"Everyone Has a Story"

Last summer, I followed the All Write Consortium virtually on twitter, and I remember thinking about how much I wish I could have been there. This year I attended with many colleagues and enjoyed the opportunity to listen, discuss and now begin to process all of the information.

Ruth Ayres gave the opening keynote entitled “Mandates, Standards and Evaluations.  Can Teachers Still Change the World?”  I loved how she shared her own teaching experiences, her own life story which led her to ask the audience, “What is your story?”  Everyone has a story.

As a teacher, I need to know my students’ stories. We want to change a life and give hope which allows each child to have BIG dreams.

All of life pieces make up our stories.  Stories allow us to change the world. 

Words matter and the story is worth being written.  

She suggested having students start the year with sharing a story that changed their life. I am already thinking about which picture book I am going to be sharing with my class the first few weeks of school.

She ended with connecting these stories to the importance of helping students believe that they are readers and writers.  It is our job to support and encourage students as well as build their trust so that they can form their own story because stories can change the world.

 Ruth wrote her own reflection about the keynote on her blog:  Two Writing Teachers.