#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.
@ILAToday Literacy Leadership Brief: Children Experiencing Reading Difficulties
Today is a day to celebrate another #ILA Literacy Leadership Brief. This one is titled Children Experiencing Reading Difficulties: What We Know and What We Can Do and it has many implications for students, teachers, and school communities.
In its entirety . . . here
As announced by @ILAToday . . .
What are your takeaways?
What did this affirm?
What questions remain?
Where are you sharing this?
Additional ILA Resources: Link
NCTE Position Statements: Link
NCTE: Act of Reading: Instructional Foundations and Policy Guidelines link
Reading Recovery: Responding to the Reading Wars Link
Reading Recovery: Offering a preventative intervention for young children learning literacy. psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psyche…
Richard Allington “The Hidden Push for Phonics Instruction” (TN Literacy Journal) tiny.cc/s6hbhz
Lucy Calkins: No One Gets to Own the Term “The Science of Reading” – Link
Paul Thomas – Mississippi Miracle or Mirage? Link
#SOL19: Writing Matters
Writing:
A connectedness
A relationship
An opportunity
A process
A product
Two sides of a coin.
Can be used to learn or
Can be used to demonstrate learning.
Is thinking out loud
Typically on paper.
Thoughts
Sometimes painfully etched
Sometimes spewing out voluminously
Faster than any ability to capture.
Can be long
Or short,
Traditional
Or creative,
Personal
Or public,
With form
Matching the purpose,
Reveling in the need
To create,
To rise like a phoenix,
To leave shadows,
Whispers in the wind,
Songs in the air.
Writing . . .
a compulsion
a living/breathing requirement
a necessary component of life
What purposes do writing serve?
Consider these:
- The Magna Carta
- The Articles of Confederation
- The Declaration of Independence
- The Constitution
- The Bill of Rights
What do they stand for?
Why were they written?
Why do they matter?
A survey of Americans resulted in a list of these Top 10 Milestones in US history. Do you agree?
Writing Matters.
In.So.Many.Ways
I am missing the #TCRWP Writing Institute. It’s hard to not have #TCRWPEnvy so I revisited some notes from last year’s Writing Institute to consider for my own writing this summer.
In last year’s keynote, Lucy Calkins addressed levels of writing workshop. Link
Where are you?
“Level 1: Start and Stop. Do a few days of minilessons. Do a few worksheets to ‘master the skill’, and then back to some stale writing. No investment. It feels like pulling teeth.”
“Level 2: The Good Student Writing Workshop filled with compliance. Open any notebook and you will find that students are doing the work. Safe work. They respond to all school assignments, but they never take any risks and share themselves.”
“Level 3: Passion and intensity flow through the notebook, drafts and published writing. There are notebook entries that do not come from a response to day to day instruction. Students want to write. It’s an ALL IN Writing Workshop.”
What level was your 2018-19 workshop?
What is your goal for 2019-20 workshop?
Where will you begin?
(And don’t forget to follow #TCRWP this week for highlights from 1200+ Writing Institute participants!)
(#cyberPD – Welcome to Writing Workshop by Stacey Shubitz and Lynne Dorfman)
Celebrate that your journey has begun and focus on Learning!
Thank you, Betsy, Beth, Deb, Kathleen, Kelsey, Lanny, Melanie, and Stacey for this weekly forum from Two Writing Teachers. Check out the writers and readers here.
Gems from #TCRWP Saturday Reunion
Saturday,
Saturday,
Saturday,
Saturday’s alright for learning . . .
Terribly pun-nish, but that’s what happens when you have to create your own atmosphere! Because you aren’t there learning with thousands of friends!
I literally mined my #tcrwp column on Tweetdeck for some key takeaways for myself! Thanks to all who tweeted and generously shared their learning from #TCRWP.
10.
9.
8.
7. 
6. 
5. 
4. 
3. 
Tied for # 2
Closing Keynote
What was on your Saturday learning agenda?
What gems did you discover?
#SOL18: Why #TCRWP?
Three letters
One word
Connected to my #OLW – curious
WHY?
A recurring theme on Day 1 of the 2018 June Writing Institute at #TCRWP
As the day began in typical fashion at Riverside Church with 1200 teachers strong, “You’ve come from 41 states, 36 countries, those who’ve attended 25 or 26 institutes, as children in workshop schools or those who came alone who are now back with principals and teachers… movers and shakers.”
If you are not on Twitter, this is a time you should be. Because you can capture thoughts such as these:
Or these . . .
But you had to be there in person in that setting to capture the eloquence as three fifth graders from Tiana Silvas’s classroom stepped up to the podium. These students were definitely a part of a level three writing workshop as they, oh so eloquently, delivered their memorized poetry and reminded us of all the many reasons that we teach writing and we continue our tireless efforts!
The enthusiasm of the beginning of the day carried the theme of
WHY?
bringing purpose as we considered the energy, independence and transfer that comes from the creation and use of tools with Simone Frazer and building bridges between reading and writing with interactive writing with Marie Mounteer.
Decisions about Choice Sessions are never easy. They are all amazing. But Kisha Howell rocked Horace Mann with her tips about increasing writing volume. The big ideas centered around: feedback, talk, clear tools, “other texts,” meaningful process, and sketching. Exquisitely delivered in a way that my ancient brain absorbed, retained and connected the tips in true “showing not telling” fashion . . .
I’m fascinated by this chart. Where has the feedback that I’ve received fallen short? What about the feedback that I give? All feedback is not equal . . .
This opening day of 2018 June Writing Institute at #TCRWP satisfied my “WHY” to attend . . . . in order to continue and grow with some of the brightest literacy minds. Thank you, #TCRWP, for being a place to satisfy my “curious” and grow my thinking!
Thank you, Betsy, Beth, Deb, Kathleen, Kelsey, Lanny, Melanie, and Stacey for this weekly forum. Check out the writers, readers and teachers here. 
#NCTE17: Saturday
And the answers were:
Bob Probst: “I would give students more access to models of student discourse so they can talk about the content.”
Lucy Calkins: “I would give teachers more time for professional conversations, to dive into problems of practice together as a community and share their discoveries.”
Kylene Beers: “I would double your pay and cut the number of students in your class in half.”
This last question posed by moderator Lester Laminack who was seated on stage with the panel was: “If you had a magic wand in public education today, what would you do with it?”
Was this the most memorable question of the day? Why begin here? Because Saturday was a ginormous day of learning at #NCTE17. My day was filled with nonstop sessions and meetings from 7:30 am until 10:05 pm. It was Saturday. I was in St. Louis. And let me repeat, “my day was filled with nonstop sessions and meetings from 7:30 am until 10:05 pm.” And it was Saturday. If you do the math, the answer is something like 14+ hours.
Details: The first meeting was a breakfast. The last gathering was dinner. 15 minutes in between sessions to race from one end of the convention center and settle in for 75 minute learning opportunities… On a Saturday!
What is personalized learning?
What is the role of technology?
My answer is #NCTE17. A conference that I choose to attend, at my own expense, in order to learn and grow professionally. A conference where I renew my professional “joie de vivre“. I chose my schedule (or does it chose me?). I make a plan or two. I continually check my list of “Must Learns“. Some items are topics. Some items are names. Names of people. Names of books. And the best intersection . . . authors of books from book chats or book studies. The books in my bag in my hotel room that I forgot to match up to my schedule to bring for autographs. Those authors. Those from whom I want to learn MORE!
Personalized = my choice. Technology = those I have met on Twitter, Voxer, and blogs (that I now meet face to face). A lasting marriage of Voice and Choice on Saturday for 14+ hours of learning! Learning on my own dime and time.
So what did I learn?
“We still need a balance of technology and print in our literacy lives. There is not yet a definitive answer on when and how much screen time is appropriate for effective learning. Think balance.” Colleen Cruz, TCRWP
Lucy Calkins: “Transference of phonics is the goal. We don’t need a professor of phonics.”
“Our new work is our best work. We are always striving to improve and outgrow ourselves as a community of learners.”
To learn more about Jacqueline Woodson, Saturday General Session, check out her website. Simply gorgeous keynote!
F.38 What Matters Most About Reading and Writing
(Lester Laminack, Kylene Beers, Robert Probst, and Lucy Calkins)
What I will hold onto:
Kylene shared that 80% of adults go to text in order to be right. So we need to teach HS kids that reading, entering a text, is an opportunity to change yourself.
Lucy Calkins – “Live as if one of the pillars of your thinking is dead wrong.” Go to sessions, work with folks because if we only read our books and stay in our bubble – we will not be surprised and will not outgrow ourselves.
Lester Laminack: Our children are 21st century citizens . . . ask Siri ‘Why do bees buzz?” (and he did on stage for all of us to listen to) How do we convince Ss to fall in love w/ books? That’s a question for your, dear reader!
Lucy: We can grow as writers if we write along side our students when they are writing. We don’t have to be writers before we begin teaching writing.
Kylene: Writing to tell or Writing to discover. We can’t and don’t write enough. We shouldn’t teach kids non-fiction means not fake which then turns to true…let’s teach them non-fiction means not fiction. Non-fiction can be fake, not because you don’t agree with it though.
G.04 How to Say Less So Readers Can Do More: Developing Agentive Readers
(Jan Burkins, JoAnne Duncan, Gravity Goldberg, and Renee Houser)
We read passages at 90% accuracy. They were tough to understand. Sometimes reading is tough. We need to acknowledge that. But we also need to make sure that students DO THE WORK! We need to set up those conditions of learning!
Haven’t read it? No excuse!
You can read about it here, here, and here.
Gravity and Renee have this fiction and a nonfiction parallel book as well. Have you read them? Reflections on the books are included on a post here.
JoAnne shared the journey of a particular student in her building who learned to read and was then given books when she moved from the school. Powerful and tear jerking reminders that our relationships matter. We have to be a part of our students’ lives.
H.08 Harnessing the Power of Multicultural Literature and Critical Literacy to Generate Authentic and Enjoyable Writing Spaces That Bring Writers Back into the Workshop
(Brian Kissel, Kristina Kyle, and Lauren Rudd)
The two first grade international teachers shared the influences of their work:
Critical Literacy
- James Paul Gee
- Paulo Freire
- Vivian Maria Vasquez
Social action (for a Better World)
- Randy Bomer
- Katherine Bomer
- Stephanie Jones
And then Brian had us read and think alongside his reflections on his student work! For more information about Brian and his work, check out this post.
Thought to Ponder:
What would happen if you read every piece of student work just like you read every published book?
I.20 Recapturing Assessment: Student Voices in Aiding Our Mission
(Jason Augustowski, Dr. Mary Howard, Dr. Katie Dredger, Cindy Minnich, Sam Fremin, Ryan Hur, Joseph O’Such, Christian Sporre, Dawson Unger, Spencer Hill, Jack Michael, Ryan Beaver, Sean Pettit, and Kellen Pluntke)
Take aways from the #BowTieBoys:
- Students do not want multiple choice tests.
- Students do not want to regurgitate facts.
- Students do not want to write essays every time to show evidence of their learning.
- Students do not want to sit in rows of desks.
- Students do not want to listen to lectures.
- Students do not want a two page writing limit.
Students want choice.
Students want voice.
Students want opportunities to negotiate HOW to share their learning.
Students want to explore their own interest.
Students want to use technology.
Students want to learn even if that takes more work.
Students are less concerned about “fairness in grading” then they are about having choices in open-ended rubrics.
(edited) For additional details about the individual presentations from this round table see Mary C Howard’s Facebook post here.
J. 21. Beyond Levels: Choosing Texts to Scaffold Instruction for Engagement and Agency
(Clare Landrigan, Tammy Mulligan, Terry Thompson, and Dorothy Barnhouse)
It was such a pleasure to see the cover of Clare and Tammy’s new book and then to have Dorothy read Yo, Yes to us. We can find authentic ways to build in engagement and agency without “cute” worksheet pages! Tammy and Clare’s blog is here.
And of course, ending with the Slicer Dinner! 16 bloggers (weekly and each day in March) meet up for food, fun, continued learning, and conversation. (Again . . . Personalized Learning and Technology) Thank you, Two Writing Teachers!
What is your personalized learning plan?
Does technology play a part?
Are you ready to sign up for #NCTE18 in Houston?
#SOL17: Wondering
Do you believe this? What’s the evidence of your belief?
Doug Fisher, SDSU, August
Just Wondering . . .
How much “LEARNING” do you engage in during a year?
I learn daily as I read and write.
No one says “I have to”.
No one pays me for my time.
I learn weekly in Twitter chats.
No one says “I have to”.
No one pays me for my time.
I learn weekly as I blog.
No one says “I have to”.
No one pays me for my time.
I learn weekly in my Voxer groups.
No one says “I have to”.
No one pays me for my time.
I learn monthly, semi-annually and even annually from some major events.
Last week led me to learning in Davenport, IA on Monday with Dr. Mary Howard and
in Des Moines, IA on Thursday with Lucy Calkins.
Passionate speakers sharing research-based ideas.
Tirelessly
Leading
Encouraging
Thoughtful
Implementation of Best Practices in Literacy Instruction and
Assessment.
In three weeks I will be at #NCTE17.
No one says “I have to”.
No one pays me for my time.
I’m “retired” from a full-time job and yet since retirement, I have engaged in
15 days
of professional learning of my choice!
No one says “I have to”.
No one pays me for my time.
That does not include book clubs (6 this year).
That does not include Twitter chats (often 2 per week).
That does not include reading . . .
That does not include writing . . .
WHY?
Learning is growing.
Learning is addictive.
Learning is necessary . . . breathe in, breathe out, read, write!
Living a learning life!
What does your learning life look like?
Thank you, Betsy, Beth, Deb, Kathleen, Lanny, Melanie, and Stacey for this weekly forum and the #SOLSC that runs from March 1 to the 31st. Check out the writers, readers and teachers here.
What is the Bill of Rights for Writers according to Lucy Calkins?
August #TCRWP Reading: Day 1
Monday arrives with rain and yet the fire in my brain flames on . . .
Lucy Calkins keynote . . .
Laughter with Natalie Louis . . .
Learning with Kelly Boland Hohne
Illumination with Cornelius Minor
Such was the Monday in my life!
Today’s post is a recap of information from Cornelius Minor from his closing session: “Using Digital Tools to Offer Access to Students with IEPs”
Access for all Kids – Why is Access Important? (AKA “Research to Weaponize”)
- UdL – more inclusive
- On heels of Civil Rights
- Architects – ADA compliant – door width, door knob (designed from inception)
- Knowledge of the three networks that access the brain:
- Recognition (input – see, hear, perceive);
- Strategic (executive functioning); and
- Attitude (and feelings about teacher and learning)
Here is a chart I developed to organize some of the information shared by Cornelius.
| What is the main thing? | |
| Skills | Instruction |
| Vocabulary
Alfred Tatum – Teaching Reading to Adolescent Black Boys (Chicago) (EL) Build on strengths! |
Synonyms: Ponder, saunter, exclaim – derivatives of most common words.
Camera saunter A , B photographer Video ponder B, A videographer Develop criteria together. Make pic for word wall – Use students in the class Social – Doing and Talking |
| Fluency
The sound of my voice when I am reading text I care about. (have to like my audience as well as my text) Teen ink is a source “The day I met you was a bad hair day” Need texts that are worthy of practice. |
“Going to play Simon says. You are going to read the poem like I do!”
3 different emotions:
Annotate text for emotion |
Specific Chrome Tools
|
Have 3 or 4 that are extremely effective.
More is NOT better. Can also change readability |
| Effort
Behavior mirror Transfer – Use contexts that are familiar – Audio / Video – Students use daily! |
Do what the leader does! SELL it!
Effort lives in our methodology. |
What was something tried and true?
What was new?
What will you do next?
Thank you, Betsy, Beth, Deb, Kathleen, Lanny, Melanie, and Stacey for this weekly forum. Check out the writers, readers and teachers here.
August #TCRWP Writing Institute Day 2
Impossible that two days have literally buzzed past in the lightning round of learning. Time . . . that enemy of teachers everywhere.
What have I learned?
The learning curve is high.
There is always more to learn.
My blog posts this summer are going to be a bit different than previous years. “Different how?” you might ask. “Well, more of a focus on application and less focus on ‘reporting’!”
I am completely blown away by the new “Up the Ladder” units available from Heinemann that look like this because I haven’t just read them or watched the videos. I’ve actually “mucked around” with them and tried out some new work as well as experienced the sequence in the Information book in Shana Frazin’s session.
Link for additional information from Heinemann
For the record, there is one set of 3 books available that could be used for students in grades 3-8. (And yes, the cover says 3-6 so keep reading please!) In my five years of attendance at #TCRWP, I have had the great privilege of learning from six of the seven listed authors.
(Any errors in this post will be re-posted in another color with accompanying tweets or highly visible corrections. Unfortunately it would be the fault of the operator of this Chromebook, NOT the technology itself.)
August Writing Institute attendees received a copy of the Information “Up the Ladder” spiral bound book. All participants have had an opportunity to review the hard copy.
What follows is an opportunity for you to learn more about WHY these units were written, the responses to the “Aha’s” that have been built into these units. the special features that are included, and how you might consider using these units.
Why did the folks at Teachers College write these units?
- To give students who had never had writing workshop an opportunity to “grow into” this work. For example, fifth graders new to writing workshop were struggling with writing an argument-based essay when they had not written essays before.
- To support teachers who have not done writing workshop before. Using the unit in professional development would provide common language for teachers unfamiliar with writing workshop and the Units of Study in Writing. A new to the district third grade teacher could learn a bit about paper choices and “Small Moments” from the learning opportunities in primary grades.
- So students who are struggling writers who have had difficulty accessing writing can accelerate their writing. This can include English Learners or students with IEPs when provided with explicit instruction.
What has been built into these units?
Staff Developer and one of the authors, Alicia Luick shared these “Ahas” in a closing workshop on Monday, Day 1, of the August 2017 Writing Institute.
The “Up the Ladder” units provide additional support because:
- The writing process matters.
- Organization must be specifically “taught” (and no, completing a graphic organizer is NOT teaching! – my emphasis)
- Teaching into Revision and Student Set Goals is critical.
- Writing volume matters. The use of writing booklets pumped up the volume exponentially for students in grades 3-8!
What are some special features that a teacher will find in the “Up the Ladder” Units?
- In each session “Teacher Goals and then Student Goals” are side-by-side.
- QR Code with video models exist for each session. An author models the lesson (minus students) in 6 -10 minutes.
- Language is clear, concise and easy to follow with a 6 page maximum length.
- The end of every unit has ENL’s – English Language Learner suggestions
- (and added by this author – The post its for the charts are included.)
How might teachers use this new resource? Some Possibilities Include . . .
There are several options. For a district that is new to the Writing Units of Study for grades 3-8, teachers may decide to start the year with all three “Up the Ladder” units before cycling back to grade level units.
Another option might be for a new third grade teacher (for example), to teach the “Up the Ladder” Narrative and then the grade three narrative. The instructional cycle might continue with “Up the Ladder” Information and then grade 3 information and “Up the Ladder” Opinion and then grade 3 Opinion.
A third option might be more of a “Choose Your Own Adventure”. A teacher might decide to use the data from the class “pre-on-demands” to determine WHICH (if any) units or bends to teach based on information gathered directly from the students at the beginning of the year.
Are there other possibilities?
YES!
Most definitely!
However, a few words of caution.
“Danger, Will Robinson!”
Go back and reread the section about WHY Teachers College (AKA Lucy and Colleagues) wrote these units.
High Expectations lead to High Results.
Students don’t hit targets that they have never seen. Simply slowing down the writing instruction so that all students are progressing at a “slower pace” because the units are “too hard” in a district that has been using the Writing Units of Study for multiple years is NOT a viable goal nor the purpose of this resource. Providing additional support for students or teachers who need INSTRUCTION or PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT is appropriate.
This week there is a great series at Two Writing Teachers about “Writing Workshop Fundamentals“. Check out your beliefs and knowledge there!
Thank you #TCRWP, Shana, and Alicia! So helpful for students and teachers!
#SOL17: #TCRWP Writing – New Friends – Day 1
It began with a DM:
Coaching institute or writing institute?
And of course, there was no easy answer.
It depends!
Knowledge, background, willingness and ability to THINK
and apply.
Such a pleasure to meet that coach this week at the #TCRWP August Writing Institute and to sit in the front row together,
listening to Lucy Calkins together,
tweeting together,
nourishing our social media connections and
our face to face interactions.
NOT on Twitter?
Then you are missing out on PD opportunities from your home like:
And I don’t say that lightly! What a great morning! More in another post! (Shana Frazin)
What was your story of Monday? What did you read or write?
I know 140 characters doesn’t cut it for some folks. Being concise is an art. But check out this blog post by my friend Sally Donnelly who I also met via Twitter and TWT for a beautiful summary of Lucy’s keynote with some staggeringly wonderful organization! I just have a glorious collection of stories!
Keynote – “Fun with Reading and Writing Blog”
Homework caused this post to be quick and light. More later!
Thank you, Betsy, Beth, Deb, Kathleen, Lanny, Melanie, and Stacey for this weekly forum. Check out the writers, readers and teachers here.
AND YES, My Craft Moves is now autographed by the Author! Thanks, Stacey!
Resource - Full 