Nut Crackers

This year I

was bound and determined to get shoulder to shoulder with the grand dame of

the Teachers College Writing and Reading Project, Lucy Calkins. Right before our last session today, I walked past one of the larger classrooms and happened to notice Lucy packing up from the last class. I seized the moment, rushed in, and introduced myself. Right there with her was Dr. Douglas Reeves, author and mastermind behind The Leadership and Learning Center, an educational research think tank. I graciously jostled my way into their larger than life presences and quickly attempted to suck in any of the air they were exhaling.

Carl Anderson Gems:

-"Crack open ___"

-Careless Mistakes -when you know how to do something and forget to do it Vs. Growing Mistakes -when you are attempting a more complex skill, and, either you approximate the behavior without complete success

yet, or, you lose command of another part of the skill that was previously mastered. Think about learning new dance step - get the feet first, then add the arms. Sometimes when you add the arms, you lose what you had with the feet - same idea. We discussed some of the predictable growing mistakes in the developing writer.

-Talked about writing conventions and predictable patterns

in K-2.

Keynote by the amazing Dr. Douglas Reeves. Based on research of 2000 schools closing the implementation gap should not be about the program, but THE DEPTH OF IMPLEMENTATION. Schools should have 6 or fewer specific goals that are monitored.

Afternoon session worked on persuasive writing - writing reviews.

Closing session - Chart Making with Kristi Mraz (charts are one of the

understated keys to the workshop format) Learned about different types/purposes of charts and how to make them like a billboard -selling the message. Also did a mini-lesson on drawing quick stick figures!

Fun!

With my trusty carnivore now at my side, we circled the wagons and made an attempt at conquering the 13 or so rotisserie meats at Churrascaria Plataforma. It was a cavalcade of flank steak, prime rib, sirloin, pork sausage, chicken,turkey, and steak wrapped in bacon, short ribs, long ribs, suckling pig, and more.

After dinner we parted the Red Sea of Tourists in Times Square and Columbus Circle in an attempt to recycle some of the animal energy we had taken on board at dinner.