I’m pulling together my schedule in Anaheim for the NCTE conference later this month. We’ll arrive on Friday the 18th and leave on the 20th. Three of my publishers are having happy hour or receptions that fall back to back the first evening. I hope our arrival is on time!
On Saturday I sign at two booths — Astro and Scholastic — have lunch with the editor I’m working with on a book currently, and meet with friends.MARY JO FRESCH and I will be together at the Scholastic booth. It will be great to see her again.
On Sunday, I present with LAURA ROBB and LANAY BROWN-WOOD and that afternoon we’ll fly home.
Every conference is different and I’m sure this one will be too. It’s the first in-person conference I’ve attended since the Pandemic. I’m looking forward to it.
Tomorrow is opening day for California Reading Association’s 2022 virtual conference. Keynote speaker for the opening session is GEORGIA HEARD. The lineup of other speakers and topics is impressive as well.
I counted twenty videos that are available to those who are registered for the conference, include one by MARY JO FRESCH and LAURA ROBB and one by TIM RASINSKI and me. I look forward to feedback on those. Here are the program descriptions. If you know of someone who plans to attend the conference, I hope you will consider sharing the information.
David Harrison and Tim Raskinski … Why Poetry for Reading Instruction – Let us Count the Ways! – Poetry for children is one of the least valued texts for teaching reading. We will make the case that poetry offers such great potential for improving all aspects of reading. Moreover, we argue that poetry is particularly beneficial for students who struggle in reading. Mary Jo Fresch and Laura Robb … Powerful Comprehension Tools: Three Reading Strategies That Work – Fresch and Robb model and discuss how three strategies (visualizing, comparing/contrasting, and inferring) engage and motivate K-8 students. The strategies trigger students’ critical thinking for active and deep comprehension.
Presenting virtually is not anyone’s first choice but thank goodness it has become a viable option. The other conference I have in California this year is in person, next month in Anaheim. That’s for NCTE. I’ve mentioned it before but will get back to it before long. I’m working on my schedule now.
Here’s a new ad that Scholastic is running in ILA’s Literacy Today (October issue). This is for the paired titles that MARY JO FRESCH, TIM RASINSKI, and I worked on together. They came out in February and are off to an excellent start.
This second ad will be used in other spots. I’m eager to see both of these put to use.
Yesterday went well. I worked on some slides for the video I’ll make soon with TIM RASINSKI. It’s for this fall’s California Reading State Conference. The event is virtual this year so our video, plus a companion video being created by our partners, MARY JO FRESCH and LAURA ROBB, will be available on command for those who register for the conference wherever they live.
ELAINA KERSEY, my editor for THERE ONCE WAS A BOY, is in the process of editing the script and I spent part of my time working on it too. Sometimes we were in real time, which was interesting and productive. I need to get back to that this morning. First item of business is to do a better job of explaining what I mean when I tell about the window air conditioning unit we had when I was six years old and we lived in Ajo, Arizona. It was a hot, desert town not far from Mexico and summer temperatures were usually 100+. To help cool our living room, we had a contraption that fit into the window with a reservoir for a cake of ice. A large fan behind it blew the ice-cooled air into the room. Ahhh. Heaven.
The third thing I worked on yesterday was my least successful effort. I’m writing poems for first grade level for a new book and have finished the first five. Number six started well but ended like I did, tired and tired of it. Maybe today I’ll find the problem and fix it. The week I was sick cost me dearly so I don’t have a lot of time for error.
Mary Jo FreschLaura RobbTim RasinskiDavid L. Harrison
Here’s the new flyer from the upcoming California State Reading conference. The four of us (MARY JO, LAURA, TIM, and I) have an article coming up in the CA Reader this fall but we had to split up into to make videos for the conference.
We are thrilled to announce that we have added Virtual Workshops to our Connected with Literacy 2022 Conference. CRA is excited to bring a collection of 20-30 minute prerecorded videos, featuring presenters ranging from researchers, award winning children’s authors to teachers who will bring hands-on practical strategies and ideas you can take back and use with your students. VIEW VIDEOS FROM THESE OUTSTANDING PRESENTERS . . . Donald Bear, Darl Kiernan and Sarah Negrete … Advancing Emergent and Beginning Readers – Activities to develop Concept of Word, Phonological Awareness and Early Reading. Learn to establish a personal reader routine. Phonics and fluency for emergent and beginning readers are discussed. Carol Jago … The Role of Literature in Troubling Times In this workshop participants will explore how imagination can be a tool of response and resistance. We will reflect upon works that pose complex, compelling questions and learn protocols for scaffolding such texts for classroom use. Carol will also introduce you to vibrant new fiction and nonfiction titles sure to engage young readers. Lori Oczkus … The Science of Reading Comprehension : Short and Sharp Mini Lessons that Work! – When students look for C’s and Q’s (words to clarify and questions) as they read they stay engaged and their comprehension dramatically improves. Lori Oczkus, author and literacy consultant, will demonstrate her favorite “Go To” lessons that dramatically improve comprehension using any text at any grade level! Join us for this lively session loaded with ideas to use immediately! David Harrison and Tim Raskinski … Why Poetry for Reading Instruction – Let us Count the Ways! – Poetry for children is one of the least valued texts for teaching reading. We will make the case that poetry offers such great potential for improving all aspects of reading. Moreover, we argue that poetry is particularly beneficial for students who struggle in reading. Mary Jo Fresch and Laura Robb … Powerful Comprehension Tools: Three Reading Strategies That Work – Fresch and Robb model and discuss how three strategies (visualizing, comparing/contrasting, and inferring) engage and motivate K-8 students. The strategies trigger students’ critical thinking for active and deep comprehension. Stephanie Jeppson … A Passion for Poetry Viewers will learn a variety of easy to use poetry formats teachers can take back and use with their students. Kate Bowen … Using Picture Books to Spark Historical Inquiry and Empathy This session will discuss historical inquiry in the classroom, offer quick-inquiry suggestions to use with students, discuss picture books you can use in the elementary and middle school classroom to support student inquiry and empathy, and provide examples of primary sources to pair with picture books. Possible topics include titles by California authors, FAIR Act, Voting Rights, Civil Rights, Indigenous Voices, AAPI, Environment, Women’s History, Labor, and Social Justice.
ALL VIDEOS ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR CONFERENCE REGISTRATION! Videos will appear in the conference program where attendees will have access to workshop links that they may watch at their leisure for a period of time after the conference ends. TO REGISTER . . . Visit the CRA website at: californiareading.org OR Contact the CRA office at: 949-547-6664 California Reading Association 485 Camino De Los Mares Suite H150/476 San Clemente, CA 92673 Phone: 949-547-6664 Fax: 949-481-8163 ww
If you plan to attend the conference or know someone who will, mark your calendar and spread the word. This year is whizzing by and we’ll be in California (virtually) before you know it!
Children's Author David L. Harrison's Blog 