The Literacy Super Bowl #NCTE15

My 3 sons...on the field with Odell Beckham.

Imagine having field passes to the Super Bowl.  Let's imagine (really imagine, based on the Giants season thus far), getting to be front and center to watch Eli, Odell  and the rest of the NY Giants beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 2016.  I mean, what would be better than that? As a mom to three boys, I get the football craze.  I live it.  I also know the intensity of fantasy football leagues.  Well, fantasy becomes reality for learners this week, thanks to the annual National Council Teachers of English, #NCTE15.

Luckily, it happens every year. Like the Super Bowl, parties are planned, tickets are purchased,flights are arranged, hotels are booked and on and on.  Last year, I wrote about NCTE as THE Literacy Super Bowl and you know what? It never gets old.  Once again educators, lead learners,  readers, writers and mentor educators will come together for this event.  #NCTE15 is the best ticket around.   I can't actually speak to being at the Super Bowl.  But I can imagine the feeling. People are literally jumping and cheering with enthusiasm.  There are smiles as far as the eye can see.

I have to be honest, even if I went to the Super Bowl, I probably wouldn't know Odell Beckham if he passed me in the hallway.   But at the Literacy Super Bowl, passing the GIANTS of education and literacy idols at every corner, I could probably pick out authors from across a crowded room.  In fact, speaking of picks... the lineup for NCTE  is ridiculous.  You may pass Penny, Kelly, Kylene, Donalyn, Lester, even Kwame, names bigger than Madonna and as recognizable as Odell's.  Crazy fan girl moments.  The Literacy Super Bowl is electrifying. No big half time show required.  

You get to meet friends from your professional learning network in real life!   Hallway conversations, nerdy meet ups, title talks, book love, scanning name tags for Twitter handles, avatars and.. aha moments. Connections are made - old and new! The exhibit hall visits?  Talk about your nerdy swag.  It is almost hard to put into words.  Rock star authors signing books, getting ARCS... did I mention the ARCs (advanced reader copies)? It's like getting to know the final score and winning every Super Bowl pool.    

"A key to growing as a teacher is to keep company mainly with teachers who uplift you, whose presence inspire you and whose dedication drives you."- Robert John Meehan

The learning, oh, the learning. Learning from dawn til dusk... and beyond!  Teachers pack power bars for energy.  There's no stopping to eat for fear of missing a session. That would be like going to grab a hot dog on a 4th and goal with 20 seconds left in the game when the score is tied.  Who would do that?  And who would want to skip a session at the Literacy Super Bowl?Strategic planning, plotting play by play which sessions to attend. It is amazing to see so many passionate educators all in one place, collaborating to share their craft and their love for teaching and learning.    No need for QBs when everywhere you look there are CIOs (Chief Inspiration Officers). 

There are some downsides too.  There are cloning issues.  How can one be on the sidelines for every play? Have no fear.  At the Literacy Super Bowl, we even have our very own ESPN Red Zone: Twitter.  At home, I used to watch in disbelief as my boys bounced from game to game via the Red Zone.  But I get it now!  Twitter can provide instant replays.  You don't have to worry about missing anything.  Twitter feed and friends help you keep up with sessions happening simultaneously. Thankfully, there is limited #FOMO (fear of missing out).  Friends like, Franki Sibberson, Katherine Sokolowski and Kristin Ziemke will be sure to have their Tweet Decks locked and loaded.  I think they could beat Howie Long, Ronde Barber, and Erin Andrews any day.  I bet Kristin could give Terry Bradshaw a run for his money.  Actually, I'd be psyched to see Kristin and Michael Strahan as NCTE commentators too.  Just sayin'.  

#NCTE15  Let the games begin!

Can you feel the excitement?   

Chief Inspiration Officer - My Ed Collab Post

An Invitation to Notice and Inspire

What’s the first job you ever remember having? Think back... When you were in elementary school, what jobs did you get? Message carrier? Trash collector? Line leader? If you were like me, you might remember the thrill of getting picked for the coveted job of class librarian.  I remember another favorite was attendance runner.  Yes, back in the day, we had to race to the nurse to hand deliver the attendance.  Now fast forward to student-centered classrooms where all students have more of a voice and choice.

Which brings to mind a new job title called, CIO. Yes, CIO.  Not a CIO, Chief Information Officer, not even a CEO, but a CIO…Chief Inspiration Officer. That’s right, Chief Inspiration Officer. The CIO’s job is to motivate the learners in the classroom. The Chief Inspiration Officer is one who also gets to choose the wondrous words and quote of the day. Chief Inspiration  Officer, now that’s a job title that requires kind words and provides smiles.  

The CIO was a job title created in Mrs. Sokolowski’s class, a colleague and friend who teaches in Farmingdale, Long Island. You can follow Kathleen at @MrsSokolowski or through her awesome blogging for Two Writing Teachers.

How eduawesome is that? For the past few years thanks to the inspiration from a  glittery reading teacher colleage, Robin Willix and mentor authors like, RJ Palacio, I have been sharing the idea of using glitter boards for writing and celebrating inspirational quotes.  However, it was usually the teachers selecting the quotes.  This year, after reflecting on our practice and collaborating with teachers like Kathleen and other edufriends, it has become an important aspect of student voice and choice.  Inspired by Kathleen’s class and PDLove titles like, Paul Solarz’ Learn Like a Pirate (on empowering all students to lead, collaborate and succeed) Chief Inspiration Officer became a job for the students.   The job speaks to the importance of strong learning communities who take the time to be notice the awesome in life and in learning together.  We learn from our students, for our students and with our students every day. We all learn when we collaborate to share and grow ideas.  

In our professional learning communities we need Chief Inspiration Officers too.  I’m grateful to work as a coach who gets to work and learn alongside teachers and students as we adopt and adapt ideas.   When there is ownership of the learning and collaboration, magic happens.   We lift each other up.  Isn’t that what inspires us all? The best part of our job is that not only do we share the learning community, but we also share ideas. Sometimes it isn’t a motivational quote but a great idea that inspires us.   In our learning communities, we come together to be active participants in our own learning.  Learners have choices.  What better way to teach about responsibility than to invite students to be part of motivating others.  The opportunity to inspire and mentor always involves communication and is relationship based.  And mentors come in all shapes, sizes and ages.  Anyone can be a mentor and anyone can inspire.  

It is not what you do for your children, but what you have taught them to do for themselves that will make them successful human beings. –Ann Landers

Where do find your Chief Inspiration Officers?

An invitation to notice and I.N.S.P.I.R.E.

Invest in relationships, time and energy and inspirational picture books of course!

                           

“What will your beautiful hands do today?”         Friends come in all shapes & sizes.

Nourish the mind and the body.  Try Bagels & Books, Lunch and Learns or host treats and tweets, appy hour.  Take the time to attend an EdCamp (or nErdCamp),  join a study group, or a virtual think tank like The Ed Collab Study Series.  Recreate your own personalized PD opportunities.   

Share quotes use #glitterboards like those found in the 365 Days of Wonder.

The Daily Wonder App

Check out Random House's Daily Wonder of the Day App.

Participate in  book clubs or read for yourself and for your students.

Some favorite inspiring #PDLove titles:

• Mindset for Learning - Christine Hertz & Kristi Mraz

• Learning from Classmates: Using Student Writing

• Teach Like a PIRATE- Dave Burgess

• Learn Like a Pirate: Empower Your Students to Collaborate, Lead and Succeed- Paul Solarz

• Teaching with Intention- Debbie Miller

Participate in Twitter chats. Edufriends take the time to write, reflect and share ideas.  All. The. Time.

Invite others in your room.  When we open the doors to watch each other teach…

Record #LiteracySnapshots that celebrate teaching and learning, share ideas and watch the ripple effect.  

Explore videos and resources from Values.com like Optimism...Pass it On: 

 http://www.values.com/inspirational-stories-tv-spots/99-The-Greatest

Or  take a lesson from Chief Inspiration Officer, Kid President, Robby Novak.

Be the reason someone smiles and learns a little more each day.

Proud to be #NerdyOnLI

Thanks to Kristin Bond from A Bond With Confections for our nerdy cake!

How can you beat a Saturday with passionate educators, rock star authors and illustrators all connecting as kid lit advocates?  Yes, there was even a cake. But we had sweet treats all day long.  

We are nerdy on Long Island.

Whether you were an EdCamp veteran or a newbie, didn't matter.  What mattered was the sharing, learning and collaborating that was done by all.  Inspired by the EdCamp movement and the #nerdybookclub (EdCamp + Nerdybookclub = nErDcamp), we wanted to bring that opportunity here to edufriends that are Nerdy On LI. We had Tri State nerds and even some special guests from Maine and Massachusetts!  Colby Sharp's #nErDcampMI (the original nErDcamp) has inspired nerd camps to pop up all over the place.  How fantastic is that?  EdCamps with a literacy twist.  Enter authors, illustrators and edufriends on "NerdVember 7th" at the Willets Road Middle School.  (Thanks to the East Williston School District for hosting.)

#nErDcampLI was/is all about the kids.  Each and every session went back to the relationships we have with our students, ideas to grow those relationships, build connections and create life long learners.  As we've heard before,  "The love of reading is caught not taught" and at #nErDcampLI it was an epidemic. We were extremely lucky to have amazing authors and illustrators join us, share their craft, and share their love for books and kids.  Check out our guest list here. Thrilled by the individuals that attended and those that supported along the way, it was a day that will not be forgotten.  

If you are nerdy like me, the day could almost bring you to tears.  Happy tears, of course, but tears.Teachers learning from teachers.  Authentic PD.  A great day of meeting authors, (fan girl moments), and the books!  Glorious book talks, hallway conversations, autographs for students, did I say fan girl moments? One comment, from my friend and colleague, Chris Lehman, said it all. "I feel so moved by this experience. So many inspired to share and learn." I agree.  It was a nerdy dream come true. And most importantly, it was a day filled with love.  Love for our profession, love for each other, love for our kids, and it doesn't get any sweeter than that!

True Love: 1g teacher Diane Harris spending the day learning with her son, assistant principal, Derek Harris.

http://nerdcampli.weebly.com/ 

Here are the links to sessions and a storify which captured some of the love.

https://storify.com/McCarthyJoEllen/nerdcampli

Thanks to all for making the day happen.  Truly grateful for all.