After being a steady member of the California Council on Teacher Education (CCTE) for 14 years as a faculty member, program director, department chair, associate dean, and even as a mother, Cynthia Grutzik was nominated to run for President-Elect of CCTE in 2010. She was in a unique situation as she came into the CCTE presidency: two women had…

Alvin Thompson, former president of the California Council on the Education of Teachers (CCET), describes how he became involved with the CCET, and how the cultural environment of the CCET shifted from a "Pink Tea" society to one of political action focused on the real needs of the schools for which teachers are prepared. Thompson…

Gerald Brunetti served as President of the California Council on the Education of Teachers (Cal Council or CCET) from 1992 to 1994. This article describes the author's involvement with the CCET beginning in 1979, and covers the details of accomplishments throughout his presidency, such as the development of "CCNews," mail balloting, and…

When the author was asked to write a mini-memoir about his time as Cal Council president, his first thought was "Now, when exactly was that?" He says that pretty much summarizes the quality of his memory these days. The author's first contact with the California Council on the Education of Teachers was back in the 1970s when the…

This article describes the author's experience as President of the California Council on Teacher Education (CCTE) from 2004-2006, which began under difficult conditions due to her daughter's terminal illness. The author shares her story of how the organization supported her during this difficult time, which she feels is representative of the…

This article discusses the author's experience as President of the California Council on Teacher Education (CCTE), beginning in the Spring of 2014. The author established a personal goal to improve the relationship with members by reaching out and hearing their concerns. A membership survey was created and administered to members, delegates, and…

When the author adopted her son, she was an early childhood educator with a Master's Degree who had taught young children for eight years and directed a child care and infant-toddler center for seven. She thought she knew something about children. Actually, she had a great deal to learn. It took years for her to learn about his needs. He slowly…

Contextualized through the lens of place, this essay explores intersections and tensions among queer theory, teacher education, and identities/identifications, which looks to the author like a particular way of looking at curriculum, pedagogy, and the self. Since the three general concepts are intertwined and irreducible, the author's particular…