Wow! My first KATE Conference can be described as nothing short of a success! I was able to meet and mingle with some of the best English teachers in Kansas and I also was able to present some of my own ideas in a Breakout Session!
Both author Jacqueline Woodson and master story teller Laura Packer were in attendance at this year's KATE conference as keynote speakers. These brilliant and talented women both had much to offer in advice and experience in their addresses, but I found Laura Packer's keynote speech the most inspiring. On Thursday, she gave us all license to own our stories and to share that with our students. Her presentation on the importance of story telling to English/Language Arts and the human experience in general were exciting and moving. I also really supported the idea to connect students' own experiences to the stories that we tell and read in the classroom in order to create an engaging and cohesive environment! Jacqueline Woodson also offered much insight into her story telling process. I thought that it was interesting that she has used her own experiences and perceptions of the world to shape what and who she writes about. If students read Jacqueline Woodson's writing I believe they will be able to feel and see that, creating a deeper connection with the text.
I attended many breakout sessions during the two days of the KATE conference, but one that really piqued my interest and got me excited (and a little nervous too) about my first year of teaching was called "Professional Proactive: Combating Teaching Like a Champion." Led by Isabela Nickel, a first year teacher, she alerted all the attendees of the session to many useful resources for both assessment tools and classroom management strategies and applications.I learned about plickers, a free and easy way to assess students using selected response prompts. This seemed really exciting because it can be done in any classroom, regardless of classroom or district budget. Another app that got me really excited is called TeacherKit. This resource can allow teachers to monitor student behavior, grades, parent communication, and more.
Overall, my experience at the KATE conference has left a very positive impression. I feel like my passion has been reinvigorated by the many insightful and exciting ideas that I received there. I can't wait to come back next year!
