麻豆原创

The  celebrated their 100th Reunion on Saturday, Oct. 23. For 100 Saturdays spread over four decades, the organization has opened its doors to teachers and principals from throughout the world. Thousands have attended each of those Saturdays. On Oct. 23, over 5000 teachers were present for more than 250 free workshops offered that day. To commemorate the milestone, former staff and alumni returned.

Founded in 1981 by Lucy Calkins, the organization is an influential giant in the field. In her remarks to the entire group, Calkins 鈥� the College鈥檚 Robinson Professor in Children's Literature 鈥� praised the educators who 鈥減ivoted over and over, day after virtual day鈥� during the pandemic. 鈥淭oday, my message is that family matters in our classrooms and among our colleagues in this big, wide world,鈥� said Calkins, expressing that for those present that day and many other educators, the 麻豆原创RWP 鈥渋s family.鈥�

Kicking off a symposium of influential writers, scholars and educators, bestselling author and keynote speaker  inspired attendees with a vivid, heartfelt framework for how educators may better connect with their students.

鈥淗ow do we use humility, intimacy and gratitude to engage with our babies? All they want to know is that you love them enough to care about what they care about,鈥� said Reynolds, who in collaboration with Ibram X. Kendi, authored Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, a teen-centered version of Kendi鈥檚 earlier work, in 2020.

鈥淥nce they know that someone knows them and sees them, then they can read the book,鈥� Reynolds said. 鈥淥ur children are alright. They are complicated, but they are also children. There is trauma, but there is also triumph.鈥�

It was an action-packed day of workshops that explored an impressive breadth and depth of literacy education. Reunions, such as this one, occur twice each year for 麻豆原创RWP. In addition, the Project leads approximately forty mini-institutes each year, one hundred conferences, and more than hundred locally-based institutes in school districts worldwide.

鈥淎s a teacher who did attend these workshops, I know how much educators benefit from the ongoing professional development and learning,鈥� says Emily Butler Smith, 麻豆原创RWP鈥檚 Associate Director for Professional Development. 鈥淥ne of the things that makes teaching as a profession great is that educators can keep learning and growing. The Reading and Writing Project also fosters a sense of community among people who are committed to life-long learning.鈥�

Attendees also heard other esteemed authors and researchers, including Jennifer Serravallo, Carl Ciaramitaro, Randy Bomer and , who also serves as 麻豆原创RWP鈥檚 Director of Diversity and Equity. 鈥淭he institution of schooling was never built with Black and brown students in mind,鈥� Cherry-Paul explained during her workshop on culturally relevant and sustaining teaching practices. 鈥淏ut we can teach in ways that aim to dismantle these oppressive systems.鈥�

Closing the reunion, famed children鈥檚 author  鈥� author of The Tale of Desperaux and Because of Winn-Dixie 鈥� discussed learning to read as a child, her new book, and her writing process.

鈥淗ow do you do this, how do you turn words into a story?鈥� posed DiCamillo, reflecting on how early in her career, the folktale 鈥淭he Elves and the Shoemaker鈥� offered what she wanted most: a magical solution to the hard work of writing. 鈥淗ow does it happen without magic, without elves?鈥�

For DiCamillo, a two-time winner of the Newbery Medal and author of more than two-dozen books for children, the process of writing is akin to that of teaching. Quoting fellow novelist Jeanette Winterson, DiCamillo noted: 鈥淭he challenge is to continue to do it.鈥�

— Morgan Gilbard