Explorations and Conexiones: Take-Aways from 2023 Fall Conferences
by Hannah L. Lewis
For the uninitiated, it might seem surprising that English teachers, with our unrelenting stacks of papers to grade, phone calls to make, and lessons to plan, would willingly spend free time doing professional development by choice, but for those who have ever attended a conference such as PCTELA’s, NCTE’s, or ours, it’s clear how rejuvenating, energizing, wonder-inspiring, and all-around fun such events can be.
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| Hannah, Carol, and Amy |
As you read in Sarah Wilt’s post last month, PCTELA’s Explorations encouraged critical reflection on our practice while also offering time for us to connect with one another and to play–it featured everything from balloon games to friendship bracelets to magnet poetry. NCTE’s Conexiones in Columbus only reinforced for me the need to critically reflect, connect with like-minded peers, and play.
It would take far too long to detail all of the enriching experiences I had at both PCTELA and NCTE this year. I mentioned to a friend that NCTE’s four-day conference feels at times like a semester-long course all shoved into four days. That said, it’s remarkable how much the same themes permeated both events. As usual, both events reminded me of the profound privilege it is to teach young people the power of their words.
Book ban worries dominated both conferences and united their attendees. Everyone is talking about book bans: who’s dealing with them, who isn’t, who has such a milquetoast curriculum that there’s nothing for politically-motivated groups to attack. So many of us are being asked to make choices between what we know is best for our students and what is best for our careers. Self-censorship is taking its toll as many teachers eliminate certain texts or topics from their classrooms just in case someone might complain about them. In this sense, the conferences felt a bit like a fiery church service. It seems we are all united in our convictions for intellectual freedom and critical thought, and that encouraged me greatly. To hear authors–from Columbus local Hanif Abdurraquib to bestseller Angie Thomas (pictured below with Amy and Carol)–talking about how supportive they feel of teachers who are taking risks to get the right books into the hands of the right kids inspired me to remain steadfast in my convictions and to lean on my team for support.
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| Carol (left) and Amy (right) with author Angie Thomas (center) |
And A.I. remains a hot topic. At NCTE, all of the AI sessions were so full that I couldn’t even get in. There’s poetry, then, in the fact that Tom Hanks used a low-tech typewriter to provide his parting words at his keynote at NCTE; poetry, too, in the Typewriter Rodeo booth in the exhibition hall that invited attendees to visit for a customized poem, written on the spot.
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| Hannah with Sam from Typewriter Rodeo |
I couldn’t help but think back to the spirit of play at PCTELA and even to the Genius, Joy, and Love professional development I did over the summer. I am having fun with A.I. Yes, it’s frustrating when I read an A.I.-generated essay a student submitted as their own work. Of course I hate that. But I love asking ChatGPT to evaluate my letters of recommendation for me, just to see what it will say; or to re-write “The Soul Selects her own Society” as a line-for-line paraphrase for my high school students. It’s fun, just like watching someone type a poem just for my students is fun, just like playing keepy-uppy with balloons is fun, and just like our classrooms should be fun places that engage the curiosity of our students.
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| Carol, Amy, and Hannah with WPCTE and WPWP member and friend Lisa Silverman |
As always, I have to admit that what I look forward to most about attending conferences is the chance to catch up with old friends and make new ones. There is something enriching about talking literature and writing and professional practice with people I genuinely love that just hits different. Former professors or colleagues or even those I met at conferences all remind me of my why. One of the first blog posts I ever wrote for WPCTE was about the importance of finding a family of educators to support you throughout your career and I’ve only found myself more and more convinced of its importance.
I’ll take a minute to shout out conference colleague Sarah Wilt, PALCS colleague and professional bestie Abby Weller-Hall, WPCTE family Amy Bouch and Carol Frow, Western PA Writing Project’s Dr. Khirsten Scott and Lisa Silverman, and Bread Loaf School of English and NCTE’s Alfredo Luján. Since we just observed Thanksgiving, I’d like to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for the presence of all of these dedicated educators and friends in my life–and in my heart (of teaching).
Hope to see many of you in March!