Day two of NCTE

Day two of NCTE... I'm hoping to do a run down of what I learned from my sessions in the future but for now, I'll tell you what sessions I'm heading to today:

Session One: Fake Readers, Distracted Writers, Higher Expectations
Session Two and Three: Volunteering (Local Committee)
Session Three: Rigot without the Red Ink
Session Four: (Re)Thinking How We Teach Movies

Highlights thus far:
Networking! In person and also social media (Twitter has been vital this conference)
Seeing Carol Jago, Jim Burke, etc in the flesh!!!

Wiping the dust off....

Hello all...any...me?

I dusted off the old blog to journal my experience at the National Council of Teachers of English Conference here in Boston. It has been an amazing experience thus far and having it in my own "backyard" makes it that much more special. Let me set the scene. Large conference rooms. Endless rows of black chairs. Teachers from around the country in one place to talk, to share, to learn, and to guide each other to greatness.

It's a pretty amazing thing to be apart of!

I'm so excited to share this experience here to my peers back home and anyone that may still creep around here.

Session 1: Academic Writing as Participation
Session 2: Engaging and Motivating Struggling Learners
Session 3: Lesson Planning and the Common Core
Session 4: Aiming for the Core

In a few days....

We're staying here....

Looking forward to....

~Space Mountain
~Splash Mountain
~Fireworks at night
~Dinner at Cinderella's castle
~Drinking around the world at Epcot (thanks for the dare, Ash!)
~Afternoon tea at The Grand Floridian
~and much more!!!!

Summer update...

Summer update time....

• Got a new job for the new academic year. I'm moving from an urban/low income middle school to a suburban/upper middle class middle school. I'm also moving up a grade to 8th. I'm very excited to try something new and teach books that are higher level.
• On the fitness kick! Noticed a few things I didn't like about myself so I've been eating healthy, exercising every day, and kicked the soda and junk food habit.
• Hubby and I are getting away for a bit the beginning of the month to..... Disney World. We have a bit of an addiction to Disney so I'm uber excited about going. We try to get in a least every other year and this is the year!
• Fell in love with an awesome website called paperbackswap.com. I'm able to get my preppy read on but also get to trade in the books I've already read and don't want to keep. For every book you trade, you can receive one in return.
• Two words... Mad Men! Catching up on season 3 this weekend and getting ready for the season 4 tomorrow night!!!

I'm still alive!!!

Don't know (or expect) anyone to respond but I'm still alive! I don't want to be that girl that lists the 10 million reasons why she hasn't posted...blah, blah, blah. Instead I will tell you that I'm in graduate school (with a 3.8 gpa!!!) and close to completing my second (successful) year of teaching at urban middle school. I heart my 7th graders and feel so blessed being a teacher.

Don't have much more to report... just teaching, class, and trying to be the best wife/dog mom. I'm on the hunt for preppy wellies (considering all the freakin' rain we've had up here in New England the past two months) and thinking Target might be the place for them (Liberty of London, anyone!?!?!). I'll keep you posted on what I decide on.

Hope all is well with everyone and look forward to getting back into the swing of things.

I'm leaving on a jet plane....

Well, not really... Instead I'm driving across Massachusetts for a week long teacher workshop tomorrow. I'll be reconnecting with co-workers, learning more about urban students, and earning my first 3 graduate credits towards my MAT. Hope everyone has a great week and I'll be back Friday with what I learned (for those preppy teachers out there).

P.S.- Was able to pick up the L.L. Bean argyle tote in a medium (no larges in store) but I think its the perfect size for my petite frame. I'm bringing it with me so I have a place for my binder, pens, and whichever book I decide to bring :-)

My latest craving....

So I start grad school in the fall at local state college for my Masters so obviously I'll need a new school bag. Here is what I'm jonesing for:

L.L.Bean Argyle Tote