Happy birthday, Harry!

If I could have adopted Harry Potter while I was reading the series...or since...I would have.  He just needed a good momma!

Wish I had time now to dive back into this series, but I just have so many books to read! (Sorry, Harry!)

In the meantime...Happy Birthday, Harry!

Tammy's Travels...Part 2

This has been the best summer of professional development!  I wish you could have traveled with me!  REALY wish you could have traveled with me!

1. National Board Academy...need to review my notes for our plans for Arkansas, as we have an online meeting tomorrow evening...making those plans happen!  This could be such a powerful group in our state...in many areas.
2. ILA Conference...am already looking forward to this meeting next year.  When my friend Julie brought me on board the Arkansas Reading Association, and ever since, she has consistently used the word network.  I am seeing that word come to pass.  Meeting and greeting and learning...again, need to review my notes...taking much of what I learned into my classroom...including that energy from this conference.  A very good thing!
3. Midsouth Google Summit...I learned more about Google (especially Google Sites...which I like) and I presented using Blogs as a tool to write WITH our students.  We concluded the 1 1/2 session by agreeing we need a full day next year to dive into this tool!  (Traveled to Trumann for this summit...on my way home on the second day, I received a text that my daughter had been in a wreck...she is fine!  Bless that girl!)
4. Council Leadership Institute...then off to Searcy to work with my Arkansas Reading Association friends/board members in preparation for CLI.  These ladies inspire me.  They work so hard and are so committed to being a part of this organization.  Then, on days 2-3, another 40 ladies joined us.  Much was accomplished as the county reading councils planned for 2017-2018.  Yay!
5. Laying the Foundation/Literacy, a part of the National Institute for Math and Science...four days of meeting with literacy teachers from our district.  Much...if not most...of this content I use already...or at least had heard of...but...BUT...reminders are powerful.  Everyday I committed to use something this year.

The total of these five?  If I include one day of church in there, these meetings added up to 19 days straight of meetings.  Back to back.  No overlap.  Amazing!

The power of these five?  I am taking them into a new/different curriculum this fall into my classroom.  Yes, again, we are switching curriculum.  Honestly?  I am not sure what number this one is (I do know this will be the third for one teacher is who beginning his fourth year).  While we have met several times and worked on the UbD docs in preparation, I have been a bit resistant (as we had a new superintendent joining us and not knowing what changes he might ask), BUT no noted changes, so I am feeling a bit more excited, for we were given many liberties as we plan for this fall:  to choose from three curriculums, which results in much liberty!).

As I begin my 27th year of teaching and as committed as I am to education, I appreciate anyone who respects what I bring into the classroom.  I am a veteran teacher.  There.  I typed it.  Yes, I am.  :)

The timing of the above five...and this "new" curriculum...well...just seems timely!  I do so love designing lessons.  Love it! (Grading it...not so much!)

So....so...off of here:  Time to finalize my classroom...then to dive into the above five...no, the above six...the blending of all I have learned this summer...with a different curriculum...and my 26 years of experience.  Go, me!

Happy New School Year!

Tammy's Travels

Hello from Orlando, Florida, where I am attending the ILA Conference with several friends/peers from the Arkansas Reading Association...after having just returned from a National Board Academy in Las Vegas.  Fun!  Excited!

This a first time to attend both of these conferences so much learning is occurring!

At the NBAcademy, we networked with representatives from 34 other states and developed a needed plan for state of Arkansas affiliate.  I am looking forward to progress within this organization.

Now, at ILA, we are here, also, to network for our upcoming conferences and book club and to brush up on my nerd skills (not much help needed in that area!) as I am excited about the line-up of authors here at conference:  Carol Jago, Ralph Fletcher, Kylene Beers, Robert Probst...and!  Am very much looking forward to the next four days!

Then, when I return to my home state of Arkansas, I will attend a two-day Google training, three days of Council Leadership Institute for leaders across our state in our reading affiliates, and four days of in-service for school...all back-to-back (with just one day off)...wow!  Yes, now in that back-to-school mode!

More about all this in the next few days!