By Jyothi Bathina
We have all grown weary over the past two and a half years. It’s time to take advantage of the opportunity to reconvene and reconnect, person to person.
Until just a month ago, I was feeling resistant, unwilling to get on a plane and travel across the country to a conference in D.C. “Do you have an online option?” I asked. “Will most of the sessions be streamed or recorded?” The answer was that while some key sessions would be available for later viewing, they really hoped I would join them in person. I waited until the last minute. I bought a refundable ticket. I hesitated. Was it safe? Did I really want to leave my comfortable home and my semi hermit-like existence to get on a cramped plane? What was the big deal about in person anyway? We could achieve the same thing on Zoom and I could sit and watch from home.
At the last minute, half out of a sense of duty and half out of a nagging feeling I might be missing something, I boarded the plane to D.C. It was rainy and cold and gray. The fabled cherry blossoms were soaked and the one tour I managed to take left me drenched. But every morning as I put on my badge and grabbed my breakfast to take to our table, I felt myself coming back to life. I met lots of people, fellow educators, who were passionate about their projects. I felt the energy in the room as we heard about all the incredible work people were doing across the country and all the opportunities available for those who wanted to help students. I was inspired by the presentations by federal grant administrators who urged us to keep dreaming big and applying for funding to implement groundbreaking programs that would help teachers and students.
I’m so glad I went. After exchanging cards with some amazing innovators and boarding my return flight, I was reinvigorated, excited for the possibilities ahead, eager to share what I had learned with my colleagues.
I invite you to experience the same kind of heady collaborative excitement that only comes from gathering in a common space, seeing and hearing each other, feeling the warmth of instant human interaction. After a long hiatus, the annual CSU Expository Reading and Writing Curriculum conference is back, live and in person! We can’t wait to welcome you back, to meet and greet, applaud and encourage, teach and learn, and exchange ideas in real time, face-to-face. Register now to attend in San Jose or in Pomona, and come join us as we celebrate and strengthen our community. See you there!
Please see the registration links below. The $50 registration fee includes lunch and the morning plenary session with Dr. April Baker-Bell.
Sheraton Fairplex – Pomona, CA: June 21, 2022 Registration link: https://calstate.eventsair.com/2022-erwc-literacy-conference/event
OR
San Jose Marriott – San Jose, CA: June 27, 2022 Registration link: https://calstate.eventsair.com/2022-erwc-literacy-conference-san-jose/event
Extended Registration Deadlines: May 16 (Pomona) and May 23 (San Jose)
For questions, please contact carinfo@calstate.edu.
Dr. Jyothi Bathina is Co-Director for the Center for the Advancement of Reading and Writing at the CSU Chancellor’s Office. She oversees ERWC in collaboration with the ERWC Steering Committee.
Teaching ERWC 