I'm very lucky in that my job considers professional development very important. We stay current by interacting with other professionals in the field. In November, I had the chance to attend the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Annual Convention in St. Louis. In 2016 the convention was in Atlanta and I went. In 2018, it will be in Houston and I plan to go; I plan to go as long as I'm an English teacher.
The sense of community is amazing, even though there are thousands of people at the convention. You're surrounded by people that care about the same things you do, encounter the same struggles, strive for the same wins. It's invigorating in a way few things are.
Authors like Jason Reynolds and Angie Thomas were there, but they might not even have been the highlight. Reynolds almost brought me to tears and if you haven't read The Hate U Give stop whatever you are reading and pick it up immediately, but the best feeling was the community. Surrounded by people for whom literacy and diversity are paramount. It really doesn't get better than that.
Well, I did have BBQ. And oh my word, it was some of the best food I've had, in life.
The sense of community is amazing, even though there are thousands of people at the convention. You're surrounded by people that care about the same things you do, encounter the same struggles, strive for the same wins. It's invigorating in a way few things are.
Authors like Jason Reynolds and Angie Thomas were there, but they might not even have been the highlight. Reynolds almost brought me to tears and if you haven't read The Hate U Give stop whatever you are reading and pick it up immediately, but the best feeling was the community. Surrounded by people for whom literacy and diversity are paramount. It really doesn't get better than that.
Well, I did have BBQ. And oh my word, it was some of the best food I've had, in life.
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