Quotable NErDCampMI 2019

Here's a VERY brief collection of quotes from Day 1.

Pen and trusty yellow legal pad in hand, I tried to get some good quotes.  Although, I have to admit, there were times when I inhaled for five, exhaled for ten and just listened deeply.

"No one else wants another silent female.  We have enough of those."-Pernille Ripp (and in my notes I put my daughter's initials with a ♡.  She is far from a silent female and makes me proud every day. Later Pernille said, "Nothing wrong with being angry if you do something about it...Embrace anger as a tool."

"What happens to one of us, happens to all of us."-Alicia Williams.  I was thrilled to listen to her and meet her later that day.  At least two people have recommended her book as a strong Newbery contender.

Ahhh...Cece Bell.  I love how she thought she visited my school.  I had to remind her that I was just an annoying, pushy librarian pre-Newbery 2015 and then we finally did get to Skype post-Newbery.

"We need to keep reading books so we can laugh together, discover ourselves and discover each other."

Cece has a new book out about underwear and feet. How could that NOT be funny?

Laurie.Halse.Anderson.  

I could listen to her SPEAK forever. A couple of times, I caught glimpses of her wandering but was too timid to say hello.  Here's my takeaway--I need to talk to my secondary librarian and MS ELA teachers. Chains has been part of the 7th grade curriculum forever.  Now let's make Speak part of 8th grade and Shout a HS and all district faculty book club.  Laurie referenced her January Time magazine essay.  Read it here.  My son will be 13 next month. He doesn't know it yet, but we have some uncomfortable, yet crucial, conversations ahead of us. And discussing Speak is at the top of that list.

Donalyn Miller.

Another idol of probably every camper and beyond.

"No matter who you signed a contract with, you made a contract to society and all its children."  Donalyn charged us all to "make good trouble" as we hold up our end of the contract.

Jason Reynolds.

"Jason Reynolds sits in your classroom every day unrecognized."

"Don't feel sad; feel angry."

"When that bell rings, everyone takes a different journey home." 

(about his forthcoming book, Look Both Ways, a collection of stories of ten kids during the 10 unsupervised minutes walking home.)

Want more? I'm sure when I was breathing, others were jotting. Check out the #NErDCampMI tweets for more inspiration...