The NCTE This Story Matters Teacher Corps
Educators have long been at the forefront of advocacy for students, and never more so than in this time of attacks on intellectual freedom and students’ right to read. NCTE members have joined NCTE’s This Story Matters Teacher Corps to lend their expertise, time, and passion to continue to expand the NCTE book rationale database.
The first cohort, led by Annamary Consalvo, began in November of 2023. You can learn more about the members by clicking through to the page from the side bar on this page or by clicking here. Thanks to additional grant funding, five more members-only cohorts began in the spring of 2024! The members are taking part in an exciting opportunity to be involved in exclusive and unique intellectual freedom work.
Two are focusing on rationales for picturebooks and elementary texts and are led by Vera Ahiyya and Lynsey Burkins. Another cohort focuses on middle grade texts and is led by Kristen Luettchau, and another cohort, led by Holly Spinelli, is focusing on YA texts. The fifth cohort is composed of educators who teach preservice teachers; they are creating many kinds of rationales while also considering how to bring rationale work to their students as they prepare for the field.
Each cohort is composed of five members who meet regularly to discuss, write, and review rationales collaboratively. Please click on the side bar menu to learn more about each cohort. New rationales are being added to the database regularly, and we encourage you to check back often to find books to add to your classroom or curriculum, or to find a useful resource to defend books facing challenges.
Email intellectualfreedom@ncte.org with any questions.
“The Teacher Corps has been a unique way to connect with educators from other states and discover new books. It’s been fun to explore new stories and think about how they can benefit students.”
—Kyle Belting, current Teacher Corps member
View the rationale database, accessible to NCTE members, that can be searched by title, author, and grade level to help you (educators) find a rationale for a book you plan to use in the classroom or one that is being challenged.
The database includes these important resources: downloadable book rationales, an updated How to Write a Rationale template created by the Standing Committee Against Censorship, and steps to follow for educators preparing for or facing censorship.