The Elementary Section is happy to welcome new and old friends to the 2009 Annual Convention! The program offers an impressive range of speakers, poster sessions, authors, and events for early childhood and elementary educators. We are excited about the Day of Early Childhood on Saturday. In these challenging times, it is our professional learning community that helps us to renew our focus on learners, language, literature, and literacy---all of the reasons we first entered teaching---and to reconfirm our commitment to teaching and research that respects children and their families. Please join in the discussions on-line in advance of the conference and we’ll continue the conversation in November.
~ Debi Goodman, Elementary Section Chair
Kick off the convention with the Elementary Section Get-Together at 5:00 p.m. honoring Karen Smith as this year’s Outstanding Language Arts Educator. As is the tradition, this time will be spent celebrating the recipient for her work as a distinguished educator who has made outstanding contributions to the field of language arts in elementary education. In addition, the Get-Together will honor the reciepient of the 2009 Graves Writing Award.
Is this your first time at an NCTE Convention? A good way to start is to take the time to join us from 7:00-8:00 a.m. for the First Timers' Welcome for a cup of coffee and get some tips on making the most of your convetnion experience from other elementary educators.
The Whole Language Umbrella (WLU) will host the Day of Whole Language featuring sessions focused on whole langage theory and practice. Join Heidi Mills and Tim O'Keefe as the opening speakers. LISTEN to Heidi Mills discuss this session.
On Monday, WLU will sponsor Workshop W.14 “Conferring, Today: A Decade After How's It Going?”
Join the POETRY PARTY! Celebrating 2009 NCTE Poetry Award recipient Lee Bennett Hopkins in Session A.18 on Friday morning. The audience will be invited to participate in readings from his poetry collections along with several authors and poets.
Join the newly formed Early Childhood Education Assembly for a Day of Early Childhood, featuring sessions specifically for educators of children in preschool and early elementary. The day will be filled with sessions designated and devoted to issues of teaching, learning, and young children. Sonia Nieto and Mary Cowhey will open the day and Vivian Vasquez and Mariana Souto-Manning will close the day.
On Monday the ECEA will sponsor its first Workshop W.1 "Young Children Learning in Diverse Communities: Language and Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers."
The Books for Children Luncheon is a favorite event for many elementary attendees. This year’s luncheon speaker features children’s author and illustrator Brian Selznick. In addition, the 2009 Poetry Award winner, Lee Bennett Hopkins as well as 2009 Orbis Pictus Award winners will be honored.
Additional Orbis Pictus Award celebrations include Session G.27 where the winning nonfiction titles will be discussed and Session K.03 where the authors will discuss their winning nonfiction titles.
Highlights include the Children’s Literature Assembly Breakfast featuring Jerry Pinkney and Marilyn Nelson and the CLA session featuring the "2009 Notable Children's Books in Language Arts."
Elementary program sessions reflect the wide range of interests and needs of elementary teachers. Use the online searchable program to find sessions of special interest to you today!
