The Big Fresh from Choice Literacy
November 28, 2008
Gifts in Hard Times
Last week I flew to a conference to meet with teachers and give a talk. Living in rural Maine, it's sometimes best to drive a few hours to catch a flight at a larger airport, which is what I did. I drove down the night before my early morning flight, with a reservation at an airport hotel.
I knew something was amiss when I walked through the door to the hotel lobby - well, that was the actual moment I knew something was amiss, because there was no door, just a break in some thick construction plastic. The lobby looked like a basement rec room at the start of a remodel - bare concrete floors, no furniture, two by fours where walls would one day be, dozens of electrical wires hanging from the ceiling, open vats of glue and cement, workers milling around.
"May I help you?" the desk clerk said. He stood behind a computer and phone which were resting on a door propped up on sawhorses. He was wearing a thick parka and fingerless gloves, since the temperature couldn't have been more than 25 degrees. He pulled up my reservation and handed me a room key, never acknowledging the chaos around us. It was a surreal experience - an older couple took their place in line behind me, and I heard the wife whisper to her husband, "That Candid Camera show isn't taping anymore, is it?"
I've been in hotels before when remodeling is going on, and it's irritating to hear the drills and hammers while you're eating breakfast, or walk around a freshly painted area. But this took remodeling to a whole new level. How it was legal for the hotel to stay open, I'll never know. I trudged up to my room, since it was almost midnight, I was in a strange city, and I had few other options. The room was lovely
- no surprise, since it had been really recently remodeled.
I tried to imagine the conversation between the clerk and his boss earlier that week:
"You mean we're staying open, even though there's no lobby?"
"Sure - we'll just lower the rates."
"But what do I tell people when they register?"
"Don't say anything! If you ignore the situation, they will too!"
Worst. Boss. Ever.
I've thought about the hotel as I've been preparing this year's edition of Gifts for Literacy Geeks. Like anyone who has lived almost 50 years, I've seen my share of economic downturns. But watching nearly half our family's retirement savings as well as our college fund for our daughter disappear in the past few months takes the phrase "economic downturn" to a whole new level. Should I be like that hotel clerk - chirpy, professional, and absolutely absurd, making gift recommendations when I know many readers have little in the way of funds or happy spirits heading into the shopping season?
The next morning my travel experience didn't improve much. After waiting almost an hour to get through security, I walked toward my gate, only to feel a sudden warm rush of something on the backs of my legs. The poor man behind me had dropped two extra large lattes, and thoroughly soaked my trousers. I made a quick stop in the restroom to change my pants, and resigned myself to the scent of old coffee and milk in my luggage as I stuffed the wet slacks in my bag and slogged on.
A half hour into the flight, the attendant tapped my shoulder. "It looks like you could use a pillow," he said. I pulled out my wallet to pay for it, grateful beyond words for his kindness. "Put your money away," he said with a smile. "It's the holidays - my gift to you." And just like that, my mood lifted. I was reminded that there is never a bad time to give someone a present. During the worst times, we probably need them more than ever to remind ourselves of how fortunate we are to have friends, family, even strangers who will bestow on us gifts, no matter the uncertainties of the larger world. I plumped up that pillow, and thought again about how lucky I am to have a job where I get to continually learn from amazing literacy teachers all over the country, and to travel to see them in action. It was a wonderful trip.
So, this week I present the 3rd Annual Gifts for Literacy Geeks, with an emphasis on affordability, and faith that you too are heading into a wonderful holiday season with family and friends. Plus more as always - enjoy!
Brenda Power
Editor, Choice Literacy
Free for All
Modest, low-cost, and always welcome, here is our compilation of our 3rd Annual Gifts for Literacy Geeks:
http://www.choiceliteracy.com/public/758.cfm
The National Center for Family Literacy has worked with the Appalachia Regional Comprehensive Center to produce a wonderful series of podcasts on family involvement. These free 7-10 minute programs include listening guides and transcripts, and would be great to highlight in school newsletters or for staff discussions of family literacy programs:
http://www.arcc.edvantia.org/page/ParentInvolvementPodcasts/
If you are looking for picture book biographies of strong women, PlanetEsme has a terrific annotated list:
http://tinyurl.com/6dp447
Thanks to all of you who attended my NCTE talk last week (and had the good manners not to mention I smelled like a big old latte). If you missed the talk, I've posted it at the link below. The title is "Deep Wells: How Literacy Coaches Find Support and Success," and it includes dozens of resources, as well as the findings from our recent survey of literacy leaders:
http://www.choiceliteracy.com/public/740.cfm
For Members Only
[Not yet a Choice Literacy member? Click here for information on subscription plans that can give you access to members-only content.]
Can we make time for play with our youngest learners, and still insure they are getting the literacy skills they need? Absolutely! says Shari Frost, as she shares many strategies the coaches and teachers she works with use to make letter, sound, and word learning fun:
http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/752.cfm
We've posted Part II of the video room tour featuring The Sisters in a 5th grade classroom. This week the focus is on a gazebo/den/library artfully designed to make kids (and adults) cozy up to books and magazines:
http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/759.cfm
Is the use of reading logs getting a little stale in your classroom or school by late fall? Clare Landrigan and Tammy Mulligan have suggestions for assessing and refreshing the activity at this time of year:
http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/761.cfm
Finally, we continue our month-long series on graphica featuring video from a 4th grade writing workshop. In this week's installment, Sarah Thibault leads the class in a discussion after workshop about how their characters are evolving. We include catch-up links to first two videos if you missed them:
http://www.choiceliteracy.com/members/760.cfm
That's all for this week!
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About
Jennifer Allen
