Peregrinations

Yesterday, I had the privilege of being the closing keynote speaker at the Mississippi Department of Education's Elevate Teachers Conference 2024.  I was excited about this the minute I talked to the organizers not only because of the opportunity to share my platform but also because of where the event was taking place. The MSU Riley Center has held a special place in my heart since childhood.  Originally, the buildings it occupies were both part of the Marks-Rothenberg department store.   Marks-Rothenberg had been a part of Meridian's history since the late 1800s.  In an effort to better the cultural life of Meridian (as well as market their own dress clothing no doubt), the owners built an entertainment facility next to their store.  The Grand Opera House was opened in 1890, and it welcomed traveling shows from all over the world.    Then the age of movies came, and just a few blocks away, the gigantic Temple Theater opened as one of the lush mo...

I gave my first keynote speech today.  I have been working and stressing over it for about a month, tweaking, revising, and just generally driving my friends and family insane with drafts and slide decks.  I got to the convention center early enough to set up my laptop and practice one final time. I was the closing speaker at a three-day conference, so I knew what the audience really wanted was for me to be fast so they could enjoy some of those precious post-conference moments of food, shopping, or other blissfully responsibility-free activities teachers always seem to enjoy.   As I waited for everything to get started, the 2012 Teacher of the Year came up and introduced herself.  She had such kind and wonderful words of support. She knew exactly what it was like to be sitting there still more or less awestruck that any of this was even happening to me.  Her encouragement exactly what I needed to hear before I stepped up to present.  I hope that I can...