A Behind-the-Scenes Community - Sitomer's Influence on Working with Urban Writers @alansitomer

It seems appropriate that I had the fortune of hearing Alan Sitomer talk with Connecticut teachers this past Saturday at the Literacy Essentials Conference at Central Connecticut State University. His energy and fluid discussion of Common Core State Standards motivated me, as a researcher, teacher, and Director of a National Writing Project site, to see the potential the core standards have for research, inquiry, and student-centered instruction. I knew what my students were capable of in Kentucky and I've witnessed similar potential in classrooms of New York and Connecticut. I hope that administrators and policy makers get the opportunity to see excellence through these standards as Sitomer suggests.

This post, too, comes with total admiration to Louisville's win last night in the 2013 NCAA championship. The memories of attending CARDS basketball games - and taking students, at times, with me has me even more stoked about Sitomer's mission as an educator. Louisville is a great city and I'm proud of the degrees I earned from the university there.

Good teachers need a voice that promotes best practices in teaching and, during Sitomer's keynote, it became obvious why he was named California teacher of the year. He is a writer. He understands composing processes. He is an advocate for youth and he recognizes the flaws in top down management and political quick fixes that don't necessarily have young people (or their teachers) in mind. Seeing him in action last weekend provided an inspiration for listening to youth and a model for what can be accomplished when stellar educators embrace the Common Core with the individuality of every student in mind.

2013 is about community for me and when I returned to Fairfield University on Monday I had to smile. Alan Lawrence Sitomer has been a surrogate mentor for my classrooms, although I did not make the connection of his name with the books  (including The Hoopster pictured to the right) until I looked up to my bookshelves. With my relation to Hoops4Hope and the knowledge I have gained from working with relocated refugee youth (most who play sports), I know firsthand the power of sports stories. Books, such as The Hoopster, resonate with  any kid who balances athletics and academics. Such books are an intellectual genre deserving greater attention.

On my shelf also sits Hip Hop Poetry and the Classics which I've used in discussions about language, verse, popular culture, and academic literacies. Similar to his presentation skills, Sitomer brings spunk, creativity, humor, rhythm, and insight to the field. His writing impacts the communities that matter to me the most. Having the opportunity to hear him live and in person on Saturday was a true honor. The wisdom was a source of inspiration to fight for instruction that has the greatest impact on students.

A dream course for me to teach is Sports Literacy - Reading Athletics To Promote Academic Excellence. Yep, I need to make that happen.