It is coming! If you are connected to NCTE, ALAN, or the English Education communities you have probably heard a few rumors about the ALAN Workshop. The current President, Ricki Ginsberg, has done a wonderful job putting together a workshop during challenging times. She has coordinated with publishers, NCTE, authors, and the ALAN board to piece together a wonderful workshop. Clearly, it will be in an online format this year. Fight through the Zoom exhaustion and join the fun.
Like many of you, I have been extremely busy trying to figure out Zoom, Google Meets, WebEx and all of the ins and outs of virtual teaching. I have registered for NCTE and the ALAN workshop, but it is finally becoming real as the books start to arrive. Attendees who registered and paid for a shipment of books find that the books really do show up. They have started to flood Facebook and Twitter with pictures of their books in an homage to past workshop. In the past, people arrive at the hall early Monday morning to pick up their book boxes and many open the boxes and set them on their tables.
Like many of you, I have been extremely busy trying to figure out Zoom, Google Meets, WebEx and all of the ins and outs of virtual teaching. I have registered for NCTE and the ALAN workshop, but it is finally becoming real as the books start to arrive. Attendees who registered and paid for a shipment of books find that the books really do show up. They have started to flood Facebook and Twitter with pictures of their books in an homage to past workshop. In the past, people arrive at the hall early Monday morning to pick up their book boxes and many open the boxes and set them on their tables.
Of course, this year we will all be attending from our offices, kitchens, living rooms, or carved out spaces we have been using as our offices. My box arrived on Monday and I dutifully open the box and took a picture.
Steve's Stack of Books
Steve's Bickmore for 2020
I have been trying to capture all many of the images that have been shared on Facebook. I have placed them below in a slideshow. Do you see your display? If I missed yours let me know.
A Slideshow of Books as Attendees Prepare for the 2020 ALAN Workshop
Do you see your stacks?
The Program for the 2020 ALAN Workshop
The program will be outstanding. Some of the featured speakers include Angie Thomas (Breakfast Speaker), Samira Ahmed (Keynote), and Eric Gansworth (keynote). If you are familiar with these authors you are well aware of what they have to offer. If not, get ready to add a host of books to your "to be read" list.
Angie Thomas
Photo Credit Imani Khayyam
 |  |
Samira Ahmed
 |  |  |
Eric Gansworth
 |  |  |
The 2020 ALAN Workshop Program
Browse the program. Is one of your favorite authors going to be presenting? I hope so. Schedule the time so you don't miss the presentation.
One of the most important parts of the ALAN Workshop is the chance to hear from authors that you have never heard of before. At a workshop I found Padma Venkatraman (Climbing the Stairs), Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock (The Smell of Other People's Houses), Chris Lynch (Inexcuseable), Jeff Zetner (The Serpent King), Adriana Mather (Haunting the Deep), Varian Johnson (The Parker Inheritance), Kristin Bartley Lenz (The Art of Holding on and Letting Go) and so many more.
Do yourself a favor and listen to people who are entirely new to you. I promise, you will find new friends.
One of the most important parts of the ALAN Workshop is the chance to hear from authors that you have never heard of before. At a workshop I found Padma Venkatraman (Climbing the Stairs), Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock (The Smell of Other People's Houses), Chris Lynch (Inexcuseable), Jeff Zetner (The Serpent King), Adriana Mather (Haunting the Deep), Varian Johnson (The Parker Inheritance), Kristin Bartley Lenz (The Art of Holding on and Letting Go) and so many more.
Do yourself a favor and listen to people who are entirely new to you. I promise, you will find new friends.
Until next week.
RSS Feed