#SOLSC21: Same? Different?
Same
Prep in advance. Study schedule. Decide on big questions. Develop a plan. Set all devices to charge.
On Saturday, review schedule. Develop a “notes” page. Set tabs. Check power levels on all devices. Hydrate. Caffeinate.
10 minute alarm. Ready. Set. Go.
Flurries between sessions for drinks, snacks, restrooms.
Worry about keeping caught up.
Worrying about wi-fi connections.
Worrying about rooms being filled and second and third choices.
Rousing keynotes
Readers, Writers, Makers, Authors, Thinkers!
Informative sessions
Practice doing the work
A wish list . . . long and lengthy
Different
Alone
No subway
No travel
No F2F meet ups
Many square boxes
Sitting in my living room in Iowa
Saying group and individual “hellos” in chat boxes
No time to process with others
No coffee with friends
The 99th!
It wasn’t my first. I wrote about that day here. Six years ago was my first #TCRWP Saturday Reunion (88th), and I missed it terribly yesterday. The hustle and bustle of NYC. The traffic. The navigation. The travel. The farm girl in the big city.
The people. Clare, Tammy, Melanie, Tara, Julieanne, Dayna, Sally, Catherine, Stacey, Ryan, Christina, and Lanny. Just a few of the familiar faces.
The hustle and bustle of the day long ago and yesterday.
Some same. Some different.
What do you find when you compare two days across time and space . . . one pre-pandemic and one still regulated by the pandemic?
_______________________________________________________________________________
Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for this daily forum during the month of March. Check out the writers and readers here.
#SOL20: Keynote speeches
Inspirational?
Motivational?
Aspirational?
What are some characteristics that you expect from a keynote speech?
Last week I had the distinct pleasure of seeing/hearing five different keynotes as a part of the TCRWP June 2020 Reading Institute. Each had its own distinct features due to the knowledge base and presentation styles of Lucy Calkins, Katy Wischow, Sonja Cherry-Paul, Michael Rae-Grant and Sarah Weeks as you can see in the keynote titles below.
Titles:
- An Opening
- You Never Read Alone: Community, Identity, and The Power of Talk
- Radical Teaching: Reading Workshop as a Powerful Space for Transformation and Liberation
- I Know, Therefore I Am: Why Nonfiction Reading Is About So Much More Than Extracting Information from Texts
- A Few Choice Words
Some common themes I found: Communities of learners and stories draw us together in these turbulent times. The texts of our lives ARE our lives: Are we living them? We are the sum of our experiences so we need to make sure they reflect our lives. If not you, then who? Readers are never alone!
But the surprising commonality for the five keynotes was the deep emotional connections: the tears, the laughter, and the joy of learning in a community. And yes, even through Zoom/electronic devices, the stories were that powerful.
If you would like to learn more about “keynotes” here is a great source from the business world. Link Tips 1, 3, 7, and 10 are my favorites. Especially 10. Always 10.
What will be your keynote for the 2020 school year?
How will you focus on priorities?
What are your expectations from a keynote?
Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for this weekly forum. Check out the writers and readers here.
#TCRWP Reading Institute 2020
I miss:
- the participants
- the staff developers
- Riverside Church
- Horace Mann
- the up close and personal feel of the FRONT row of the auditorium
- the subway
- being asked for directions on the subway
- living out of “carry on”
- coffee meet ups
- packing my lunch
- dining out on the NYC cuisine
- the bookstores
- the impossible and usually untimely return trip home (AKA stranded in NYC on the 4th of July)
- the conversations as we walk past our location, to the wrong Starbucks, or just wandering
- meeting up with #TWT friends
- meeting up with #Voxer cousins
- squeezing in a #G2Great chat (and what time zone am I really in?)
- meeting up with #CuriosityCrew
- and leaving the world behind for that short interlude . . . no TV, few phone calls, few emails.
Thanks to the pandemic, it’s truly a Brave, New World.
Conversation and chatter seems non-stop . . . even if it is typed into a box! Or in a break out room!
It’s Wednesday night. Past the mid-point. My brain is full. It’s leaking. Time to let something out!
My choice session today was all that I envisioned. (Envision- my #OLW)
And then some.
Grand slam?
Winning game of the World Series?
Kentucky Derby winner?
Gold Medal at the Olympics?
30 minutes of pure bliss.
Head nodding,
Amen-shouting,
Fist-pumping,
Zoom waving,
YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES!
Title: The Six Most Important Things You Can Do with Your Students Who are Reading Below Grade Level Benchmarks
Find some paper or point to your fingers.
What are your 6 Most Important Things?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6
You don’t have to fuss over the order. Look at them. Are those the six most important things you believe in?
Are you sure?
Are you really sure?
I had a difficult time choosing this session. There were three choice sessions that I needed to attend according to the titles. This session was not #1. However, I made a guesstimate on the “Six Most Important Things” and I wanted to know if I was right. So I chose this session.
Here were my six:
Know your students / Relationship
Feedback, Self-assessment & Goal-setting
Talk about reading / Rehearse
Stuff to read
Reading, Reading, Reading every day
Was I close?
No bets.
No money.
30 minutes invested in checking my understanding.
Thoughts?
Here were Hannah’s Six Most Important Things.
One small corner of my brain organized and ready for tomorrow’s learning.
So by tomorrow night I can be back at one of these stages . . .
Summertime,
Summertime,
Sum, sum, sum, summertime Learning . . .
It’s the best!
#SOL20: Patriotism
Basic Theme: Red, White and Blue
Secondary Theme: Stars
Thirty six squares beginning at 2.5 inches each form the basis. Thirty six different designs with and without stars as well as a sashing of white on white stars and even starts stitched as a part of the quilting. Thousands of stars.
More importantly, my first patchwork design. Hours selecting. Hours laying out. Hours sewing and then the picture in my head did not match the final design. And then rinse and repeat times three.
A noble goal. A gift times three. Completed. Mailed. Ready for the holiday. The red, white and blue of liberation.
Table runner – left half
Table runner – right half
Which was emphasized: process or product?
Had you guessed from this post? Link
How was this process like instruction? Education?
How will you share your patriotism on July 4th?
Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for this weekly forum. Check out the writers and readers here.
#SOL20: #BookLove
Are you ready?
What is one of the best books in the world? What is a book that will surprise you with each reread? What book will nurture your soul? What book will allow you to write beside the poems and unwrap your own stories . . . your own life?
I believe the answer is found in this book that is the initial book for elementary teachers participating in the Summer Book Love Book Club!
Franki Sibberson wrote about this book by Irene Latham and illustrated by Charles Waters in her blog post here. As I read Franki’s post, I was nodding my head to every statement. And like Franki said, this week’s discussion in Book Love Foundation’s Summer Book Club is already underway. (Seriously, go read what Franki said!)
You could still see these amazing speakers.
And interact with the almost 1,000 folks in the Book Club.
You might write or see examples . . .
Like my first draft poem for the beginning of #BookLove.
Week 1 has begun.
We wrote poetry Monday.
#BookLove learning has begun.
What is on your learning agenda?
What is your favorite poetry book?
Is there a book club in your summer plans?
Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for this weekly forum. Check out the writers and readers here.
Addendum: Amy Ludwig VanDerwater Resources bit.ly/2YU6Ifi
#SOL20: What If?
What If?
What does it look like if/when students resume classes in school buildings?
Maybe this?
Or this?
Or this?
What will school look like?
What will students look like?
How will everyone be safe? secure? and ready to learn?
Who makes those determinations?
From Sarah Gross and a superintendent in New Jersey: Link 91 questions.
What If?
It’s hard to plan for the future
So many uncertainties
So many possibilities
So many paths
Too early to choose
So many uncertainties.
Rest.
Rejuvenate.
Dream of “best case” solutions.
What is your plan?
What will you do in the interim while waiting for decisions?
What questions are swirling in your brain?
What if students, communities, and school staff planned collaboratively?
What do you envision?
Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for this weekly forum. Check out the writers and readers here.
How many devices?
Daily writing withdrawals are real after 31 straight days of posting with #SOLSC20. This morning I thought I would return to my pre-March schedule of early morning reading and writing. But my brain has been puzzled by an “off kilter feeling.” The last two days have felt disconcerting and uncomfortable as I navigated Zoom links, a Trail Guide and learning via distance media.
WHY was it so difficult?
My standard process is to listen and absorb with my chromebook as my note taking device and my phone as a snapshot archivist and a tool for tweeting. During this institute, my chromebook is my source of information – auditory and visual – as well as the navigation to move from session to session.
That moved my phone to note taking duties. Simple enough as my google doc was all set up with time frames, speakers, and links. Yet I was not prepared to enter all my notes on that teeny, tiny keyboard. Not. prepared. at. all. No tweeting during learning. Still in new learning management mode. Off kilter. Stressed.
What I missed most?
Saving seats for friends. Sitting in the front row. Checking in with a friend to make sure my notes were accurate.
Learning
Distance learning
Is not just a change in location
It’s a change in processing
It’s a change in responding
The new reality . . .
Safe learning is hard!
Change is hard!
How many devices do I need for a remote learning institute?
One for viewing that allows me to participate in break out rooms and see all the visuals. A second device is needed for recording notes and thoughts as I process the information. And the surprising third device in order to connect with attendees, tweet out words of wisdom, and look up additional resources. Bandwidth limitations that cause Zoom to freeze rule out the practicality of having three simultaneously connected devices, but that’s my dream. Learning. Sharing. Thinking. All from a Virtual Literacy Institute!
How has a virtual world impacted your learning as a facilitator or as a learner? What words of wisdom can you share?
#SOLSC20: Day 30
So many ways to learn online . . .
This notice pops up on my FB timeline:
These three notices were on Twitter.
And I can read professional books.
These are just a few of the books that I am currently re-reading as I plan for this #G2Great learning opportunity this week.
What is your learning plan for today?
What is your learning plan for the week?
Where do your ideas/information come from?
Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for this daily forum in March. Check out the writers and readers here.
#SOLSC20: Day 21
RIGHT NOW
Right now,
I would be sitting in the front row.,
Reading the schedule,
Making my plan,
Saving seats for friends.
Right now,
I would be anticipating our welcome,
Words of wisdom
Designed to elevate our thinking
And bringing us together in solidarity.
Right now,
I would be awestruck
In the ambiance and grandeur
Of my surroundings in Riverside Church.
Right now,
I would be poised to learn,
With four thousand plus friends,
Instead I am reviewing notes and connecting with previous posts.
Right now,
I am finding my own learning path,
Focusing on joy,
Envisioning our future
With high expectations
Empowering students, families, and teachers . . .
In our new current reality imposed by COVID-19.
Right now,
Adding some humor . . .
Checking in with Mary Ehrenworth and
5 things you should NOT DO when filming a mini lesson (Adult Humor) – Link
My Saturday Reunion “learning fix”.
Right now,
Call a friend,
Write a note,
Reach out and contact someone.
Strengthen your relationships and find a reason to laugh
RIGHT NOW!
What grounds you?
How are you staying connected?
Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for this daily forum in March. Check out the writers and readers here.
#SOLSC20: Day 20
I pulled my chrome book out of its case and plugged it in.
Power? Good.
Connection? Good.
The scroll across the bottom of the TV caught my eye as a rumble filled the air.
Oh, yeah, severe storm alert today.
WRONG!
Tornado alert.
And my county.
Crap!
I don’t have time for the internet to be interrupted.
I have a Twitter chat tonight and I need to change out two slides.
Pre-tweet moved.
Original tweet deleted.
Message to the team; “Not available for any task tonight.”
Thunder continued to rumble.
And then pound, pound, pound.
Down came the hail.
Bouncing up to a foot off the ground.
Solid balls of ice.
Chipped balls of ice.
Cold.
Dreary.
Dark.
Now, hailing!
Yukko!
Good thing I needed to be inside tonight.
Too bad I didn’t get out in the 63 degree weather earlier this afternoon.
It was a long night.
I put my chrome book back in the case.
It was a dark and stormy night.
When does the beginning of your story match the ending?
How does that make you (the reader) feel?
Where might you try this craft move?
Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for this daily forum in March. Check out the writers and readers here.
