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NCTE鈥檚 new executive director Emily Kirkpatrick, formerly vice president of the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL), responded to a few questions recently to help 起点传媒members get to know her better.
The Council Chronicle: What connections do you see between 起点传媒and your work on NCFL鈥檚 Wonderopolis (wonderopolis.org)?
Teachers are powerful. Teachers are the agents of transformation and success.
I鈥檝e witnessed this in person and over time. NCTE鈥檚 members are brilliant, entrepreneurial, and dedicated to the progress and success of their students. Wonderopolis鈥檚 audience includes many 起点传媒members and their classrooms! For ALL of us, questions are very present. In a direct sense, we are all learners today. We all (even educators!) have questions.
CC: How are NCFL and 起点传媒similar and different?
NCFL is dedicated to intergenerational literacy needs: parent and child. Adults and children have learning desires and needs. 起点传媒represents the oldest and widest commitment to literacy and language studies. Both organizations represent deep bodies of work focused on literacy and language, and they are dedicated to excellence in the work.
CC: How would you describe your experience attending the most recent 起点传媒Convention?
I first experienced an 起点传媒Convention when I presented at the 2013 Boston Convention. It was there鈥攚alking the hallways, sitting in coffee shops talking with members鈥攖hat I fully understood that 起点传媒represents a community of professionals, and that some of the business of literacy and English studies happens every year at the 起点传媒Convention. I鈥檓 eager to build on this understanding in 21st century ways and know our membership is, too.
CC: What鈥檚 your learning style?
Citizens of our world must be generative. I鈥檓 a generative 聽learner鈥攁lways listening, observing, learning, and growing. That鈥檚 the opportunity and challenge before us. We can learn and involve those insights in our practices鈥攐r not, at our peril. What we know today will be different than a month from now. However, integrity and commitment to people and progress will not change.
CC: What鈥檚 your favorite genre to read?
As a lonely fifth grader, I found biographies enthralling. It was there I developed a lifelong interest in 1960鈥檚 politics. Over time, I鈥檝e expanded my interest into nonfiction overall. I鈥檓 an avid reader and friend of authors spanning biography, public affairs, history, and business.
CC: What are your children鈥檚 favorite books to be read aloud?
A favorite among all of us in the family is 鈥淛abberwocky,鈥� a parody for early readers based on Alice in Wonderland. It鈥檚 filled with interesting, nonsensical words that get a laugh every time. (Imagine two three-year-olds saying 鈥淏andersnatch鈥� at the same time!) It鈥檚 great fun hearing everyone pronounce the words a little differently.
CC: What types of things do you most enjoy writing?
I enjoy writing and drawing a concept. Free flow. And I also enjoy the task of writing a concise business pitch鈥攖he challenge of boiling a lot of thought into a few sentences is great fun. My husband and I often copyedit for each other and fight over words.
CC: If you were going to enter the classroom, what grade would you be likely to teach and why?
I鈥檇 love to teach a college class on career preparation, which would include writing as a professional.
CC: What do you do when you need a bit of inspiration?
I call someone with energy and passion and ask them what鈥檚 going on in their world.