Sunday, September 5, 2010

Let the learning begin...

Do you have plans for learning this year? I know that often my students directly benefit from my professional development. Last year, Karen challenged me to share my bits of my own blogging experience with my second graders. Their journey into first, reading many kid blogs, then creating their individual voices (using kidblog), sharing ideas, problem solving to figure out the tool, connecting, questioning and complimenting each other through commenting within our classroom community was amazing. There are moments where I wish I could keep learning with them and further our blogging journey, but I am also happy to be back with first graders and excited to figure out how it will work. Franki at A Year Of Reading has set the bar with her plan for the year. She loves learning and often her commitment to her own learning is inspiring. So, I thought I would also share my plans for professional development. Here goes...

In October I will be learning with Christian Long who will be speaking about Designing a 21st Century Learning Environment for Elementary Learners. His session is hosted by Literacy Connection.

In November, I will be headed to Orlando for NCTE's Annual Convention for 2010: Teacher's and Students Together: Living Literate Lives. After reading In Pictures and In Words, I will be anxious to attend Katie W Ray's session: Writers and Readers Explore Art to Understand Meaning Making. I also am interested in listening to Mark Overmeyer and panel speak about formative assessment and feedback in the elementary writing workshop. I am sure there is more but I have just briefly searched online for sessions. Cathy M, Ann Marie, Kathy C. and I will be presenting on picture book possibilities.

In February, I will attend our district's annual literacy conference. I am very much looking forward to hearing author Amy Krouse Rosenthal and the many professional speakers who will be attending.

Lastly, I am anxious to be apart of the Dublin cohort for Powerful Learning Practice this year. I am hoping that working, talking and sharing with others in this community will help me begin to wrap my brain around ways I can strengthen 21st teaching and learning in my own classroom.

2 comments:

Andrea Hazard said...

I will have to get a copy of Katie Ray's book - I teach a 5th grade StoryArt workshop in which kids create an illustration that tells a story (see www.ahazard.com - workshops for more info), and am always on the lookout for information on combining art & writing. Wish I could attend her lecture- thanks for the tip!

Karen Szymusiak said...

What a great year of learning!