The Dot and NCTE [Poetry Friday]

Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Here’s a poem I shared recently, but I’m sharing it again, since it’s on the postcard I’ll be handing out to everyone I meet at NCTE next week in Baltimore.

Here’s my schedule — hope to see you there! And I’m including a tidbit from each of my sessions that maybe some of you teachers will find helpful. This also went out in my eletter for educators–Salas Snippets–along with links so they could see my full handout for each session. Please subscribe if you’re interested!

Friday

9:30-10:45 a.m. – Room #323

Playing with Poetry: I’ll be presenting with fabulous poets Marcie Flinchum Atkins, Mary Lee Hahn, Carole Lindstrom, and Carole Boston Weatherford. In my bit, I’m talking about how using gaming elements can make young poets less intimidated and more willing to take risks while writing poetry.

Tidbit: Use the phrase, “Let’s try something! Let’s…” when introducing something new and potentially scary. This lets kids know that it’s an experiment, which could succeed…or fail. And that’s okay.

Signing Snack, Snooze, Skedaddle at 11 a.m. at Lerner #930. I believe Lerner will be selling the book for $10.

Signing In the Middle of the Night at 2 p.m. at Boyds Mills Kane #831. I believe the book will be free.

3:30-4:45 p.m. – #315

Teaching Poetry Through Inquiry: In this session, we’re talking about using inquiry in both reading and writing poetry. My bit will be in the reading portion, and I’m delighted to be presenting with Liz Steinglass, Matt Forest Esenwine, Heidi Mordhorst, and Mary Lee Hahn. Sadly, I got double-booked, so I’ll be here for the intro and my bit (I’m first up), then I’ll disappear and return for the Q&A portion at the end.

Tidibit: The most useful question for me is, “What does this poem mean TO ME?” The least useful is, “What does this poem mean?” Only two words separate those questions, but they matter a lot. Here’s my handout for that session.

3:30-4:45 p.m. – #308

Inquiry Through Wonder and Curiosity: I’m sharing a table with Christie Wyman, but I’ll only be there for roundtable session #2. Both of us will be sharing different ways of using images to spark poems, along with student examples. She’ll handle the first and third sessions on her own.

Tidbit: The I Made a Mistake Poem game is a fabulous ice-breaker. Kids write beautifully when NOT rhyming. This game lets us play with rhyme right up front and lets me make a fool of myself while the kids stump me, eventually, with un-rhymable words! Then we ditch rhyming and get to writing. 

Signing Snowman-Cold=Puddle: Spring Equations at 5 p.m. at Charlesbridge #1023. I think the book will be free.

Saturday

Children’s Book Awards Luncheon – 12:30-2:30 p.m.: I’ll be a table host! Everyone at my table will get a free copy of Snowman-Cold=Puddle. Whee!

I haven’t seen the entire NCTE schedule yet, but I think I’ll be at an unofficial session about nonfiction on Saturday morning at 9:30 with some Lerner and Chronicle editors.

Saturday night, if I’m still upright, I plan to go to the Nerdy Book Club gathering.

And on Sunday morning, I’ll be at the CLA breakfast where Yuyi Morales is speaking!

Excited to see so many inspiring educators and writer friends!

For lots more wonderful poetry, don’t miss the Poetry Friday Roundup with Michelle at Today’s Little Ditty! She’s celebrating the release of her second anthology of DMC poems, and I’m super honored to have two poems in this one. I can’t wait to read the whole thing–her first anthology has been full of mentor texts and ideas for me:>)

Save