Iowa Reading Conference

I attended a 2 day reading conference in Ames.  Once again, It was well worth my time.  Not only do I get a renewal credit for my teaching license, but I meet so many wonderful people and get so excited about new ideas for the school year.  It was exhausting but invigorating!

The speaker I heard was the author Trent Reedy.  I have read several of his books and was very inspired by his presentation.  I cried when he shared his experiences as a soldier in Afghanistan.  I cant wait to share it with my new students next year!  He accepted my request to be friends on facebook and we have chatted several times since.  He is a great guy!!

My absolute favorite address of the conference was by Dr. Steven Lange, entitled “Confessions of a Reading Arsonist”. I laughed and cried.

I wanted to tell Dr. Lange how much I loved his 2 presentations I attended and how it was just like my presentation last year.  So, I wrote him and said:

Hello Dr. Layne,

I attended two of your presentations at the Iowa Reading Conference and absolutely loved every minute!! Especially since last year at the same conference, I presented and it was called “Igniting the love of reading from within.” Your presentation cemented everything I said. I also recently wrote as a guest blogger on the IRRC (Iowa Reading Research) on the same topic! I had no idea there was a book out there with mini lessons to support what I have been trying to share with teachers for years! You Totally rock!!! Anyway, I just wanted to share my blog with you (in case you ever have a free minute lol). Thank you so much for your enthusiasm and your obvious love for learning. Your excitement is contagious and I am ever so grateful I was able to hear you present. Thank you!!!

Kris Hart

http://ihartbooks2.blogspot.com/

 

Well, apparently he shared my blog with all his people because I had 150 hits off my blog that day and not only received this response from him:

Kristina,

Yay, you!  Great blog – and it is so often true that many passionate minds are thinking and experiencing similar things throughout the world.  I never assume “it is all and only me” who has these things to say.  I take heart though, and so should you, in reminding myself that we are uniquely gifted to say and to share things the way WE say and share them!

Blessings,

Steven Layne

But this response from a famous author !!!

Kristina,

I saw your post "Ignite the Love of Reading from Within" and was moved and anger about the young reader who wanted to check out my Dog Tags series, but couldn't because of leveling.

If you have a way to contact that child over the summer, or if they're back in the school year, I'd love to gift them with a signed set of the Dog Tags books because I sure want them to connect reading with awesome surprises, not disappointing and arbitrary level judgements!

And thanks for all the work you do to get the right book to the right kid at the right time. It means the world.

best wishes,

__
Alexander London
http://www.calexanderlondon.com/

I cannot even tell you how much this all meant to me! 

Then, I attended another one by Ken Stamatis.  Another phenomenal presentation.  (I tweeted him and he re-tweeted it!) But what touched me the most was the organization he runs called “Africa Reads”.  I felt strongly I should contact them and get involved.  Long story short, I wrote his wife and she said they would LOVE to have me come along to Rwanda, Africa as their librarian.  The team will be put together in October.  Fingers crossed this will come through for me.  In the meantime, its a great way to get my students involved in a global project!  Another great, possible opportunity!

If you want to check it out: http://www.africareadsnow.com/home/

 

I also left with some amazing ideas on integrating Virtual Field Trips (using Skype in the classroom) and I already have a teacher willing to pilot the program with me at Excelsior next year!