NCTE November: NCTE Stands for Something More

By Chris Kehan

Although NCTE stands for National Council for Teachers of English, after experiencing their national conference in Baltimore, Maryland this weekend I can see those letters standing for something more – Networking, Collecting, and Teaching Excellence.
Walking the long halls and gathering in the rooms enabled teachers an opportunity to network across districts and states.  I was able to talk with teachers from around the country and make connections through our common desire to discover best practices in the teaching of reading and writing and bring them back to our students and colleagues.

Sitting in each session and writing quickly all of the strategies and amazing quotes provided by the speakers inspired me to continue to grow as a teacher and a person.  I collected numerous strategies and books throughout the days I attended, and I am anxious to share them with my school community when I get back.

Attending this conference was such a treat.  You find yourself in awe of the teaching excellence that abounds among the presenters, the authors, and the attendees.  I loved my experience and I hope to get another opportunity to attend this incredible conference.  Attending the NCTE Conference is something EVERY teacher should do at least once in their career.