Which memory stands out?
The first attendance?
The first “Slicer” dinner?
The first presentation?
The first sighting of _______?
The first time meeting ______ IRL (In Real Life)?
The roller coaster ride by many #G2Great friends?
The first signed book by a #G2Great author?
Meeting up with #WRRD chat mates?
Catching up with #TCRWP friends?
Meeting “Slicers” IRL?
Seeing and hearing about upcoming publications?
The incredibly cold, cold, cold weekend?
Impressed by the articulate #BowTieBoys?
The amazing learning?
Sitting on the floor in an auditorium learning with and from literacy giants?
Not being allowed by venue staff to sit on the floor?
Packing devices to tweet and record notes at the speed of light?
Meeting and learning with authors of student books?
Too many memories to make a decision
Which story to tell?
Which one will be left out?
Embracing the past five years of attendance
Learning, Laughing, and following literacy giants
Receive awards and humbly elevate friends
And peers who made all things possible.
Reading, Writing, Talking, Thinking,
Sharing as we meet,
Celebrating each other’s accomplishments
Celebrating our uniqueness
Celebrating our differences
Celebrating our similarities
Celebrating our togetherness!
Houston, home of #NCTE18 in 10 days!
Will you be there?
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I won’t be, alas. But your poem/memory/reminders brought me back to times (sitting on the floor in a packed room is a distinct memory).
And this: Which story to tell?
Isn’t this always the question?
Kevin
Kevin,
I’ve always hated the venues that don’t allow dedicated teachers to sit on the floor. Silly rules! And yes, so many stories . . . each and every year! 🙂
Have an amazing time! I love to follow all the tweets. With my kids so young, I can never really get away right now but I love to hear all about what you are all learning so share away!
Kathleen,
Sharing is such a huge part of attending #NCTE. Look for me on Twitter and here in my blog as well! 🙂
Yes I will and I will always meeting you IRL for the first time at NCTE – I still have the Keep Calm and Write On magnet you gave me. In fact, I am looking at it as I type. See you soon!
This is favorite: Sitting on the floor in an auditorium learning with and from literacy giants?
Clare,
Magnets as souvenirs have always been one of my favorite literacy gifts. And I so love learning in person from you and Tammy!
Looking forward to seeing you soon, Fran! It’s always an adventure.
Rose,
Pairing learning with adventure is ALWAYS a winner! See you soon!
One of these days I will make it to the conference. Thank you for encouraging those of us who will be there in spirit and in tweetdom.
Christine,
I haven’t actually counted but I’m sure that I probably average four blog posts from each NCTE I attend. They become mini-brain dumps while I am there so I can organize some first draft thinking and yet continue to absorb more learning! 🙂
I will be sure to seek out your posts! Thank you in advance!
I will! Looking forward to meeting you IRL.
Jennifer,
I can’t wait to meet you! Soon!
Sigh- sadly I am way too far away to make it, but I am counting on you and other literacy giants to tweet and share! I am grateful to be able to learn vicariously when I can not learn in person!
Erika,
Such a responsibility as an attendee! I’m happy to oblige as life and work do often interfere with attending in person! 🙂
It was great to meet you last year, Fran. I am not attending this year, but aim for next. I come away with hope and knowledge and happiness being among so many teachers and leaders and ideas. And sadness that more teachers cannot attend. Have a wonderful time. I went for 3 years in row beginning in 2011. Chicago,Las Vegas, Boston and then St. Louis last year plus a summer TAWL in Las Vegas. Each one is a vivid memory. I also went to a bunch of ILA(IRA) during those years, too. It is so nice to make friends and meet new ones, too. AND I was retired all those years. BUT am still very involved and interested. I just wish it was not so expensive for me (no school or publisher support) but more sorry for teachers who can’t attend and NEED to. Will look for your shares. Thanks.
Janet Clare F.
Janet,
It’s always such a treat to meet so many IRL. Boston was my first and I’ve attended every one since then so I have a five in a row streak with only the first one paid for. We need to brainstorm some incentives to maximize teacher participation as the learning opportunities are impossible to describe!
🙂
Won’t make NCTE this year, but plan on being in Baltimore next year. There is always so much to see, do, and learn at conferences. You would think being retired would mean not attending conferences anymore. So not true. We just had our PCTELA conference a few weeks ago. What a joy learning from and mingling with authors and colleagues. Enjoy NCTE> Looking forward to hearing about it in future posts.
So true! …”always so much to see, do, and learn at conferences.” Baltimore next year. FUN!
I’ve never been. I love how this slice gives me a tiny taste of what it would feel like to be there.
Teeny, tiny tastes!
NCTE is truly one of the best organized and executed conferences.
CCIRA would be a close second.
I’m still thinking about how to organize or reorganize previous work!
FWIW: I will be posting daily from the conference!
🙂
What a great celebration of all of the work you have done. Have a great time! I wish I was there.
Enjoy it. Hug my friends Clare and Tammy and learn so much.
Will do! Love learning with Clare and Tammy!
I won’t be there:( . But I love your post with all the questions!!
Sally,
It’s back in your neighborhood next year! You will be missed! Love learning and thinking with you! 😦
Unfortunately, I no longer attend conferences since they are so costly and I no longer have any institutional support (not that there was much to begin with). So I rely on my fellow bloggers to help me keep one foot in the teaching world, sharing their wonderful ideas and experiences.
I understand that with only one of five ever paid for. I always found it quite interesting to see who could go every year? As well as the expected accountability for the resources expended? Never fair for sure! I still think there would be a market for selling access via webinars to some key sessions!
[…] filter” and the sessions available. I also thought about previous conferences and this post. What factors would drive my decisions about sessions to […]