Introduction
“What would you all think about attending the Minnesota Council’s conference with me in May?”
“What does that mean?”
“What are we doing?”
“Can you tell us more about it?”
“How would that work?”
“Yeah, can you tell us more about it?”
“Of course!”
And so, during our Methods of Teaching Reading course one Wednesday evening in late February, that’s how our adventure began. I told the students what I knew about the conference: the topic, location, duration, and structure. And then I explained a little bit about the structure of NCTE and its affiliates, sharing how each affiliate works to serve the educators and students in its state through language arts-focused, purposeful, teacher-led professional development. My preservice teachers (PSTs) were excited about the possibilities. Their exact words: “Swag money monster!” To the uninitiated: “Awesome!”
Of course, that initial excitement was replaced by the logistics of it all at first: securing funds, filling out paperwork, and making our schedule. However, once all that paperwork was completed, and we were finally in the car and on our way to Duluth, the excitement returned and the real fun began.
We headed to Duluth on a sunny Wednesday afternoon, saw some amazing and beautiful sights along the way, had a quick dinner, and arrived around 8:00 at the hotel/conference center. Over the two days of the conference, we jointly attended the keynote sessions and attended breakout sessions based on individual interests. At the end of the second day, we left the conference, tired but invigorated, and were ready to get on the road. It was such a nice day, that, before we got on the road, we agreed to go for a walk near the pier at Lake Superior. Once we decided to spend some time outside by the water, I was inspired by past writing marathons of which I had been a part and was struck by an idea: my PSTs could begin their reflections while at Lake Superior! Thus, right there on the shore in that refreshing breeze, PSTs began to contemplate their MCTE experience. They spent some time talking with one another and then, while sitting on the rocks, listening to the birds and the waves, basking in the sunshine, they began to write. Once everyone had gotten their share of fresh air and had been able to start their written reflections, we opted to get in the car and head back to Fargo.
After about a week, I had received all their reflections, and, upon reading them, knew they needed to be shared. So I asked what they thought about us writing a reflection piece to submit to the MEJ, and, just like with the conference, they jumped on board right away.
Herein, you will read about how invigorated they were by this experience, the joy they felt in joining the teaching community and gathering resources for their future classrooms, the connections they built with one another and with new colleagues, the new depth of their understanding of themselves and our profession, how they learned it is okay for them to be themselves in their classrooms, and how they learned to keep learning as they grow in their careers.
Though I provide background on the logistics and some context throughout, this piece centers Abby, Ava, Brooke, Cassidy, Chloe, and Sam’s voices. I hope you enjoy reading their reflections as much as I did.
How We Funded Our Attendance
After discussing some of the details with my PSTs and confirming their interest, we began the search for funding. We wrote funding request letters together in class (see image 1), during which I modeled how to structure the letter and how to provide the evidence of conference attendance and learning. In volleys of emails between me and the School of Education, the English Department, and the Dean’s office, the funding for the conference materialized, a little bit from everyone.
As we work to diversify the pool of young people who enter our profession—across class, gender, and race—how we finance PSTs’ professional development and entrance into our community becomes even more important. How to request funding and adhere to the rules for its use are key skills we can model.
In addition to their full-time school load, field experience hours for each education course they take, and volunteering, my PSTs all work, whether it is one or a couple part-time jobs or even a full-time job. Their hard-earned money goes towards rent, gas, groceries, and generally trying to save money to sustain themselves through student teaching. Paying for registration, gas, lodging, and meals for the conference was not something I was willing to ask them to do. Through our funding requests, we secured money to cover lodging, registration, and a school car to drive to and from Duluth. Each of us covered our own food. All that was left was to plan out the logistics and, of course, attend the actual conference!
The Conference
On Wednesday afternoon, April 30, I checked out the school vehicle and picked up my PSTs at the prearranged location, and we hit the road from Fargo to Duluth (see image 2). The drive wasn’t too long, and we were lucky to have great weather and roads. We saw wildlife, beautiful landscapes, and even Paul Bunyan (see image 3)! We ate dinner at a fast food restaurant along the way, arrived in Duluth around 8:00 P.M., got settled in our hotel rooms, and made plans for connecting in the morning for the conference. Prior to our departure, I had sent everyone a digital conference itinerary, and I had handed out a hard copy, as well, before we left Fargo (see image 4).
Both days, we attended portions of the conference together and then attended the breakout sessions of our choice. In their post-conference reflections (see Table 1), PSTs detailed which sessions they attended, what they found most useful, and what the conference meant to them.
We attended all the meals/keynotes together. On their own, PSTs attended a variety of sessions, illustrating the importance of choice in our learning, as well as the strength and variety of the sessions at this conference. The sessions attended included
- “Arts Integration in English Language Arts” with speaker Susan Decker;
- “Who is Scarborough and Why Does She Have a Rope?” with speaker Rachel O’Grady;
- “Speak Something Alive: Spoken Word Poetry in the Classroom” with speaker Kyle Tran Myhre;
- “Student Choice in Instruction and Assessment” with speakers Kristin Bauck, Chris Bretz, and Leigh Nida;
- “Fitting It All In: Whole Class and Choice Reading” with speakers Katie Laugen and Kelsey Didrikson;
- “Climate Literacy and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy: An Energizing Intersection” with speaker Abby Hartzell;
- “Engaging Minds, Inspiring Readers” with speaker Jennifer Plucker;
- “NAEP Questions Tool: The Great Unknown Resource for Educators” with speaker Jennifer Cain;
- “Competing with Chat GPT: Reimagining the Research Essay Focusing on Process” with speakers Scott Hall and Jeremy Hachey;
- “Sitting in Community: A Circle of Secondary Literacy Teachers and Advocates” with speakers Abby Rombalski and Alison Criss;
- “Doing Slightly More Than Nothing: Exploring Modern Non-Fiction” with speakers Sarah Omernik and Tyler Flory;
- “Survival Is Insufficient: Writing Desirable Futures in the Literature Classroom” with speaker Jennifer Jodell;
- “Cultivating Creativity Through Mindfulness” with speaker Jessica Freeburg;
- “Breaking Through Barriers: Navigating a Contentious Educational Landscape in the ELA Classroom with Civil Discourse” with speaker Scott Alford; and
- “A Guide to Reliable Native American-Related Teaching Resources” with speaker Odia Wood-Krueger.
After the conference ended, we decided to go for a walk on the shores of Lake Superior to stretch our legs before the long drive and to begin our reflective writing (see Table 1). The contents of those reflections are shared below.
Preservice Teachers’ Reflections
Invigorating Learning
One session that we all, independent of one another, chose to attend was “Doing Slightly More than Nothing: Exploring Modern Fiction.” As evidenced by their reflections, they enjoyed the collaborative learning we did in this session:
| Ava | I found the session to be insightful, invigorating, and fun. They were reinventing the wheel in their classrooms and bringing examples of their work to other teachers across Minnesota. Their message was clear: in order to be effective and engaging educators, we have to adapt. We must seek new resources, new books, new ways of communicating with our students. When one text stops working, we must find a new one. As English teachers, we are preparing our students for more than just linguistic skills or literary prowess. We have the real opportunity to teach life skills through the texts we use. A key quote: “‘You may have to dismantle to rebuild’—don’t be afraid of change just because it’s hard, your students are worth the fight!” |
| Brooke | My favorite resource by far was the hexagram we did … For those who weren’t able to attend the session, the activity was that we would fill out six different aspects of someone’s identity, either a character or your own, and then try to connect one of your elements with someone else’s elements and eventually you would have interconnecting pieces, or you have more than one element connecting with multiple people and their elements would connect. It really just shows how different characters can be interconnected even if they seem completely different. I’ve never heard of doing an activity like that before, and I really thought it was cool how the activity could work for both fiction and nonfiction literature. I am definitely going to be using it in my own classroom someday. |
| Cassidy | The energy of those presenters was beyond anything I have had the privilege to be a part of. In addition to their energy, I thoroughly enjoyed how they went about their units. Having a text that they intermittently come back to throughout a semester is fantastic. Also, I really loved their idea of students choosing which memoir they want to read. It’s out of the teacher’s hands and placed in the students’. |
Here, Cassidy, Brooke, and Ava emphasize the importance of text choice and choice in general, how inspiring it was to see different uses of texts, and that both adaptability and experimentation have roles to play in our teaching practice.
Joining Community, Building Resources
When asked what attending MCTE meant to them or meant for their teaching, PSTs illuminated why conference attendance can be so key to our continued success as teachers, including being in community and learning from colleagues, feeling like a member of the teaching community, gaining resources, seeing things we are doing or would like to do in our classrooms living in someone else’s practice, and enriching ourselves and our practice.
| Abby | Attending this conference has meant the world to me! Being surrounded by other English educators and being able to learn from some of the best educators in the profession was such a great experience. |
| Ava | Attending this conference meant that I got a chance as a pre-service teacher to include myself in a space meant for educators. It was my first time feeling truly integrated with the education system. I wasn’t just a student chasing a future career. This was my career. I was already a part of it, and this was my chance to show my dedication and commitment to the field. It was awesome. |
| Brooke | I feel like this conference has meant two things for me. First, I feel like it’s allowed me to collect just a vast variety of resources for my own classroom … I’ve acquired a list of book titles that I need to read sometime this summer. I probably now have 50 books on my to-read list, and a wide range from books that speakers wrote to books that I might teach in my classroom someday and teaching books that I didn’t even know existed. I’ve also learned about so many cool activities I plan on using, from hexagon character connections to using mindfulness to write creatively. … Second, it was so affirming to see and hear all of the things that we’ve been learning about in our own [Methods] classroom implemented in real classrooms. We’ve been talking so much about how to create unit plans and how to incorporate diverse literature, and it was just awesome to hear about so many other teachers who are passionate about those things as well. … Not only did I learn so much at the conference, but it gave me a new set of questions to think about as I continue to learn. |
| Cassidy | Attending this conference has truly been a transformative experience for me and has deeply enriched my teaching practice. The amount of content and knowledge I have acquired at MCTE feels like a treasure trove that I am excited to bring into my student teaching journey this coming semester. I am genuinely excited about the prospect of integrating these practices into my teaching approach, so I can enhance the learning experience for my students. |
Not only did attending the conference build PSTs’ confidence and self-esteem, it also engendered more respect for their fellow educators’ expertise.
Building Connections, Deepening Understandings
When asked what the most meaningful part of this experience was, PSTs listed “hearing all of the different voices and ideas in education,” “spending time getting to know my classmates and professor better, while being able to surround ourselves with other professionals,” “getting to meet other teachers,” and seeing “there is so much more out there” than just “my own experiences.” Ava explained that attending the conference showed her that she is part of a bigger community:
Teaching has been a very ‘me and my future students’ sort of thing in my mind. I have focused so heavily on what I can do as a teacher, how I can make a difference, and what I hope to accomplish in my classroom. But I am not doing this alone. I am joining a massive body of individuals looking to achieve the same things I am. We are all united together as teachers of English. Coming into the sessions each morning or sharing a meal in the large gathering room reminded me of my purpose in the broader sphere.
Cassidy shared that
The most profound takeaway from this experience has undoubtedly been the amount of resources I’ve gathered for my future lessons. The anticipation and excitement I felt for the Native Lit resources were insane! It really ignited within me a deep desire to add more of this literature into my future classroom. It’s a core belief of mine that every student deserves to see themselves reflected in the materials they engage with, and I am steadfast in my commitment to ensuring their voices are not only heard but celebrated within my classroom.
Sam shared that, for him, the most meaningful part “was seeing how professionals interacted with each other; they were not afraid to speak meaningfully and discuss rather than just agree.”
All of my PSTs were inspired by their fellow educators—not just by their work, but also by the example they set of professionalism and support for one another.
Be Yourself and Always Be Learning
When asked their biggest takeaways from the conference, most of the PSTs concluded that we have to “Always be learning.” In addition, seeing other educators’ passion for reading and writing and just for being themselves helped build PSTs’ confidence. PSTs shared the following:
| Chloe | My biggest takeaway from MCTE is creating the love for reading within my classroom. |
| Abby | There is always more learning to do to make your classroom better. Being able to open your mind to different ideas and concepts to integrate into the curriculum is so important. |
| Ava | Always be learning. There is a reason why educators are required to continue their education throughout their teaching career. Education is an ever-evolving field. It is our duty to respond to this evolution, become informed, and adapt to this world and our students. Our job is meaningful. It changes lives. The better prepared we are, the more effective we are, and the better prepared our students will be for life after schooling. |
| Brooke | My biggest take away from MCTE is that I need to continually incorporate diversity into my own classroom, and that I should be supported by other teachers and admin in doing so. I think a lot of this stems from the amazing keynote speakers we had who talked about needing to incorporate diverse literature, and the need to ban book banning. There’s been such a great conversation happening about how we need to support students from all different backgrounds, and although I already knew that this conference has really reinforced what I’ve been learning |
| Cassidy | I think the most profound takeaway I got from MCTE was that every individual in attendance had a profound passion either for literature or for nurturing students’ growth. Seeing all of those educators sort of filled me with anticipation and gratitude as I have been thinking about my future involvement in such a community. It was truly a privilege to see myself with those who are deeply dedicated to the art of teaching and the transformative power of literature. |
| Sam | My biggest takeaway is that every other teacher is as kooky as me, if not more so. |
In our Methods of Teaching Reading course, we had talked and read about choice in reading and implemented diversity of perspectives in our work throughout the semester; thus, it was amazing to read in PSTs’ reflections that those conversations were supported by what they saw happening in fellow educators’ classrooms. For PSTs, seeing their colleagues in action was key; for example, Chloe’s passion for reading and teaching reading truly grew in our course, but it was seeing how others took that passion and applied it in their teaching that actually showed her she could do that, too. For Sam, seeing the teachers at MCTE showing up confidently just as they are helped him to know he could simply be himself in the classroom.
Learning How to Keep Learning
Attending MCTE together also dispelled some preconceived notions students had about conferences and built up their beliefs in being a part of their teaching community, in keeping an open mind, and in continuing their education throughout their careers.
| Chloe | Before I attended this conference, I thought that I knew a lot about education systems and methods; now, I think there is so much more to learn. |
| Abby | Before I attended this conference, I thought that there were limited resources and opportunities to make your learning space and learning experience for your students better; now, I think that the possibilities are endless to better your classroom and get students excited to read, write, and communicate in the classroom. |
| Ava | Before attending this conference, I thought I would come away with some new information or techniques to carry into my student teaching this fall, but I don’t think I was prepared for how fulfilled and incited to action I feel now after having gone. The conference sessions and keynote speakers were awesome, but so was the feeling of community and fellowship. Seeing the numbers of teachers, meeting many of them, and learning about their classrooms and school districts was enlightening and encouraging. The energy was high, and I left feeling excited and purposeful. |
| Brooke | Before I attended this conference, I thought teaching was a solo experience; now I think that teachers are collaborative and require a strong supportive group of other teachers to help them. My classmates and I have been working together to support each other, but I think it goes beyond that. During the conference, I saw so many teachers relating to others’ experiences and struggles and just generally supporting each other. I think that the talking circle was a great example of this, and we were able to brainstorm and collaborate with other teachers to think of things that we needed to teach, like more time or more joy in our lives. Just being able to talk with others and get their ideas is so helpful. |
In-service teachers know that our learning communities, like MCTE, keep us going. Not only are they important for in-service teachers, though; learning communities play a key role in helping PSTs get the help they need to be successful in their classrooms from the very beginning.
In terms of my own instruction, I learned so much from reading these reflections and will continue to engage in practices such as modeling instruction, guiding PSTs through designing inquiry-based units, modeling diverse text choice and use, and encouraging consistent reflection on our learning, among other skills. However, what was confirmed, primarily, for me, was the importance, in terms of early career teacher support and retention, of initiating PSTs into our profession through multiple avenues, one of which is joint conference attendance. Based on their reflections, PSTs left the MCTE conference feeling energized, professionalized, and like members of the teaching community. When we got into the car to leave for Fargo, they literally began asking questions about the next conference we could attend together and vowed to be lifelong conference attendees. They had so much fun! And, just like kids in the car on their way home from having the time of their lives at summer camp, they all crashed hard once we were on the road.
Conclusion
As we educators know, conference attendance is not mandatory; generally, we can earn our continuing education credits through professional development days during the school year or through taking a graduate course here and there, which also helps us move on the pay scale. However, what we also know is that there is very little professional development that is better than an English-focused conference, sponsored by NCTE or an NCTE state affiliate. MCTE’s annual conference exemplifies this truth.
Conferences present opportunities for intentional collaboration, respectful interaction with colleagues known and unknown, and, of course, fun!
While my preservice teachers and I learned so much, as you have seen above, during this conference, it was also the whole experience that I wanted to give them and model for them, beginning to end: writing letters to request funding, creating an itinerary, planning the travel, choosing sessions, organizing a dinner with everyone’s dietary needs in mind, introducing oneself to other conference attendees, getting to know the landscape and history of the state during the drive and conference, taking notes and organizing one’s resources during the conference, intentionally reflecting on one’s learning, submitting receipts and sending thank you notes for funding, sharing one’s learning, and resting purposefully upon one’s return home.
When I was a preservice teacher, I had an amazing Methods professor: Dr. Beverly Ann Chin. Not only did she fill my toolbox with strategies for teaching reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills, she also built up my belief in myself and guided me to begin thinking deeply about the type of teacher I wanted to be. She did all of these things in many ways, of course: through her instruction, during office hours meetings, in the ways she responded to questions both in person and via email, and through inviting me to attend and present at conferences with her, the first of which was the Montana Association of Teachers of English Language Arts Annual Conference. To experience this type of English-focused, teacher-led, positive professional development at such an early stage in my career was transformative for me; thus, I knew that when I became a methods teacher, I wanted to do the same thing for my preservice teachers.
Throughout my career, Beverly has continued to teach and mentor me, always treating me as an equal, someone from whom she could learn as well. Her attitude towards me is something I hope to pass on to my preservice teachers, too: you are teachers and professionals, and, though you are new, you have so much to contribute, and, when you are older, you will still have so much to learn. Attending a conference so early on seems to have been a transformative experience for my PSTs, just as it was for me, and were thrilled to attend this year’s conference in Alexandria as well!
Image 1
A model funding request letter. The portions in highlight are the portions that students changed and/or personalized.
Image 2
All of us excited as we get ready for our drive from Fargo to Duluth. From left to right: Abby, Sam, Brooke, Cassidy, Ava, Chloe, Dr. Chatham-Vazquez
Image 3
In front of the world’s largest Paul Bunyan statue in Akeley, MN. Back row (L to R): Brooke, Sam, Cassidy, Chloe. Front Row (L to R): Dr. Chatham-Vazquez, Ava, Abby
Image 4
MCTE itinerary
Table 1
The post-conference reflection
| Instructions: During our writing/reflecting time at Lake Superior, in the car, or once you are home, please answer the following questions and email your answers to me as soon as you can, ideally within the next week. |
| Questions: I attended the following sessions:My favorite or most useful session and/or resource that I attended/ learned about was _____?Attending this conference has meant _____ to me and/or for my teaching?The most meaningful part of this experience has been _____?My biggest takeaway from MCTE is ______?What are some things you saw that we’ve been doing in class?Before I attended this conference, I thought _____; now, I think _____.Did you receive enough support and modeling before and during the conference to feel prepared? What else did you need?Anything else you want to share? |
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MEJ 