This article explores one teacher-researcher's consideration of how the 50-year anniversary of the Dartmouth Seminar continues to influence and hold relevance for the teaching of English in Australian secondary schools. Particular attention is paid to the influence of John Dixon and the Personal Growth model of English. The author, an early career teacher, employs narrative inquiry in highlighting both the affordances and challenges for working under the Personal Growth model by examining two noteworthy classroom moments in her career to date: the teaching of Shakespeare in a high-stakes senior classroom, and the teaching of poetry in a junior classroom. The article concludes with a call for the prevailing valuing of Personal Growth approaches to English, despite the increasing challenges of standardised education.