September 2024
Patti Forster, NBCT, MCELA President
Sometimes, I know just what I need to focus on in my personal and professional lives. However, other times, I need several reminders from the universe to help me find my way.
Getting multiple messages to work on the same thing happened to me the year I needed to work on forgiveness. I didn’t want to work on it, I didn’t want to forgive my sister for yelling at me throughout our childhood, but the forgiveness messages kept popping up in what I was reading at that time: The Celestine Prophecy, in conversations with friends, and even stumbling upon an author talk at Barnes and Noble. I can’t remember the author’s name, but his message about forgiveness built upon the other messages I had experienced that summer, helped me discover that I needed to learn how to forgive…and I did.
That kind of synchronicity happened to me this summer. I attended the NCTE affiliates meeting in DC and the speakers mentioned possibilities again and again. In my summer read, Cultures of Growth, Mary Murphy touched on embracing possibility. Articles and conversations kept leading me back to the idea of possibilities. Now, I’ve always been a “what if” kind of person: What if we tried this? What if we tried that? Possibilities have always captured my curiosity because they often lead to making improvements, figuring out what works to keep, and figuring out what doesn’t to let go.
When it came time this August to decide on my annual focus word for the year, which I’ve been doing for the past ten years in my thirty-two years as a teacher, I really wasn’t sure what to choose, but then I was reminded once more about possibilities while scrolling social media. It was a quote by Keke Palmer about the magic of possibilities (Palmer is an American actress and talk show host, remember the little girl in the 2006 movie Akeelah and the Bee?). So, I accepted this message and settled into possibilities as my focus word.
Possibility is about imagining “what if”–not being afraid to take chances. It reminds me of Kobi Yamada’s picture book What Do You Do with a Chance? The main character sees a chance fly by, imagined as a golden flying paper butterfly (by illustrator Mae Besom), but doesn’t take it because he is “unsure”; he is afraid of what might happen. The more he avoids the chances, the less they come around. Eventually, he sees another chance and runs after it: “I don’t know how to explain it, but the second I let go of my fears, I was full of excitement. It wasn’t that I was no longer afraid, but now my excitement was bigger than my fear.” Letting go of fear to make space for the excitement of possibilities is the key to improving as educators, to providing better learning opportunities for our students, to collaborating with our colleagues. Yes, if we take a chance, things might change, and that can be scary…but that change could be a positive, an opportunity for something better, maybe even a golden paper butterfly.
Being open to possibilities and taking the chances when they fly by is what I plan to focus on this year. In my classroom, that will look like rethinking my curriculum to adjust for the students who are in my room with more relevant and meaningful projects. For MCELA, that will look like partnering with other affiliates and organizations, as well as our board exploring strategic questions about broadening our support and representation across the state. Who knows what other possibilities there will be!
I’m really excited that my focus word for the year made it into our 2025 MCELA Conference theme. The theme this year is Cultivating Possibilities in Ecosystems of Learning. As a gardener, this theme also reminds me that I need to do the labor to create possibilities, not just hope they fly by; I need to tend to the essential tasks for growing possibilities for myself, my students, and our organization. This cultivation can be done alone, but it is so much better when done in community. Consider cultivating possibilities with us by registering for our March 21, 2025, MCELA Conference and possibly even joining us for our pre-conference event the evening before, Poetry at Portland Stage.
Here is another possibility for you: consider grabbing the chance to share your learning–we are currently accepting proposals for workshop sessions (due by 10/29/24). We’d love the possibility to feature your ideas at our March conference this year.
“So, What do you do with a chance? You take it…because it just might be the start of something incredible.”
Getting multiple messages to work on the same thing happened to me the year I needed to work on forgiveness. I didn’t want to work on it, I didn’t want to forgive my sister for yelling at me throughout our childhood, but the forgiveness messages kept popping up in what I was reading at that time: The Celestine Prophecy, in conversations with friends, and even stumbling upon an author talk at Barnes and Noble. I can’t remember the author’s name, but his message about forgiveness built upon the other messages I had experienced that summer, helped me discover that I needed to learn how to forgive…and I did.
That kind of synchronicity happened to me this summer. I attended the NCTE affiliates meeting in DC and the speakers mentioned possibilities again and again. In my summer read, Cultures of Growth, Mary Murphy touched on embracing possibility. Articles and conversations kept leading me back to the idea of possibilities. Now, I’ve always been a “what if” kind of person: What if we tried this? What if we tried that? Possibilities have always captured my curiosity because they often lead to making improvements, figuring out what works to keep, and figuring out what doesn’t to let go.
When it came time this August to decide on my annual focus word for the year, which I’ve been doing for the past ten years in my thirty-two years as a teacher, I really wasn’t sure what to choose, but then I was reminded once more about possibilities while scrolling social media. It was a quote by Keke Palmer about the magic of possibilities (Palmer is an American actress and talk show host, remember the little girl in the 2006 movie Akeelah and the Bee?). So, I accepted this message and settled into possibilities as my focus word.
Possibility is about imagining “what if”–not being afraid to take chances. It reminds me of Kobi Yamada’s picture book What Do You Do with a Chance? The main character sees a chance fly by, imagined as a golden flying paper butterfly (by illustrator Mae Besom), but doesn’t take it because he is “unsure”; he is afraid of what might happen. The more he avoids the chances, the less they come around. Eventually, he sees another chance and runs after it: “I don’t know how to explain it, but the second I let go of my fears, I was full of excitement. It wasn’t that I was no longer afraid, but now my excitement was bigger than my fear.” Letting go of fear to make space for the excitement of possibilities is the key to improving as educators, to providing better learning opportunities for our students, to collaborating with our colleagues. Yes, if we take a chance, things might change, and that can be scary…but that change could be a positive, an opportunity for something better, maybe even a golden paper butterfly.
Being open to possibilities and taking the chances when they fly by is what I plan to focus on this year. In my classroom, that will look like rethinking my curriculum to adjust for the students who are in my room with more relevant and meaningful projects. For MCELA, that will look like partnering with other affiliates and organizations, as well as our board exploring strategic questions about broadening our support and representation across the state. Who knows what other possibilities there will be!
I’m really excited that my focus word for the year made it into our 2025 MCELA Conference theme. The theme this year is Cultivating Possibilities in Ecosystems of Learning. As a gardener, this theme also reminds me that I need to do the labor to create possibilities, not just hope they fly by; I need to tend to the essential tasks for growing possibilities for myself, my students, and our organization. This cultivation can be done alone, but it is so much better when done in community. Consider cultivating possibilities with us by registering for our March 21, 2025, MCELA Conference and possibly even joining us for our pre-conference event the evening before, Poetry at Portland Stage.
Here is another possibility for you: consider grabbing the chance to share your learning–we are currently accepting proposals for workshop sessions (due by 10/29/24). We’d love the possibility to feature your ideas at our March conference this year.
“So, What do you do with a chance? You take it…because it just might be the start of something incredible.”
May 2024
Patti Forster, NBCT, MCELA President
April 2024
Patti Forster, NBCT, MCELA President
After our recent conference, I had several people ask me what my favorite part was. Besides the joy of educators' learning, my favorite part was the educators who generously shared their educational insights in presentations throughout the day, including author Penny Kittle who inspired me years ago to be a teacher researcher/writer. There is so much that we can learn from each other if only we are willing to share.
I'd like to encourage each of you to share your thinking by contributing to our academic journal, Northwords. This publication serves as a platform for educators like you to share your invaluable insights, innovative teaching methods, and classroom research within the realm of English education. Your contributions have the power to shape the future of our field and inspire fellow educators across the state and beyond.
With our submission deadline extended to May 15th, now is the perfect time to share your expertise and contribute to the ongoing conversation in our profession.
I want to reassure you that our submission process is designed to be as manageable and supportive as possible. As the deadline of May 15th approaches, know that we understand the pressures of the academic calendar and have streamlined our process accordingly. Once submissions close, our dedicated team will diligently review each piece. Selected writers will then receive personalized feedback from our skilled editors in June, providing ample time for revisions.
We value your contributions and are committed to ensuring that your work is presented in the best possible light. Final revisions will be due in July, allowing for a collaborative and constructive editing process. Rest assured, we are here to support you every step of the way as you prepare your submission for Northwords.
Together, let's showcase the excellence of our profession and educators in Maine.
Click here for more information: Northwords Call for Submissions
Eagerly awaiting your submissions,
Patti Forster, MCELA President
[email protected]
I'd like to encourage each of you to share your thinking by contributing to our academic journal, Northwords. This publication serves as a platform for educators like you to share your invaluable insights, innovative teaching methods, and classroom research within the realm of English education. Your contributions have the power to shape the future of our field and inspire fellow educators across the state and beyond.
With our submission deadline extended to May 15th, now is the perfect time to share your expertise and contribute to the ongoing conversation in our profession.
I want to reassure you that our submission process is designed to be as manageable and supportive as possible. As the deadline of May 15th approaches, know that we understand the pressures of the academic calendar and have streamlined our process accordingly. Once submissions close, our dedicated team will diligently review each piece. Selected writers will then receive personalized feedback from our skilled editors in June, providing ample time for revisions.
We value your contributions and are committed to ensuring that your work is presented in the best possible light. Final revisions will be due in July, allowing for a collaborative and constructive editing process. Rest assured, we are here to support you every step of the way as you prepare your submission for Northwords.
Together, let's showcase the excellence of our profession and educators in Maine.
Click here for more information: Northwords Call for Submissions
Eagerly awaiting your submissions,
Patti Forster, MCELA President
[email protected]
March 2024
Patti Forster, NBCT, MCELA President
Lately, I've been working on trying to incorporate more joyful learning experiences. I found a little space between two larger units to add a mini-unit last week that ignited a spark of joy for my students.
Inspired by Penny Kittle's book "Micro-Mentor Texts: Writing with Intention and Craft" and the New York Times Student Review contest, I decided to incorporate a mini-unit on review writing. Drawing from Kittle's emphasis on using concise, impactful mentor texts to inspire student writing with relevant reading and authentic writing, I had students read and comment on one of the winning reviews. In the next class, we looked at 1 of the reviews more closely (the one about the Big Red Boots), noting the topics of each paragraph and having students highlight and share a favorite line or section. Then, students created a draft of a review of a product of their choice. The next day we looked at 2 specific techniques the winning review had used and students tried adding a revision to their draft with one or both of the techniques. We read a second review about a rapper following a similar process and students wrote their own celebrity review.
Having students read and analyze these short reviews for organization and writer's craft and then using the techniques they discovered to write their own product and celebrity reviews added an element of joy to our English classes as students wrote about products from chocolate milk to the Porsche 911 Turbo S and wrote about celebrities from Adam Sandler to Tiger Woods. It also cultivated essential writing and critical thinking skills. By analyzing and emulating real-world examples from the Times contest, my students learned to express their opinions with clarity and persuasion. Developing their writing alongside some of the winning reviews served as a powerful motivator, instilling a sense of pride and accomplishment in their writing.
If you're interested, you can find the winning entries from the New York Times Student Review Contest here. We used the essay about the MSCHF Big Red Boot (you should take a look at these controversial boots) as inspiration for writing the product review and the essay about a young rapper from Gaza as inspiration for writing the celebrity review.
Now, I know these ideas aren't new, but sometimes I get so hyperfocused on teaching skills that I forget to make space for joy. Incorporating these micro-mentor texts and adding choices for their writing topic transformed my students' enthusiasm to write. They are more engaged, more confident, and more eager to explore their voices as writers. It's truly remarkable to see the impact that such a simple addition can have on their learning journey.
Here's to igniting joyful learning and tending the spaces between. If you are attending our conference this month, please say hello and introduce yourself. Can't wait to learn and grow together in person!
Patti Forster, MCELA President
[email protected]
Inspired by Penny Kittle's book "Micro-Mentor Texts: Writing with Intention and Craft" and the New York Times Student Review contest, I decided to incorporate a mini-unit on review writing. Drawing from Kittle's emphasis on using concise, impactful mentor texts to inspire student writing with relevant reading and authentic writing, I had students read and comment on one of the winning reviews. In the next class, we looked at 1 of the reviews more closely (the one about the Big Red Boots), noting the topics of each paragraph and having students highlight and share a favorite line or section. Then, students created a draft of a review of a product of their choice. The next day we looked at 2 specific techniques the winning review had used and students tried adding a revision to their draft with one or both of the techniques. We read a second review about a rapper following a similar process and students wrote their own celebrity review.
Having students read and analyze these short reviews for organization and writer's craft and then using the techniques they discovered to write their own product and celebrity reviews added an element of joy to our English classes as students wrote about products from chocolate milk to the Porsche 911 Turbo S and wrote about celebrities from Adam Sandler to Tiger Woods. It also cultivated essential writing and critical thinking skills. By analyzing and emulating real-world examples from the Times contest, my students learned to express their opinions with clarity and persuasion. Developing their writing alongside some of the winning reviews served as a powerful motivator, instilling a sense of pride and accomplishment in their writing.
If you're interested, you can find the winning entries from the New York Times Student Review Contest here. We used the essay about the MSCHF Big Red Boot (you should take a look at these controversial boots) as inspiration for writing the product review and the essay about a young rapper from Gaza as inspiration for writing the celebrity review.
Now, I know these ideas aren't new, but sometimes I get so hyperfocused on teaching skills that I forget to make space for joy. Incorporating these micro-mentor texts and adding choices for their writing topic transformed my students' enthusiasm to write. They are more engaged, more confident, and more eager to explore their voices as writers. It's truly remarkable to see the impact that such a simple addition can have on their learning journey.
Here's to igniting joyful learning and tending the spaces between. If you are attending our conference this month, please say hello and introduce yourself. Can't wait to learn and grow together in person!
Patti Forster, MCELA President
[email protected]
January 2024
Patti Forster, NBCT, MCELA President
Every New Year’s Eve we create manifestation collages for the upcoming year. Our process includes flipping through magazines and collecting words, phrases, and images that resonant to then glue onto a scrapbook page. I knew I wanted to focus on my health this year, searching for messages about healthy eating and exercise. As I flipped the pages, I came across a sideways title with one word: perspective. I cut it out because it made me think about how I need to shift my perspective about eating and exercise to get healthy.
The clipping of the word perspective is of course, now a part of my collage, but the word has also been sticking with me for the past few days, making me wonder what else needs perspective. Where do I need to shift my point of view? What do I need to look at more closely?
One of my goals for this school year was to try to bring more joy into my curriculum. I feel like I’ve done that somewhat by bringing in more opportunities for student choice. Key word there: somewhat. Today, the first day back after the break, I introduced our choice writing inquiry. I thought students would be joyful as they selected their topics and started their research, but joy is not the word I would use to describe the room. So, what do I need to do? How can I ignite joy this semester?
I know I don’t have the answers, yet, but I’m eagerly looking forward to learning from our 40+ presenters and Penny Kittle at our MCELA March 29th Conference. Will you be there? We still have space!
Patti Forster, MCELA President
[email protected]
The clipping of the word perspective is of course, now a part of my collage, but the word has also been sticking with me for the past few days, making me wonder what else needs perspective. Where do I need to shift my point of view? What do I need to look at more closely?
One of my goals for this school year was to try to bring more joy into my curriculum. I feel like I’ve done that somewhat by bringing in more opportunities for student choice. Key word there: somewhat. Today, the first day back after the break, I introduced our choice writing inquiry. I thought students would be joyful as they selected their topics and started their research, but joy is not the word I would use to describe the room. So, what do I need to do? How can I ignite joy this semester?
I know I don’t have the answers, yet, but I’m eagerly looking forward to learning from our 40+ presenters and Penny Kittle at our MCELA March 29th Conference. Will you be there? We still have space!
Patti Forster, MCELA President
[email protected]
November 2023
Patti Forster, NBCT, MCELA President
Sometimes things happen that remind us to slow down and pay attention to what matters most. In September, I broke my arm. That really slowed me down. It’s the reason I haven’t included a president’s message in the newsletter lately. Today is the first day I’ve been able to use two hands to type, and it is still very slow.
We were all forced to slow down with the tragedy in Lewiston as our state banded together to support the communities impacted so heavily. Many of us personally were reminded to invest our time in those we love when faced with the reality that loved ones can be taken from us so quickly.
As an educator, it has reminded me to focus more on touchstone moments with each student rather than assignments and grading. Last week with the end of the quarter looming, I held grading conferences and recognized that I needed to use the conferences to connect with my students rather than just determine if they’d met learning criteria. The conferences took longer than I had planned but the joyful moments that emerged from asking how the deer season was going, checking in about the excitement of an upcoming play performance, and digging deeper into what kinds of books were engaging this year mattered so much more.
November is a quick school month with parent conferences and Thanksgiving break, but it also provides an opportunity for all of us to slow down and spend time with our loved ones. November also brings our third online AI chat. I’m personally very excited to learn some AI tools to enhance my teacher workflow so I can spend more quality time with my students. We hope you’ll join us for this free event on Tuesday, November 28th to learn from Kate Meyer, M.Ed, NBCT, Uncharted AI Fellow, Executive Board Member MCELA, 2020 Hancock County Teacher of the Year, and Mt. Desert Island High School English and Design Thinking teacher.
In December, we’ll offer one more online event for 2023. This one will be about digital storytelling with Brett Pierce, Maine author of Expanding Literacy: Bringing Digital Storytelling into Your Classroom and founder of Meridian Stories, a digital storytelling nonprofit for teachers and their students. I have Brett’s book and have already applied ideas from this text in my classroom as my students and I explore digital storytelling. This event will be free to MCELA members and $10 for non-members. Plus, we’ll be donating Brett’s book to the first 10 registered participants for this event.
Learn more and find registration links for both events in this newsletter. There will also be a recording sent for both events to registered participants.
I do hope you can find moments to pause and determine what matters most for you, your family, and your students. After reflecting, I encourage you to support a colleague who has made a difference to you, other educators, students, and our learning community by nominating them for our Claudette & John Brassil Distinguished Educator Award (more info. In this newsletter). You can cheer them on at our March 2024 MCELA Conference when we reveal the winner.
Wishing you more kairos* time,
Patti Forster, MCELA President
*Most people look at time as the calendar and the clock, looking at time chronologically, with the Greek word CHRONOS for time. Instead, Stephen Covey (author of First Things First, 2017)
[email protected]
We were all forced to slow down with the tragedy in Lewiston as our state banded together to support the communities impacted so heavily. Many of us personally were reminded to invest our time in those we love when faced with the reality that loved ones can be taken from us so quickly.
As an educator, it has reminded me to focus more on touchstone moments with each student rather than assignments and grading. Last week with the end of the quarter looming, I held grading conferences and recognized that I needed to use the conferences to connect with my students rather than just determine if they’d met learning criteria. The conferences took longer than I had planned but the joyful moments that emerged from asking how the deer season was going, checking in about the excitement of an upcoming play performance, and digging deeper into what kinds of books were engaging this year mattered so much more.
November is a quick school month with parent conferences and Thanksgiving break, but it also provides an opportunity for all of us to slow down and spend time with our loved ones. November also brings our third online AI chat. I’m personally very excited to learn some AI tools to enhance my teacher workflow so I can spend more quality time with my students. We hope you’ll join us for this free event on Tuesday, November 28th to learn from Kate Meyer, M.Ed, NBCT, Uncharted AI Fellow, Executive Board Member MCELA, 2020 Hancock County Teacher of the Year, and Mt. Desert Island High School English and Design Thinking teacher.
In December, we’ll offer one more online event for 2023. This one will be about digital storytelling with Brett Pierce, Maine author of Expanding Literacy: Bringing Digital Storytelling into Your Classroom and founder of Meridian Stories, a digital storytelling nonprofit for teachers and their students. I have Brett’s book and have already applied ideas from this text in my classroom as my students and I explore digital storytelling. This event will be free to MCELA members and $10 for non-members. Plus, we’ll be donating Brett’s book to the first 10 registered participants for this event.
Learn more and find registration links for both events in this newsletter. There will also be a recording sent for both events to registered participants.
I do hope you can find moments to pause and determine what matters most for you, your family, and your students. After reflecting, I encourage you to support a colleague who has made a difference to you, other educators, students, and our learning community by nominating them for our Claudette & John Brassil Distinguished Educator Award (more info. In this newsletter). You can cheer them on at our March 2024 MCELA Conference when we reveal the winner.
Wishing you more kairos* time,
Patti Forster, MCELA President
*Most people look at time as the calendar and the clock, looking at time chronologically, with the Greek word CHRONOS for time. Instead, Stephen Covey (author of First Things First, 2017)
[email protected]
September 2023
Patti Forster, NBCT, MCELA President
This year's conference theme, Ignite Joy–Tending the Spaces Between, is focused on allowing space for contemplating, planning, connecting, and exploring. After years of focusing on being resilient, now is a time to acknowledge our need to rekindle joy in our practice, our classrooms, and our community.
How do we ignite joy in learning? By tending the spaces between our purpose and ourselves, between ourselves and our students, between our students and their learning, between their learning and their motivation, between their motivation and their creativity, between their creativity and their inspiration, between their inspiration and their individuality. There is much we need to tend to if we want to ignite joy in learning.
Our conference theme was inspired by a poem called “Fire” by Judy Brown, from Leading from Within: Poetry that Sustains the Courage to Lead (2007), edited by Sam M. Intrator & Megan Scribner.
Excerpt from “Fire”
What makes a fire burn
is space between the logs,
a breathing space.
…
So building fires
requires attention
to the spaces in between,
as much as to the wood.
Read the whole poem here
So if we think of joy as a fire, something we want to ignite in our learners, we need to think of more than just the wood, more than just the curriculum. We must think of the spaces “between the logs,” the spaces that allow for contemplating, exploring, connecting, planning, and reflecting for our students and ourselves.
Looking forward to finding space to learn together this year,
Patti Forster, MCELA President
[email protected]
How do we ignite joy in learning? By tending the spaces between our purpose and ourselves, between ourselves and our students, between our students and their learning, between their learning and their motivation, between their motivation and their creativity, between their creativity and their inspiration, between their inspiration and their individuality. There is much we need to tend to if we want to ignite joy in learning.
Our conference theme was inspired by a poem called “Fire” by Judy Brown, from Leading from Within: Poetry that Sustains the Courage to Lead (2007), edited by Sam M. Intrator & Megan Scribner.
Excerpt from “Fire”
What makes a fire burn
is space between the logs,
a breathing space.
…
So building fires
requires attention
to the spaces in between,
as much as to the wood.
Read the whole poem here
So if we think of joy as a fire, something we want to ignite in our learners, we need to think of more than just the wood, more than just the curriculum. We must think of the spaces “between the logs,” the spaces that allow for contemplating, exploring, connecting, planning, and reflecting for our students and ourselves.
Looking forward to finding space to learn together this year,
Patti Forster, MCELA President
[email protected]
August 2022
Patti Forster, NBCT, MCELA President
At the beginning of the pandemic, all of us were suddenly novice teachers because we had never been through anything like that and didn’t know what we were doing; we were learning how to teach all over again. Maine educators rose to the occasion and reached out to each other at their schools and across the state. In this strange remote and hybrid education world, we dropped our armor of being guarded experts and became generous learners, helping each other and growing together.
My hope as we move forward this year and in the future is that we can continue these connections, leaving our expert armor where we dropped it and continuing to learn and grow together, continuing to share ideas and ask questions, continuing to support and help educators in our buildings and throughout Maine.
For myself, I like to keep goals simple, so each year I choose one word as my focus. For many years my word was BALANCE because it took me forever to find it. Last year my goal was VALUES because I felt I needed to reset mine to focus on what mattered most for me after focusing so much on serving others during the pandemic.
I am blessed to serve on the board of MCELA and realize that it provides me the opportunity to connect with incredible ELA educators statewide, so I’ve decided that my 2022-23 goal word is CONNECTION. This will work on many levels. Connecting with my students is more important than ever with the social-emotional skills lost during the distancing of the pandemic. Helping students make connections with themselves and others in the world is always a priority. Making connections with colleagues I don’t know as well and connecting with new colleagues at our school will be essential. Finally, as the incoming MCELA president, connecting with educators at all levels and with education organizations throughout the state will be my focus to support ELA educators and literacy education.
Connection is what matters most for me this year. What matters most for you? What matters most for your students?
Take some time before school starts to slow down and reflect. Write about it. Talk about it.
Maybe even create something as a reminder for yourself to post on your wall (I used Canva to create mine).
Determining what matters most for you and your students will help start a path for your school year.
My hope as we move forward this year and in the future is that we can continue these connections, leaving our expert armor where we dropped it and continuing to learn and grow together, continuing to share ideas and ask questions, continuing to support and help educators in our buildings and throughout Maine.
For myself, I like to keep goals simple, so each year I choose one word as my focus. For many years my word was BALANCE because it took me forever to find it. Last year my goal was VALUES because I felt I needed to reset mine to focus on what mattered most for me after focusing so much on serving others during the pandemic.
I am blessed to serve on the board of MCELA and realize that it provides me the opportunity to connect with incredible ELA educators statewide, so I’ve decided that my 2022-23 goal word is CONNECTION. This will work on many levels. Connecting with my students is more important than ever with the social-emotional skills lost during the distancing of the pandemic. Helping students make connections with themselves and others in the world is always a priority. Making connections with colleagues I don’t know as well and connecting with new colleagues at our school will be essential. Finally, as the incoming MCELA president, connecting with educators at all levels and with education organizations throughout the state will be my focus to support ELA educators and literacy education.
Connection is what matters most for me this year. What matters most for you? What matters most for your students?
Take some time before school starts to slow down and reflect. Write about it. Talk about it.
Maybe even create something as a reminder for yourself to post on your wall (I used Canva to create mine).
Determining what matters most for you and your students will help start a path for your school year.
