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Teacher to Teacher: The Many Layers of an ILA Conference

By Lynne R. Dorfman

Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning. ~William Arthur Ward

The International Reading Association annual conference, “Transforming Lives Through Literacy 2.0”  is exciting and informative, with many options for teachers to explore. The program is filled with workshops and sessions on literacy, and four exhibit halls offered opportunities to browse, purchase, and question vendors and authors.  Signings for professional books and children’s books were taking place every day almost all day long. I had books signed by nonfiction children’s author Stephen Swinburne and purchased  two professional books at the Stenhouse booth, Craft Moves: Lesson Sets for Teaching Writing With Mentor Texts  by Stacey Shubitz and Story: Still at the Heart of Literacy Learning by Katie Egan Cunningham.

This year’s location, Boston, offered other opportunities, too. When I arrived on Friday, my husband and I wandered through Boston’s North End, Boston’s “Little Italy.’’ It’s famous for its Italian food and feasts. Boston’s oldest neighborhood takes in a one-square-mile waterfront community not far from Faneuil Hall .  A large part of the Freedom Trail runs through the North End. It is also home to the Paul Revere House.  The Old North Church is here, too, founded in 1722. The church boasts the oldest set of change ringing bells in North America. Indulge in 18th-century chocolate at Captain Jackson’s Historic Chocolate Shop. We played several games of bocce ball and dined at Lucia Ristorante before indulging in sweets at Mike’s Pastry on Hanover Street – a must when visiting Boston!  Read more