Dublin Literature Conference

It's so much fun to spend Saturday learning and talking about literacy.  To start the day rocking out with Pete the Cat "I love my white shoes" and then listening to Donalyn Miller's Keynote was amazing. I took so many notes that when I printed them off this morning from my iPad and started highlighting the key ideas-everything was highlighted.  We call that HH in my classroom, and the students know that is not a good thing because not everything can be important but it was!!  Here are a few big ideas that I am reflecting on this morning.
*reading teacher = a teacher who reads and a reader who teaches
*we need to challenge our students more as readers
*reading is the inhale and writing is the exhale
*consider students' seating placement based on their genres that they read

My first session was listening to Ruth Ayres who blogs at Two Writing Teachers. I appreciated her opening and discussing how we need to anchor our teaching to our strong beliefs.  "Every student has a story" and the importance of teaching the writer not the writing. Such a powerful message in this time of testing.  Also the importance of celebrating writing throughout the entire process and not just the end product.  Also through following tweets (#dublit12), I like the analogy of the importance of a class meeting area similar to a coach calling his players to a huddle. 


Mr. Mark and I presented in the second session about the idea of digital toolbox and how it is important for the teacher to learn the new tools and allow students choice in choosing their tool. I talked about how I integrate Wonderopolis throughout all content areas and how powerful wonder homework can be by leaving a strong comment. Finally discussing the idea of flip classroom and how to extend the school day with wikis and downloading videos so the students are ready to come in the next day to discuss the video. 


Finally my last session, I listened to Donalyn Miller talk about books, and I don't mean "these are some great books" - I mean powerful book commercials that hooked me and blew up my Amazon account as I ordered them all.  Fun Day!!