By Gwen Gray Schwartz, College Section, Alliance, OH: Sometimes graduation is not the happy event it's supposed to be for students, and letting go can be both a relief and a scary proposition for everyone involved. We often talk of the successes and the growth of...
By Kevin Cordi, College Section, Columbus, OH: "J" came to an afterschool storytelling meeting. We were there simply to tell stories for and with each other. He shared that he came to the meeting because his storyteller was no longer at home. His father had left...
By Nicole Mirra, English Education, College Lead Ambassador, Brooklyn, NY: When I was a high school English teacher, I knew I was making an impact. I didn’t always know the nature or extent of that impact, but I knew that I was making one. This knowledge...
By Terri Pantuso, Secondary ELAR, Preservice Teachers, Cypress, TX: About ten years ago, I taught an undergraduate Shakespeare class at a small university comprised predominantly of first-generation students. The course was difficult given the content, but one student in particular seemed to struggle more than others....
By Jenny Martin, College Section, Dayton, VA: Karen came up to me on my last day of teaching with a large box. I had decided to shift gears when I had my first child, and my last day of class was actually my due date. I...
By Raven Jones Stanbrough, College Section, Lead Ambassador, Detroit, MI: Prior to becoming a teacher education educator, I was an elementary school teacher and English instructor in Detroit – the same city where I currently reside. Having been born from a loving, strong, no-nonsense, and practicing-what-she-preached...
By Terri Pantuso, Secondary ELAR, Preservice Teachers, Cypress, TX: For new teachers, the best piece of advice I have is never to be afraid to admit that you don't know all the answers. It's okay to allow your students to see you struggle with some of...