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November 17, 2009

...news

News links are provided for informational purposes, do not imply endorsement by the National Council of Teachers of English, and were live when this issue was published; free registration or a paid subscription may be required for some news articles.
November 19-24: NCTE's 99th Annual Convention in Philadelphia The 2009 NCTE Annual Convention is the premier meeting of literacy educators, pre-K through graduate school, an event where attendees hear from experts and practitioners in literacy research and policy, writing, literature, diversity and multiculturalism, reading, and 21st century skills.
$5 Billion "Race to the Top" Begins The federal government has released the rules and scoring card for the Race to the Top Funds. eSchool News, November 12, 2009 Raising student achievement is a topic of sessions at the NCTE Convention.	Partially underwritten by: (advertisement)
Making a Difference in Literacy Read an interview with Lisa Nutter, president of Philadelphia Academies, Inc., who will receive NCTE's Literacy Award at a session on Friday, November 20, at the NCTE Convention. She is being honored for her commitment to the educational development of young people in America and for making a significant difference in promoting and drawing public attention to the issue of literacy. Sunday General Session NCTE President Kylene Beers will speak on "Sailing over the Edge: Navigating the Uncharted Waters of a World Gone Flat" during the NCTE Convention on Sunday, November 22. The NCTE Orwell Award for Distinguished Contribution to Honesty and Clarity, the NCTE Public Doublespeak Award, and the David H. Russell Research Award will also be presented. Storywalk Helps Pave Path to School for Youngsters, Prompt Preschoolers to Love Learning The point is to get four-year-olds excited about learning and reading before they ever come to kindergarten. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, November 12, 2009 The Day of Early Childhood at the NCTE Convention, sponsored by the NCTE Elementary Section and the newly formed Early Childhood Education Assembly, offers sessions specifically for educators of children in preschool and early elementary grades. Jerry Pinkney and Marilyn Nelson to Speak at NCTE Convention Author Marilyn Nelson and illustrator Jerry Pinkney will speak at this year's Children's Literature Assembly Breakfast; hear their remarks after the meal ends at Session L.01 on Sunday, November 22, from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. Tracy Kidder Writes "to Catch the Reflection of a Human Being on the Page" Kidder, who was interviewed in a recent Council Chronicle, will speak at the Saturday General Session at 8:00 p.m., November 21, during the NCTE Convention in Philadelphia. Choose Your Own Freshman Composition The City University of New York has redesigned its freshman composition course to a Freshman Inquiry Writing Seminar. Inside Higher Ed, November 11, 2009 Search the Convention Program for sessions on teaching college composition that will be featured during the NCTE Convention. Selling Lessons Online Raises Cash and Questions Should teachers be allowed to sell their own lesson plans? If they do, should their school districts receive some of the payment? The New York Times, November 14, 2009 Learn about NCTE and IRA's ReadWriteThink.org and its free lesson plans on Thursday, November 19 (2:30-4:30 p.m.) and Saturday, November 21 (2:45-4:00 p.m.) in the NCTE Central Learning Lab at the NCTE Convention. Connecting Students to Their Dreams Visit NCTE Central to learn about the National Gallery of Writing, beginning at noon on Thursday, November 19. Stop by at 9:15 a.m. on Friday, November 20, to see the 2000 Dream Flags as The Dream Flag Project from The Agnes Irwin School in Rosemont, Pennsylvania, Skypes with their Kenyan partner school. Study of Harlem Children's Zone Finds Gaps Closing This charter school initiative in New York City provides minority students and their low-income families with wraparound community services and this appears to be making a difference in closing the black-white achievement gap. Education Week, November 12, 2009 Urban education is the focus of many sessions at the NCTE Annual Convention. Engaging Youth with the Civil Rights Movement Richard Karz, producer of the PBS documentary special Legacy: Black and White in America, will show a clip of the program on Saturday, November 21, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. in Room 108A at the Convention Center. Karz will explain how this television special, which will be aired on PBS this February, engages today's youth in a dialogue with icons of the Civil Rights Movement. Read about the Legacy and Lessons of the Civil Rights Movement Essay Contest; the submission deadline is December 15. Writing Stories That End in Freedom Lorene Cary will speak at the College Section/CCCC (Conference on College Composition and Communication) Luncheon on Saturday, November 21, at 12:30 p.m. The Part-Time Impact The Community College Survey of Student Engagement suggests that some part-time faculty could be a contributing factor to the community college dropout rate. Inside Higher Ed, November 16, 2009 The NCTE Convention features an entire strand of sessions for two-year college teachers. Author Laurie Halse Anderson Laurie Halse Anderson is the speaker for the ALAN (Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of NCTE) Breakfast at the NCTE Convention; hear her remarks at Session F.31, Saturday, November 21, 8-9:15 a.m. Federal Policy and Literacy Education: What's in Play and How Is NCTE Contributing? Representative Chaka Fattah (PA-2nd District) will discuss Congressional bills on literacy at Session A.36, at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, November 20, during the NCTE Convention. How Does a Classroom Go 21st Century? Sessions in NCTE's New Media Gallery, Room 202A of the Convention Center, will run from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Friday, November 20. At 12:30 p.m., the English Classroom at Philadelphia's Science Leadership Academy will be featured.
...views

Professional Development Is the "Stuff" of the NCTE Convention NCTE's "Principles for Professional Development" notes how important teacher professional development is to student success. And the NCTE Annual Convention provides a six-day professional development opportunity for educators of students from pre-K through graduate school. In his guest blog, "Blasingame: When Twilight author Stephenie Meyer visited my class; Why Edward Cullen & other vampires attract readers; What the next big thing is in adolescent lit" ("The Answer Sheet," The Washington Post, November 12, 2009), NCTE member James Blasingame talks about the "stuff" of the NCTE Convention, which for him involves young adult literature. As incoming president of NCTE's Assembly on Literature for Adolescents (ALAN), how could he help himself? While you're at the Convention be sure to check out the authors featured throughout the Convention Program. If you've decided you'd like to attend the Monday-Tuesday ALAN Workshop and haven't yet registered, there may still be seats available; check in at the Convention Registration Desk for details.
...blog

The Secret to Teaching Literature NCTE's 2009 Annual Convention in Philadelphia this week offers to inspire conversations about traditional and contemporary literature and to foster lively discussions of how we teach as well as what we teach. NCTE INBOX blogger Traci Gardner starts the conversation now by sharing her own secret to teaching literature in this week's NCTE INBOX Blog.
...ideas

Free access to journal articles mentioned in this INBOX is provided for 21 days. After this free access period expires, articles are available to journal subscribers only. Articles are intended for personal use only and may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without permission in writing from NCTE. Initials in annotations indicate academic level of the resource (E=Elementary, M=Middle, S=Secondary, C=College, TE=Teacher Education, G=General).
NCTE Publications -- in Print and in Person Will you be attending the 99th NCTE Annual Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania? If so, come see some of your favorite NCTE and ReadWriteThink.org authors! Can't be there? Find the books in the NCTE Bookstore and the lesson plans at ReadWriteThink.org! Rebecca Bowers Sipe, Author of Adolescent Literacy at Risk? The Impact of Standards Session A.02: Adolescent Literacy: Moving from Principles to Practice -– Friday, November 20, 9:30-10:45 a.m. *ReadWriteThink.org Text Messages,* Host Jennifer Buehler Session A.33: Using Book Awards to Navigate the Field of Young Adult Literature -– Friday, November 20, 9:30-10:45 a.m. Session L.35: Closing the Achievement Gap with Culturally Responsive Teaching –- Sunday, November 22, 8:30-9:45 a.m. Session W.16: Young Adult Literature in the 21st Century: "Scattering Light" on Our Freedom to Think, See, Imagine -- Monday/Tuesday two-day workshop, Monday, November 23, 8:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and Tuesday, November 24, 8:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. NCTE Director of Professional Development and ReadWriteThink.org Author Sharon Roth Session C.07:** Closing the Gap between Professional and Student Achievement –- Friday, November 20, 12:30-1:45 p.m. Mary Jo Fresch and Peggy Harkins, Authors of The Power of Picture Books: Using Content Area Literature in Middle School Session D.02: The Power of Picture Books in Middle School: An Interactive Session Exploring Content Area Literature -- Friday, November 20, 2:30-3:45 p.m. NCTE and ReadWriteThink.org Author Renee Shea Session D.42: Teaching, Testing, and Political Correctness: Finding the Balance –- Friday, November 20, 2:30-3:45 p.m. NCTE and ReadWriteThink.org Author Phyllis Whitin Featured Session: Looking to Write, Writing to Look –- Friday, November 20, 4:00-5:15 p.m. Session F.06: Stitching Together Art, Literacy, and History with Gee's Bend Quilts -– Saturday, November 21, 8:00-9:15 a.m. Session K.20: Art Speaks! Reading and Writing between the Lines of Art –- Saturday, November 21, 4:15-5:30 p.m. Session W.13: CEE Colloquium: Arts-Literacy Integration: A Day at the Philadelphia Museum of Art –- Monday, November 23, 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at the Philadelphia Museum of Art NCTE and ReadWriteThink.org Author Susanne Rubenstein Session F.39: Putting It on the Line: Finding One's Voice as a Writing Teacher –- Saturday, November 21, 8:00-9:15 a.m. NCTE and ReadWriteThink.org Author David Whitin Session F.06: Stitching Together Art, Literacy, and History with Gee's Bend Quilts -- Saturday, November 21, 8:00-9:15 a.m. Janet L. Elliott, Author of Using the Writer's Notebook in Grades 3-8: A Teacher's Guide Session G.03: Using the Writer's Notebook Effectively All Year Long -- Saturday, November 21, 9:30-10:45 a.m. ReadWriteThink.org Project Manager Lisa Storm Fink Session H.02: Meet the Editors –- Saturday, November 21, 11:00 a.m.-12:15 p.m. NCTE and ReadWriteThink.org Author Deborah Dean Session I.29: Using YA Lit and Fairy Tales to Promote Reading and Writing with Reluctant Teens –- Saturday, November 21, 1:15-2:30 p.m. Bruce M. Penniman, Author of Building the English Classroom: Foundations, Support, Success Session K.02: Differentiating without Dividing: Making Challenging Content Accessible to All through Affirming Instruction and Assessment -– Saturday, November 21, 4:15-5:30 p.m. Scott Warnock, Author of Teaching Writing Online: How and Why Session M.02: Faculty and Student Perspectives on Writing in Online Learning Environments –- Sunday, November 22, 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Sign up now for an RSS feed of each week's INBOX Ideas!
...announcements

Join the Conversation on the 2009 NCTE Annual Convention Join the 2009 NCTE Annual Convention Ning -- a free, online social network! You can create your own profile and find like-minded colleagues; discuss convention sessions; post your presentation descriptions and materials; interact with convention speakers and participants; and much more! Follow NCTE2009 on Twitter and find out up-to-the-minute information about the 2009 NCTE Annual Convention. If you have a twitter account and would like to tweet about your convention experience, please use the #NCTE hashtag. Register Onsite in Philadelphia It's not too late for you to be a part of the 2009 NCTE Annual Convention. Although early registration is now closed, you can still register onsite in Philadelphia. The registration desk will be located at the Pennsylvania Convention Center/Exhibit Hall B, Street Level. Here is the pdf version of the registration form so that you can fill it out and bring it with you to save time. NCTE Centennial: A Blast from the Past Did you know that flying to the NCTE Annual Convention was a novel means of transportation in 1933? That year, the three transcontinental airlines -- American Airways, Transcontinental & Western Air, and United Airlines -- offered direct service to the convention site in Detroit from 44 states. Flying time from Los Angeles was just over 18 hours; from New York, approximately four and a half hours; from Dallas/Fort Worth, about 10 hours.
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