PSA and Praise

If you've tried to comment here at A Year of Reading and have been frustrated when your comment disappeared before you submitted it,

or if you read our note about how long our blog kept loading and in order for your comment not to get lost you should stop the load before commenting (what a hassle),

or if you tried to access our archives by using the turn-down triangles and got...nothing...

I want you to know that OUR BLOG IS FIXED!

YAY!

Here's how it got fixed and the PSA and praise.

First, I spent time googling these problems. Then, I spent time searching Blogger help forums. Finally, in frustration, I tweeted Blogger. And @irsahindesigns answered. He answered, he stayed with me until every problem was resolved, and he didn't judge me (at least not in public) when one of the problems was a complete and total forehead slap of a user error.

Your blog loads for almost a minute each time you open it? Look for third party plugins or widgets. In our case, it was the SiteMeter plugin I added in 2006 (and which we haven't used for years).

Your archives don't work? Remove the widget and then put it back in.

There's a whole lot about Twitter that's a hot mess right now, and I'm not advocating that you use Twitter to find the solution to life's every problem. But in this case, it worked. Here's to @irsahindesigns, and here's to the proof that Twitter can make the world...or at least our blog...work a little better!

PSA -- For Teachers Who Are Writers

Creative Nonfiction is working on a project to recognize the work that teachers do. They are hosting an essay contest -- "We're looking for stories from the widest possible variety of perspectives and experiences with the theme 'How We Teach.' "

The winning essay will receive $1,000, and the runner up receives $500; all essays will be considered for publication in a special "How We Teach" issue of the magazine in spring 2017. The deadline for submissions is August 29, 2016

Details of what they're looking for are below. You can find the complete guidelines on their website, here.

How We Teach

For the spring 2017 issue of Creative Nonfiction magazine, we’re looking for original essays about teaching—whether in a traditional classroom or online; in summer camp or college; in preschool or in a prison; in the woods or in a workshop.  

We welcome personal stories as well as profiles, and we’re open to a very wide range of experiences and circumstances. Above all, we are looking for narratives—true stories, rich with scene, character, detail, and a distinctive voice—that give insight into what it means to teach.

We interrupt our regular programming for this brief PSA

Language Arts teachers and literacy coaches, are you a member of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)? You're a professional...join your professional organization! Membership information is here--don't forget to add a journal to your membership!

Whether or not you're a member of NCTE, consider joining the Children's Literature Assembly of NCTE, a group whose goals are:

• To provide a forum for exchange among teachers of children's literature who share keen interest in children and classrooms;
• To promote children's literature as a field of learning, research, and classroom application;
• To undertake and disseminate programs and projects of special interest to those interested in children's literature;
• To work cooperatively with other organizations devoted to the promotion of literature in children's lives.

CLA is a great place to begin your involvement in NCTE. Serve on the committees that plan the events at the NCTE annual convention: the Master Class, the breakfast, the Monday workshop, and be eligible to serve on the Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts committee! Membership information is here (please note on your form that you learned about CLA right here at A Year of Reading!)

While we're on the topic of NCTE, we're not making any promises about posting during the week leading up to and including the Annual Convention -- Nov. 18-26. If the blog goes silent that week, you'll know it's because we're going to great sessions, attending committee meetings, catching up with old and new friends (maybe even YOU!), and taking in some history in Boston.

3rd Annual Stenhouse Summer Blogstitute

June 20 - mid-August

at The Stenhouse Blog

For information about participating authors, 

discounts, 

and give-aways, 

check out this post on the Stenhouse blog.

Book People

This fundraiser is simple. You give $3 to RIF at the Macy’s register, and you get a coupon for $10 off your purchase of $50 or more.

With only 1 book for every 300 kids in need in the United States, the support from Macy’s and customers like you makes a real difference in our ability to get books to kids who need them most. And this campaign is a win-win. You save and you help RIF get books to kids. There’s also even more saving to be done with Macy’s One Day Sale happening this weekend in stores nationwide.

Even if a Macy’s store isn’t in your area, you can still get involved through our online sweepstakes. You’ll have a chance to win a $500 Macy’s gift card and help us spread the word about the campaign.