By Anna J. Roseboro, secondary section, Grand Rapids, MI: Learning together with other teachers can be both enlightening and inspiring. One such experience occurred during a summer writing retreat. The instructor invited us to describe our earliest memory experiencing the power of the written word. After...
By Valerie A. Person, high school English II and AP literature and composition, Currituck, NC: I once sat in a PLC meeting where a couple of colleagues complained that teachers who did "fun things" made it difficult for those who did the "real teaching." Although my name...
By Rebecca Smith, High School Reading Intervention, Haltom City, TX: “Mrs. Smith, this is so hard! Can you read this for me and let me know what you think?” My response was simple: “Well, Bryan, what do you think? I am not the writer—you are!” I could see...
By Amy Touchstone, Secondary Section, Longview, TX: A former student sent me a Facebook message several years ago. He had been in my classroom as a high school senior and had not liked the amount of writing we did. A few years had passed and he...
By Nancy Wahl, AP Literature and Composition, Houston, TX: This year, at the young age of 58, I began a Master’s degree program at Rice University. I teach senior English and work diligently to make learning relevant for my students. I seek to ensure that what...
By Jori Krulder, High School Language Arts Teacher, Chico, CA: It’s only in the last few years that I have realized the value of making connections with other teachers. Of course, I’ve known that teachers learn the most from talking to other teachers and sharing ideas and...
By Peg Grafwallner, Instr. Coach & Reading Specialist, Milwaukee,WI: When children are small, they unabashedly refer to themselves with creative descriptions like writer, artist, singer, scientist, mathematician, etc. They haven’t been jaded, yet, by an educational system that relies on standardized test scores and district assessments...
By Shawna Easton, Secondary Section, Prosper, TX: Even after 13 years of teaching, students continue to astound me each year. When I approached the idea of goal setting with my students, I was surprised at their reaction. I thought it would be something like, “Ugh, why...
By Kayla Roush, Secondary Section, Harrisburg, PA: I currently work in a school filled with diverse students who live in the inner city. Their lives are tough—much tougher than mine will ever be. Sometimes my students go hungry, and sometimes they act out because they want...
By Abigail Crane, Secondary Section, Overland Park, KS: One of the beautiful aspects of our profession as educators is that every year we get to press a “restart” button and try again. We can do everything from scratch, or cherry-pick the best lessons and units from...
By Lorraine Cella, Secondary Section, Tenafly, NJ: It was 1966 and my 9th-grade year began in a suburban town in northern New Jersey. I strolled to school carrying my small assignment pad, which I needed for writing notes—the kind between friends in the hallway during change...
By Cathy Leogrande, Teacher Education K-12 & Special Ed, Syracuse, NY: When I was a high school Special Education teacher, I went to a difficult CSE meeting. The parent was not in agreement with the district plan for her son. As she got up to walk...