JoLLE@UGA
2016 Conference Reflections
The JoLLE Community
JoLLE@UGA was the third academic conference that I have ever been to. It was the second time I have ever presented and, if I’m being honest, the first time that I have ever presented to a group of people in my field. I'm still trying to figure out where I belong. I still get tongue tied when someone asks me where I am in my program. I still struggle with defining my research interests. I still get butterflies any time I meet someone whose work I’ve read. I still want to learn about EVERYTHING. I’m still trying to figure out where I fit into the conversation. *Tweeted from Nichole’s Presentation
What I experienced at JoLLE@UGA was more than an academic conference. It was weekend long conversation about ideas, passions, and dreams. I spent the weekend engaging with people from all over the world. Whether I was talking to a graduate student or a well-known scholar in my field, I felt like my ideas mattered and what I had to say was important. I listened to others talk about what motivates them and engaged in activities that challenged and enhanced my own ideas about learning. I spent the entire weekend listening and being heard and in the process entered into a community— a family—that I know will be there to give me a little push when I need it. As I drove away from the conference on Sunday afternoon I felt encouraged. I felt confident. I felt like I had finally found my voice. As I sit here a week later writing this, I am still inspired. I am still thinking about all the conversations I had and all the ideas I heard. I’m still not quite sure that I know exactly how I fit into the conversation just yet, but because of JoLLE@UGA I know that my voice matters. Nichole Barrett; SUNY at Buffalo
From Near & Far This past weekend I finally made my way to the University of Georgia’s JoLLE (Journal of Language & Literacy Education) conference in the Classic City, and I am so glad I did! I will tell you upfront that it is a brilliant and intimate conference for any of us involved in literacy studies and education. I highly, highly recommend attending. What I think I loved most about the conference was its intimate feel. The conversations being had were rich with new considerations for me as a public school educator and the students I serve. There was always something to do–there were no reading of papers or droning on and on about someone’s research. Almost everything was actionable and exploratory. My favorite takeaway from the sessions I attended was how important it is to understand a student’s agentive and identity needs through their moments of silence as much as in their moments of discourse. The best part of this idea? It came directly from two undergraduate students from Notre Dame! To hear young, pre-service teachers point this out to other veteran teachers and scholars felt profound. Part of what I found myself loving about the JoLLE conference was the opportunity participants at any level could impact conference goers.
Finally, I love Athens. The Classic City is still as classy as ever, and I thoroughly enjoyed dining and hanging out with some old friends and some new ones. Whatever the occasion, Athens just tends to bring people together. Kyle Jones; Lanier High School, Kennesaw State University
Helene, you did everything to make me arrive here and enjoy my stay. I am now leaving for Hamilton to start work on finalizing my paper for submission for JoLLE publication. Thanks a lot for everything, and I look forward to making the JoLLE conference an annual event for me and interesting other members in my College to do the same. Once again, thanks to you all who made my stay in UGA a wonderful and memorable one and hope to see you again. God bless you all! Willy Ngaka; Makerere University Center for Lifelong Learning, Uganda
JoLLE is one of the best literacy conferences I/we have been to. Congratulations! This has said a lot about UGA’s doctoral program and leadership. The program and presentations are well organized. The contents of the conference programs are diverse, vigorous and practical. The audience is very friendly, supportive and knowledgeable. The interaction and discussion are stimulating and encouraging. WE loved it, so we had a great Gator night in downtown. Since it was inexpensive for our doctoral students to attend this conference, we had brought almost of all our doctoral students in the literacy program to attend this conference, and it was a great learning and professional experience for our them. Many of them were first year students and first timers to present their work at a conference. A few of my doctoral students also appreciated the opportunity to speak to the JoLLE editorial board members. We truly enjoyed the conference and of course, we will come again! Dr. Danling Fu; University of Florida
KickOff @ Cine´ JoLLE this year had such a strong sense of kismet for me--a happy coming together of the right people with the right workshops to bring about change. I had a friend attend sj’s kickoff session on Friday night who really needed to talk about the ways that LGBTQ educators can make a difference and find their own spaces. I invited this friend at the last minute, and I could not have felt more strongly that it was “meant to be”! Additionally, I loved that kids from our community were able to hear David E. Kirkland’s speech, as he talked about the issues that were most important to them, and provided support for the kind of teaching that would be culturally relevant and culturally sustaining. Again, I just felt the strongest sense of the right people being in the right places. Heidi Hadley, The University of Georgia, Member of JoLLE Editorial Staff
Kirkland’s Keynote
“Kirkland’s talk was heart-wrenching, thought provoking and inspiring.” Danling Fu, University of Florida.
Connect & Collaborate I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the JoLLE conference. Not only did I have the opportunity to present my ideas about new literacy pedagogy but I also discovered that many other presenters shared similar pedagogical practices within their secondary English classrooms. I have already implemented some interesting ideas that I learned about at the conference in my classroom (a special thanks to Steven Landry for the story dice!). I look forward to attending again, and I would recommend this experience to anyone involved in literacy and learning. Jill Perttula, SUNY at Buffalo
Cody Miller, Jungyoung Park, Kate Colantonio-Yurko
This year’s JoLLE conference invigorated me and reminded me of why I do what I do. For me, teaching and research are all about relationships and community. I strive to connect with the people I work with, and I sometimes feel that connections and relationships get lost in the realm of academia. So attending a conference that included everyone – from K-12 students to community activists to professors – and celebrated compassion, care, and community was truly refreshing. Marianne Snow Campbell, The University of Georgia
The time between semesters is always a tough time for me. During the winter—especially the Buffalo winters in which I have lived for so long—I become very much like a hermit: so removed from the camaraderie and academic community that is such an important part of my life the rest of the school year. As I got ready to leave for Georgia for JoLLE, I craved the solidarity with my new English Education friends, but I worried that the conference was going to be too short or too low-key for me. “I wish this conference could be a week long!” As soon as I stepped foot into Ciné and started talking with Helene and some of the other UGA folks, I knew I was at the right place. I knew I had made the right choice in proposing to and attending JoLLE. I knew I was where I needed to be. The atmosphere was everything I needed and more. The thing that makes JoLLE such an exciting and energizing and invigorating place to be is the people. All of new colleagues I met, along with the familiar faces, were just more proof that I was in the right place, both physically and academically. “I wish we could have this conference every weekend!” JoLLE was exactly what I needed to begin my final semester. The feedback my colleague and I received from our presentation was gold. The guidance we obtained through conversations during and after our session was more than we hoped. And the contacts we made with JoLLE attendees will be connections we will both hold for a lifetime. I may have entered Athens feeling like a hermit, but I left Athens feeling gregarious and jolly! Chaz Gonzalez; SUNY at Buffalo
A Bit of Fun
Empowered  Voices  Attending the JoLLE conference reminded me of all the facets of literature and literacy. It goes beyond grammar and conventions; sometimes it transcends even words. Literacy is communication in every form: art, photography, music, and more. Not only should we work together to empower marginalized voices through multiple literacies, we also need to take a moment to step back and listen to these voices and hear what they are saying and asking for. It was a delight to be surrounded by so many people who see the reciprocal nature of literacy and equip students with the skills to succeed and be heard. Trini Bui; University of Notre Dame
Classic City Knights