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Before I get into event deets, I want to start with the why.

Years ago, I handed my freshmen certificates at the end of the school year. One of them said, "Future Successful CEO." I forgot about it; the student did not.
 
A few weeks ago she texted me to let me know she had been accepted into law school, and she also sent me a picture of that 10-year-old certificate.
 
She told me that she looks at it whenever she feels doubt because it reminds her that someone believed in her before she was ready to believe in herself.
 
I had another former student also reach out recently, and one line from his message hit me the hardest. He said, "It would be a disservice to remember your teaching as just fun. I remember the way you saw me."
 
This is what I believe teaching is truly about.
 
And it is the fire behind every single resource, training, course, and offering I put out.
 
I believe in the kind pedagogy that transcends time blended with innovative, engaging instruction. But above everything else, I believe our greatest responsibility is helping students see what they are capable of while making sure they feel seen along the way. And ELA gives us the best opportunity to do exactly that.
 
Our students come from beautifully different backgrounds, cultures, identities, and lived experiences. The professional spaces that we expand in should reflect that same richness.
 
My hope is that every person who walks into this retreat feels like they belong here and that they made the room better simply by bringing their story to it.
 
EVERY student has gifts that we can help nurture, and every teacher has gifts that deserve to be shared because there are students who need exactly what only they can offer.

 

Over the years I've had conversations with English teachers across different states, different grade levels, and different situations, and there's always a common thread:

"I love teaching, but something is missing."

"I know my students are capable, but I'm struggling to get them to connect, and it's becoming harder year after year.

"I just want to feel like I'm actually doing something here more than prepping them for another test."
 

Meet in the Margin was born from all of this.

I love conferences just as much as the next person. The buzzing, chaotic good energy, feeling the momentum of a mass of people all there in solidarity, etc. There are plenty of incredible spaces like this that already exist.
 
But I wanted to create a different kind of experience.

The larger page is nice, but the margin is where all the juiciness lives. It's where we ask questions, challenge ideas, make connections. It's the between-the-lines of writerly choices. The real, raw thoughts of the reader. The underbelly of ELA education.

MITM is a burst of renewed energy in a short weekend for the ELA teacher who knows and believes that literature has the power to change lives, but also that teaching is so much more than that.

It's a reset button after the honeymoon phase of BTS season is over, and the intimate, invigorating conversations about the shit that really matters (that you wish your PLCs contained).

This retreat is intentionally limited because I want to know exactly who is in the room, and I want you to leave with a community of like-minded teachers who are all building classrooms students will remember years after they've left them.

 
If all this speaks to your soul, I'd love to spend the weekend with you, in the margin ✏️

Friday, October 16th - Prologue

  • *VIP Welcome Dinner (reserved exclusively for teachers who select this add on - spots are limited)

 

Saturday, October 17th - Part I

  • Coffee + pastries

  • Welcome keynote

  • Two interactive sessions

  • Lunch

  • Two interactive sessions

  • Closing

  • Optional ghost tour/nightcap

 

Sunday, October 18th - Part II

  • Coffee

  • Two closing sessions

  • Reflection

  • Wrap by noon

 

Four Weeks Later - Epilogue

  • Live virtual implementation Zoom call

  • Celebrate wins

  • Troubleshoot challenges

  • Reconnect with your MITM community

• You care more about meaningful learning than cookie cutter copy-paste lessons

 

• You want students thinking critically and creatively, not just complying

 

• You believe rigor (as much as you hate that MF word!) and joy can and should co-exist

 

• You miss feeling excited to walk into your classroom

 

• You want professional development that respects your experience instead of talking down to you

 

• You know your students deserve your best, but you also know you deserve to enjoy teaching again

 

• You believe in the Arts in English Language Arts

 

• You crave writing instruction that feels purposeful

 

• You know that classroom community matters more than the content

 

• You value and uphold culturally responsive, inclusive teaching

Early Bird | $379

✨ First 10 attendees - price will increase after first 10 spots are filled
✨ Payment plans are available!
✨ 25% of proceeds from this event will go to organizations for earthquake relief efforts in Colombia

*Optional VIP Add On | $79

✨ Includes an exclusive Friday evening Dinner in the Margin experience with Ana before the retreat officially begins

Every registration includes:

 
âś” Four interactive Saturday workshops
 
âś” Saturday coffee, pastries & breakfast bites
 
âś” Saturday catered lunch
 
âś” Two Sunday closing sessions
 
âś” Retreat workbook, classroom resources, & goodie bag
 
âś” Post-retreat implementation call
 
âś” Access to the Meet in the Margin community

 

*Registration does NOT include travel or lodging, but hotel recommendations will be provided to make planning your stay easy. If you’re flying in, you’ll want to fly into Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV). Please contact ana@simplyanap.com with any questions!

Come spend some spooky season magic in one of my favorite cities, and head back to your classroom feeling lighter, braver, and a WHOLE LOT MORE excited for the rest of the school year.
 
Come meet me in the margin ✍️💛✨
Secure Your Spot!