Anoka, The Halloween Capital of the World!

I spoke last night in Anoka, MN the Halloween Capital of the World! I didn't mean to take a spooky picture but it fits.  I got all caught up after my talk to a house full of parents with a fellow Winona State University Alumni. By the time I remembered to take a picture for my blog, I was outside laughing with my new pal.  She agreed to let me post whatever showed up on my camera! I love spontaneous, fun folks and Minnesota is full of them. I am so honored to spend time with parents talking about what kids need from the grown ups who love and care about them.  My youngest audience member to date is little Elin, she is ten days old today and I was happy to be the first keynoter in her life! Thanks to Miscelle for organizing a great evening.  I hope to see you all again.

Thank You Aldrich!

What a pleasure to spend the evening with parents, teachers and staff at Aldrich Memorial Nursery School last night.  Some of the teachers had heard me speak last fall in Pine Island and worked hard to make last night happen.  Aldrich is a beautiful facility in Rochester, MN.  A warm, inviting place full of nice people....just the kind of place you would want your child to be. I was thinking on my drive home that I ought to be taking names. When I think about how many people I have asked to be champions for childhood in the last 18 months or so, the list would be impressive.

 

"I Want My Hat Back" was a big hit.  I am starting to feel like that old bear is my friend.  I took the time to find an email address for Jon Klassen and told him how much I love his book and how many Minnesotans do too.  I got the nicest email back from him. I love to read to kids. I believe that parents who love to read pass that love along to their children through hours of lap time and piles of books. It's cuddle up season in Minnesota, a perfect time to snuggle in with a child and a great book.

New York City!

Oh My Goodness!! Here it is, the Big Apple. She is full of sights, sounds, people, and so much fun. We hit the ground running, the class of 2012 and I. We were all torn between crossing things off of our own bucket lists (I need to see Lady Liberty!, I need to shop!, I need to eat a _______!, I need to find David Letterman!) and sticking close together, knowing that we had just two days left to be together.

I joined the group heading to the "Top of the Rock" and was blown away! New York City is massive.  We had so much fun finding places that are part of the American experience, The Empire State Building, The Chrysler Building, Central Park, The Statue of Liberty, and St. Patrick's Cathedral and the list goes on and on. It is fun to run around with teachers.  Every few minutes, no matter who is leading the line, a teacher turns around to count to see if everyone is keeping up and to make sure he or she hasn't lost one.

Our time in NYC included some work for the Pearson Foundation, one of our sponsors. We needed to contribute our thoughts and a recording about 5 Things I Know about education. This was harder than it sounds. We all wanted to honor the work we all do in classrooms.  I wrote about what children need from childhood and supporting parents. As soon as my turn was over, I thought about what I forgot and just needed to let it go. We also had the opportunity to "debrief" with CCSSO (the Council of Chief State School Officers) about our year as Teachers of the Year. More on that later...

I knew I had to visit the 911 Memorial Site. I went with three other teachers. We each told the story of what it was like to teach on that day. The memorial knocked the wind out of me.  It is beautiful and gut wrenching at the same time.  It is hard to explain  how it felt to be there at night running my hands along all those names....so many, many names. The water crashes down and down again and it felt like it was pulling my heart right along with it.  I had been standing there alone for quite some time when my friends reminded me that there was a whole other pool.  I had forgotten, or maybe I never knew, I don't know but there it was. I will carry that experience with me for the rest of my life.

 

 

I was so moved by the story of the survivor tree that the volunteer told us. It was good to leave with a story of hope and promise at the end of a very emotional experience.

 



ETS

We have wrapped up our work at ETS. We took some time to process our year together and identify what we have learned and where we go from here. Five National Teachers of the Year were with us at the conference to facilitate our conversations and inspire us with their stories.

All this learning in a historic, breathtakingly beautiful place called Princeton. I am inspired!

That my big brother was able to join us for lunch was icing on the cake.

Princeton, NJ

It was a beautiful day here in Princeton! The ETS Conference Center is a perfect location for a teacher gathering. Our morning was spent learning with a focus on neuroscience and technology. We had a feisty discussion among us about what is best for kids.

We spent the evening at "Grounds for Sculpture". It was a stunning place for a field trip! The collection of contemporary sculptures was amazing. I took lots of pictures and had so much fun. Dinner at Rat's Restaurant was so, so yummy with the cutest mini deserts I have ever seen.

Pledge Met!

When I signed on to "Read for the Record", I pledged to read to 100 kids this week.  Thanks to Pod 3 and Pod 4 here at Goodview, I made it! Happy Reading Everyone and thanks to all the great kids in Goodview Elementary School for helping me meet my goal.

Reading Mania

We are reading like crazy here at Goodview School in preparation for Jumpstart's "Read for the Record" on Thursday.  Thanks to all the great listeners in Ms. Bodas' and Mrs. Weaver's classes! We love "Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad".