Letters, Books, and Words, OH MY!

If you have never been to an International Reading Association Conference, then you simply cannot imagine the extent of the event! The exhibit hall is a HUGE room with over 1000 exhibitors. There are letters, books, words, and TEACHERS everywhere---20,000 to be precise!

It was funny because last night we went to dinner with Suzi's friend, Beth, who is a Chiropractor and not in education. She lives in the area and drove us around. As we looked on each and every corner, she would say, "Are those teachers?" They are hard to miss. There is a "look" to most teachers. They carry totebags (I have collected four so far during this conference) full of STUFF and are definitely keeping Chiropractors and Orthopedic surgeons everywhere in business. In fact, maybe Beth was "sniffing business" as she eyed the crazy crowd.

It's a time that is full of learning about the subject we are passionate about. It's a time to learn from colleagues. It's a time to hear what the foremost experts in the field are currently finding in their research. It's a time to find out what is happening in the world of reading.

I feel like I am lapping up all the learning I can...especially since I missed the last two years. I don't always find staff development that challenges me in my area. This is my time to "get challenged". It's a time for me to dig into my own thinking and refuel and refine my practice. It's like a feeding frenzy in so many ways.

Today, my hope in reading education has been renewed. You see, I think we have covered education in the "research-based" blanket...and in many ways it has zapped the fun and creativity right out of our classrooms!! Yet, there's room for teachers to be who they are. There's room for them to recapture that zeal that brought them to the classroom in the first place. I am on a mission now....I want to help awaken the "true teacher" that has been hiding inside so many of my colleagues for so long. I want to help them trust themselves to be responsive and highly-effective teachers. I want to help them see that they DO make a difference each and every day. I want them to get EXCITED about letters, books, and words.....so they can pass that along to the students they teach.