September+17th

The idea of an ELA teacher as both reformer and activist is a compelling one. After spending four years in a fairly affluent high school, I changed schools and moved across the county to a low SES school. When I made the change, I committed myself to reflect on what I considered good teaching and to adjust my teaching style accordingly. Yes, I had been actively involved in the community of my previous school but it was more of an expectation than a passion. When I changed schools I realized that I had the unique opportunity to give voice to many of the “voiceless” within my school, and my community involvement became a passion. This school had often found itself on the margins of the county; it was a place where teachers taught until they could get a position in one of the other two county high schools. I very quickly became known as the “cheerleader” for change. I tried to initiate such change first within my classroom, which quickly resulted in a change in my students and their enthusiasm and passion for learning. Eventually, this passion and excitement began to move down the hall and eventually into other parts of the school. As Wolfe and Tchundi note in chapter 3, teachers are in the classrooms and have the first hand experience; therefore, they can be powerful catalysts for change and information. As Mark Slouka indicates in his article “Dehumanized” ELA teachers serve an even more integral role-particularly as it relates to activism. Our role is to help students learn to question, challenge, assess, evaluate, and critique the world in which they live-ultimately becoming better “citizens” of the world as opposed to "simple" worker bees. I don't want to be a DRONE! So should we expect that our students to only have that type of aspiration?

A final point that I would like to address is Wolfe & Antinarella's (1997) point that "students bring to school many varieties of language use, many dialects. Seductive teachers know that all these forms of the English language must be admitted into the classroom if students are to benefit fully from what the classroom has to offer. To deny the languages and experiences that students bring in is to deny their only present instruments for learning" (p. 51). Lisa, I too have studied Ruby Payne's //Understanding Poverty// and agree 100% that educators have a responsibility-dare I say moral responsibility-to help their students become successful within the world in which they live. Our society is becoming more and more marginalized by class rather that race. As many culture who have come before us, the ruling class dictates the standards for language, civility and morality. Teacher leaders are tasked with helping their students negotiate this truth while honoring, making connections with and validating the role of personal culture in and out of their home. This includes standard conventions, proper grammar, and formal writing skills. As you noted, we must also, however, be cognizant of the role that our students' "language" plays in their own lives and cultures. This phenomena has been noted in many postcolonial societies where the colonized often lose connections to their culture-families, customs, history-through the loss of the language of community. As Wolfe and Antinarella indicate, it is this connection that serve as our students "instruments for learning" (1997 p. 51).

~Meg

As practitioners, it is well known there can be disconnects between theory and reality. If a teacher leader can make theory become a reality then you have reform. Writing Projects, much like the Capital Area Writing Project that is sponsored by NCSU, have this aim in mind. This unique summer experience brings together the best and the brightest teachers of writing: 1) To experience and engage in the same type of writing tasks that they ask of their students, I think that this is such an important concept that is often overlooked by teachers. They create the writing assignments but then become so far removed from the assignment. It is beneficial to work through the process so that you (the teacher) can anticipate areas of concern or difficulty. 2) Review research and best practices in the field. This endeavor blurs the line between university professors and in-service teachers. Therefore it is reciprocal in nature where all participants gain new knowledge and capacity for writing across the curriculum. These teacher leaders will then go back to their schools to instill the importance of "language", emphasizing writing, across all content areas. I think Wolfe and Antinarella would more than approve.

Wolfe and Antinarella accurately point out that any educational reform initiative worth its salt brings teachers to the table from the onset; any reform must be teacher centered. It is so crazy to me that anyone, Legislators, etc., would think that reform can really be successful without it being teacher centered! Legislation can only support new reform policy monetarily, but true reform will be untenable without first addressing teachers' needs. Real change & teacher leadership is a bottom up model. As a result, real reform will depend on well-trained teachers who work collaboratively within their own school, and with local universities and community-based public school advocacy organizations.

//Dehumanized// by Slouka slammed the point home that at many levels of our society, including school policy makers, any worthy endeavor must in someway lead to the ability to make money. CAPITALISM KILLED THE ART TEACHER! No more art, music, drama or dance in schools. Why? How do these activities increase the GDP and further the standing of the US on the world stage? Schools are so fast to remove any curricula deemed impractical in the world of work. Slouka makes clear his feelings. I mean REALLY, is our whole life experience limited to work? Language, written and artistic expression are akin to our awareness. In short, I believe that the humanities expand student experience and it is a crying shame that education edicts have taken "soul" enhancing encounters out of the classroom. Not to mention the fact that research supports the idea that the arts actually enhance higher order thinking skills and metacognition. ~ Lisa