Working on Presentations for @NCTEARorg and Thrilled to Be Reunited with Brilliant Minds, Educators, Scholars, and Visionaries

I remember my first NCTEAR conference in Wisconsin. It felt like flying into an episode of Roseanne, and I remember being intimidated by being in the presence of all the great minds I was reading and all the literacy mentors I only knew on paper. Actually, not a single person showed up to my presentation and I asked a custodian who was cleaning up the lobby if he wouldn't mind me talking about my work with Refugee-Background youth for 45-minutes. He was very patient and asked wonderful questions. 

Then a blizzard came. We were all trapped by the midwest whiteout, but I had job interviews I needed to get to, so took a bus to Chicago in hopes to beat the storm and make the right flights. We were probably 20-minutes ahead of the storm and all flights were cancelled by the time I got to the Windy City. I used the opportunity on the Greyhound to write, and write, and write. My paper was actually published in a book on the proceedings and, although it took a lot of stressful flight arrangements, I made it to NYC in time to make it for the interviews on the calendar. 

And I got a job. A year later I successfully defended my dissertation, and over a decade later I've been fortunate to do my National Writing Project job and collect years and years of data. This weekend, I'll present on 10 years of the data and it will be wonderful to return to NCTEAR in Austin, Texas, spear-headed by the incredible Dr. Tracey Flores. 

I've attended many NCTEARs since and each and every time it is an inspiring, and life-changing opportunity. Yesterday, I spent several hours reflecting on all that has come since then, including awards, publications, promotion, grants, and the chance to publish teachers and student writing (ten years in ten books, to be honest). 

More than the scholarship, however, I'm simply excited to be reunited with the minds and brilliance of so many who have guided my path. It's a walk toward the rising son (to reference Ger Duany) and the intent of the presentation. Just a week of classes stand between me and the gathering. It is exciting, indeed.