4. I hate bell peppers. I hate them in any way, shape, or form. My mother insists that I used to eat peppers when I was small, but I think she is telling tales, because I can't even stand the smell of peppers.

5. I used to tell people I was allergic to chocolate so they wouldn't make me eat chocolate cakes, brownies, or chocolate chip cookies, because I really didn't like any of those things. It wasn't that I didn't like chocolate, though. I loved (and still love) chocolate candy, ice cream, and pudding! My tastes have changed, to some extent. I like chocolate chip cookies, now, and brownies if they are gooey and fudgy. I still don't like chocolate cake, though.

6. I love tea. I drink lots of tea every day. My favorites are black teas - Lady Gray, Assam, English/Irish/Scottish Breakfast, etc. I also collect teacups and teapots. I'm especially fond of the teacup my great-aunt Doris gave me that has an intricate floral pattern decorating the cup.

7. This is my first real blog. I did a kind of blog last year when I went to the International Reading Association Convention, but it was more of a daily letter to my students each day. So many people in my PLN (Personal Learning Network) are bloggers, and I've been intrigued by the thought of having a blog. I've toyed with the idea, looked at other blogs, and then discarded the idea. I'm a bit intimidated, because I'm not sure I have enough to say that would be meaningful to anyone to have a blog! Thanks to Anne for tagging me so that I can get over my trepidation and "just do it!"

Now...who shall I tag...
amymcordova
saffield
TeresaTCA
campinglisa
MaryannM
Heidi
DrlaurieinAL

I hope I got (mostly) people who had not been tagged!