A set of especially complicated ethical relationships becomes visible in literary study when the unspeakable atrocity of state-sponsored genocide is part of the story, as it is in many wartime texts taught in secondary English classrooms. What then is the nature of an English teacher's obligation to the detailed particularity of the past and…

The 19 individuals who gathered at Elmhurst College in the summer of 2009 to work on moving social justice theory into policy in English education had a singular goal--to codify a working framework for social justice in English education that could disrupt inequitable educational practices and empower all students to reach their potential…

This article explores one element of collaborative practice: the integration of English language learner-focused instruction and discussion in a secondary English methods course. Drawing on the authors' expertise, they examine revisions made to a secondary English methods course to better address the academic and individual needs of diverse…

This article considers the benefits and challenges of using English teacher candidates' videotaped discussions of literature as tools to facilitate authentic and engaging discussions of literature. More specifically, this article examines the use of teacher candidates' videotaped discussions in a secondary English methods course to expand…

In his sociological study Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community (2000), Robert Putnam argues that Americans need to "reconnect to one another" and, both metaphorically and literally, go bowling together (p. 28). The authors--an English educator and a social studies educator--describe a four year collaboration that has led…

Discusses the Praxis II exam, "English Language, Literature, and Composition: Content Knowledge," a two-hour multiple-choice exam with questions on American, British, and world literature, literary terms, grammar and usage, and teaching. Suggests that knowledge of subject matter seems to be related to successful teaching, but whether certification…

Explores the role that tagging (a simple form of graffiti) plays around the school and community. Argues that even the writing of a name on a wall opens out into a rich discourse community, in which taggers carry on complex conversations, negotiate and challenge shared discursive norms, and develop identities that are intimately connected to a…

Explores how a new teacher's identity was affected when she attempted to enact a student-centered, i.e., liberal, pedagogy in a school district that was in the process of introducing a heavily scripted language arts curriculum tied to district standardized tests. Concludes that the frustration that the teacher felt was that the curriculum took…

Considers how practicing and prospective teachers might address the needs and capabilities of both female and male students. Notes that current projects of the Commission on Gender Issues in English Teacher Education of the National Council of Teachers of English will explore how teachers negotiate the demands of discussing literature in a diverse…

Argues that reflective practitioners use unfamiliar research methods and forums for publication, methods and forums that have not yet been recognized as legitimate or authorized to build the base of knowledge that informs their practice. Draws attention to the forms and forums in which reflective practitioners work. (SC)

Describes the community of English educators in 2001. Considers individual and collective roles of English educators as modeling life-long learning for students, prospective teachers, and colleagues. Concludes that the vision of English educators in the 21st century must be locally constructed and rest upon the desires of participants to make…

Presents ideas to better connect with students. Considers how teachers might think about questioning themselves and their experiences daily to find the answer to becoming the teacher every educator wants to be. Concludes that children are great learners because they modify and change what they already know to gain new knowledge. (SC)

Discusses what explains adolescent language and behavior that deviates from and undermines prevailing pedagogical norms and expectations; how ought beginning teachers and teacher educators should respond to it; and what insights can be derived from the study of oppositional adolescent language and behavior. Suggests that storytelling can function…

Visualizes what embodied learning and shared authority looks like in an alternative high school for mostly Latino students. Argues for an approach to teaching that looks to teacher-student relationships. Suggests that educators surrender any predetermined certainty they may cling to concerning what their culturally diverse students need or which…

Notes impact of high-stakes language arts assessments on teachers in Georgia rural districts. Provides additional support for what many English teachers already believe--that rich classroom discussion, reading from a variety of texts, student-centered writing assignments, and metacognitive awareness of one's reading and writing strategies…