By Kimberly M. McCartan
As we begin yet another school, I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes by Henry Adams, “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” Every time I read this quote it reminds me of the powerful job we as educators do on a daily basis.
With the start of this school year, we are faced with a variety of challenges and changes to our practices, budgets and levels of accountability. In June, the Common Core State Standards were released and according to their introduction, "the standards lay out a vision of what it means to be a literate person in the twenty–first century" (Long, 2010, p. 26). As we strive towards these loftier goals and expectations within the changing school landscapes under our current constraints, we as educators must continue to find new and different ways to work with our students and families. With this in mind high quality literacy instruction is now more critical than ever before and we must not lose sight of how important our efforts are for the future of the students we work with.
In her inaugural article for Reading Today, International Reading Association President Patricia A. Edwards (2010) states, “If students are to successfully meet the social, political, and economic demands of their futures, they must be able to adapt and reinvent the ways that they read and write the world. Educators are an integral part of this change process. In my opinion, reconceptualizing our views of literacy is a step in the right direction” (p. 22). Dr. Edwards explains as times change so does our definition of literacy. She encourages today's educators to keep their definitions of literacy current and continue to absorb present-day experiences and knowledge with visual and digital literacy as it proliferates.
Dr. Edwards challenges us as educators to begin to reconceptualize our own definitions of literacy by reflecting on the following questions with our colleagues:
This year’s Fall Conference on Saturday, October 30 at the Hearthstone Manor will provide us our first opportunity to augment our views, practices and definitions about literacy. The keynote speaker, Dr. Brenda Overturf, a Literacy Specialist in Residence at the University of Louisville as well as International Reading Association Board Member, will present “Digital Storytelling for Struggling Readers.”
She will be followed by the dynamic author / illustrator duo, The Sisters: Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel who will be presenting “Which Came First, the Pictures or the Words.” Numerous break-out sessions will also be offered, featuring local teachers, librarians, and college faculty.
Linda Darling-Hammond (1998) stated, "teachers learn best by studying, doing, and reflecting; by collaborating with other teachers; by looking closely at students and their work; and by sharing what they see" (p.7). It is my hope in the year ahead the Niagara Frontier Reading Council can continue to expand and enhance these opportunities for you through our Winter and Spring Brunches. I look forward to a wonderful year ahead and encourage you to visit our website www.thenfrc.org for upcoming events, current literacy resources and outreach opportunities for you to be involved in.
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