Ann Marie Corgill-Dublin Lit

Earlier Lisa blogged about Tim Tyson and how he rocked the house with his message.  My post is about  Ann Marie Corgill's sessions and her book Of Primary Importance.  Whenever I find a professional book that I identify and center my workshops around, the author becomes by Book BFF.  When I began teaching fourth grade, Aimee Buckner was my BFF with her book, Notebook Know-How.

Of Primary Importance author, Ann Marie Corgill is my new BFF. (I even told her that at the conference.  I'm a teacher paparazzi!!) I saw her at NCTE, and read her book afterwards.  I'm rereading it and marking it up with my own personal thoughts.  Her message is simple:  

Children and their work needs to be celebrated and honored daily.
 

Thoughts from the book:

She believes that students succeed when teachers possess the six A's:  

Analyze, Ask, Applaud, Assist, Assess, and Advocate.

The most important thing I learned is that being you, being unique, being the teacher you are while teaching what's expected and what's appropriate for children is what matters most.

If you know the why, you can invent the how to teach it.

Believe that less is more.  If you cover less, you'll uncover more with your students.

Her book isn't a how-to, but more like a GPS guide to keep you moving in the "write" (no pun intended) direction.

I love her message, and I hope there is an opportunity for me to see her again.  But, for now, she's my new BFF.