Oh, how I love my class! I love the talk, the writing, the words, the questions . . . All of it.
I celebrate this long and winding conversation with my students:
Me: “I’m so excited I’m going to see an author/illustrator this weekend!”
A student: “Do we know who it is?”
Me: Gives various clues
Eventually . . . .
Various students: “Marie-Louise Gay!”
Me: “Yes. I hope to get her new book signed at the author breakfast I am going to.”
A student: “Signed to us right?”
Me: “Of course.”
A student: “Do you know Elise Gravel or are we just writing to her?
Me: “We are getting to know her. She’ll know you better after we send our letters and fan art.”
A student: “Did you send them already?”
Me: “Well, we are still working on everything. I will send it this weekend when we finish.”
A student: “Why don’t you just tweet it all?”
Me: “I have sent her some photos. But, I think she will like getting the package in the mail.”
A student: “Do you know Katherine Applegate?
Me: “We know her work but no, I haven’t met her.”
A student: “Go meet her. You should. And tell her about how we love her books.”
Me: “I shared some of our letters in a blog post and tweeted it to her. So she knows we love them.”
A student: “But you are going to meet Kate DiCamillo right?
Another student: “Can we come?”
Me: “I am going to a conference in the spring and she will be speaking. I will get our copy of Flora & Ulysses signed.”
A student: “You forgot The Illuminated Adventures part”
A student: “And you just met Raina Telgemeier right?”
Me: “Yes, and she signed books to our class. People are reading them right now.”
Many students: “I am.” “And then me.” “I’m next!” “Me!”
A student: “So, who are you going to meet next? Someone we like right?”
🙂
I also celebrate this – – > The lovely Miriam who works with me created these sheets and plastered the room and the school. In our room, we were gifting these words to each other with messages. I received “wisdom” with a comment from one child, “You are always really smart to us.”
One of our little learners was inspired and made her own. We found it outside our room at the end of the day – taped up in the hallway.
Pass it on.
Conversations about authors and illustrators. Book love. Words with weight. These things I celebrate.
Thank you also to Ruth Ayres, for the inspiration and her Celebration Link up that she hosts each week. I love how being a part of this #celebratelu community reminds us weekly to look for the positive and take some time for gratitude.
There's a Book for That 
Loved reading the meandering–yet always pointed!–conversations with your students about all the books and authors and illustrators they like. Too funny! We’ve been reading some of the Disgusting Critters books at my house this week–Love! Smiled at your little learner creating her own “pass it on” paper. So sweet!
This pass it on paper is adorable. We were touched. Aren’t the Disgusting Critters books the best? Perfect for the age I teach and well, any age. Lots to laugh about.
I love how you are passing on so much to your students. It is amazing how much they pass on to us too!
How wonderful to hear – they give a lot. Agreed.
Great conversations with kids! And, I’m glad there are so many talented writers who are very generous with their time connecting with their readers! And I love the flyers. So positive!
We are so lucky that so many authors and illustrators are so generous. My students are so excited to share their work and letters with Elise Gravel. But, if truth be told, I might be most excited.
Love the conversation. Love the student’s pass-it-on flyer. Love the joy in your post. Celebrating together with you.
Thank you Terje! It is pretty amazing to get to have all of these great conversations about books and writers/illustrators with my students.
I love ALL of this! Again – you and your kids are just awesome! 🙂
There is much awesome in my room. I witness it daily and am always entertained!
I love your class too! Thanks for sharing your students and their thoughts with us. They brought smiles to my face.
So happy you love them too. These kids . . .
The student pass it on chart is amazing. I love that you were gifting these words to each other with messages. Be sure to tell your students that there’s something really special about receiving “real mail.” I hope we don’t lose the art of letter writing. A friend commented (on FB) about finding a letter that I wrote in 1977 to her.
You are so right. “Real” mail is very special. It is so exciting to be sending this big package of letters and art to Elise Gravel!
Carrie,
I love the way you captured your celebration through conversation. Your students see themselves and YOU as part of the community of writers and readers. Thanks for faithfully celebrating.
Ruth
Thank you Ruth. This celebration is so much a part of my week – I can’t imagine not doing it.
Pass it on papers – what a wonderful idea! Love this! Also love the “listening in” on author talk! So great! Elise Gravel – LOVE her books and so do my students! Ivan letters were tender and heartfelt. This is such a great glimpse into your wonderful classroom – thank you!
Many thank yous. Elise Gravel captures the interest and humour of the kids, absolutely. My students were so delighted to send her “fan art” And those Ivan letters, sigh . . .
This is so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes. Your posts are always a gift to me. Thank you for using your life so well.
Wow, what a beautiful comment. Thank you!