Reading Behind Bars
Federal courts have repeatedly affirmed that prisoners have a First Amendment right to read, and that publishers and others have …
Reading Because We Love It
This past Saturday, my book group held its annual book choosing, a day we gather to eat finger food, bask …
Reading Because They Love It
I feel certain that one goal we teachers have for our students is that they to leave our classes to …
Movies of Censored Books, with a Little Advice
While students on the coasts can expect another six weeks or so of school—kind of like our six weeks of …
Teachers Know Redux
This blog is an updated version of the 2018 blog Teachers Know. I have to say up front that teachers …
Read It, Write About It, Understand
Photo: Ashburn Colored School Let’s be clear. NCTE never supports using writing or reading as punishment. But that’s what Virginia judge …
Why Our Students Need Us To Teach About Climate Change
It’s Earth Day and I’m writing this blog after hearing a story about teaching climate change on NPR, “Most Teachers …
Keep the Light On
ALA’s State of America’s Libraries Report hit newsstands last week, noting, “Never have our nation’s libraries played such a pivotal …
The Ways of a Challenge
A book challenge is personal. A teacher hears someone telling them that their values—the values that led to their use …
The Pen Is Mighty Indeed
Why else would people take writing so seriously? Some think writing so powerful that their children will turn into sorcerers …