Listening and Learning
"From program planning for the 2018 Annual Convention to recognizing our members are doing really important things across the country right now, what I have noticed in my recent interactions with English and language arts teachers is an urgent desire to listen to and act upon their students’ voices and let them be heard."
-Emily Kirkpatrick, Executive Director

Students Taking Action
Last week this tweet from member Jennifer Ansbach went viral, particularly among English teachers.

Jennifer articulates one possible reason that students are sharing their voices more right now, but a journey through NCTE’s journals shows that members have been listening and lifting up student voice in lots of ways. If you’re looking for more, check out these resources: 


"Through this case study . . . I started understanding the potential for students to truly experience ownership over their education. Moreover, I learned to support through silence.”

Leveraging Digital Literacies for Equity and Social Justice by Detra Price-Dennis and Selena Carrion

“We recognize that when students have choice, layered with space for social justice inquiry and collaboration through digital tools, the curriculum becomes more inviting and grounded in their lived experiences.”

 
“Educators can use education as a site of transformation by being deliberate and intentional in their instruction to empower students to be conduits of social change. We can do this by connecting youth to the rich cultural histories they are a part of.”


“Our job, as it was years ago and still is today, is to help our students make meaningful choices. Today, those choices are often made, or should be made, in digital and global classrooms that allow students a real, varied, and wide audience for solving real problems.”

RESOURCES FOR STUDENT ACTIVISTS: 

Read more articles by members on this topic. 
SPONSORS
Member News
NCTE members took to the national stage last week as they articulated what they do to keep their students safe and what they wish they had available to assist in that effort.
 
Olivia Bertels and her colleague Brittany Wheaton launched an online campaign that put a spotlight on the things teachers really need to create strong, safe learning environments. Read an editorial they wrote about the project for Teen Vogue.
Paul Hankins shared the measures he’s taken to secure his classroom in this New York Times article. He also posted a blog about the connections between the work he does as a teacher and the work he did in the US Navy.
Tonya Perry was interviewed on Education Talk Radio where she shared her observations on student activism and the role of the African American Read-In in expanding student (and adult) perspectives. "We need to give our children access to . . . learning about other people’s experiences," she said. "That’s really what the African American Read-In is about."

Read more member news here .
Can't make it to #4C18? You can still join us virtually! Watch a selection of sessions, business meetings, and events from home. Registration is $75 and you must register by Monday, March 12, at 12:00 p.m. CDT. Check out the sessions that will be featured and register today!
New NCTE Journals
Vol. 40, No. 3, February 2018
Conferring with Colleagues and Learners

Article to Share:
by Dana Clark
Awards and Grants
CEL Award Nomination Call Deadline TODAY : March 1
CEL awards celebrate those who have dedicated their careers to teaching and leading as well as those who approach leadership with an innovative mindset.
 
Fellowship Opportunity Deadline: March 15
Cultivating New Voices among Scholars of Color (CNV) invites fellowship applications for its 2018–2020 cohort.
 
NCTE Promising Researcher Award Competition Deadline Extended: March 15
This award is open to individuals who have completed dissertations, theses, or initial, independent studies after their dissertations between December 1, 2015, and January 31, 2018.
Get Involved
Get ready to talk about poetry and discover new resources for your classroom as we gear up for National Poetry Month in April. View an archive of our excellent February chat: The Cannon of Our Community
Candidates for the NCTE, Section, and CEE elections have been announced. Ballots will be out by April. Make sure we have your current email and/or mailing address on file.
Save the Date!
2018 Leadership and Advocacy Summit, April 12–13 in Washington, DC.

This is a FREE event, and featured speakers will include award-winnng author Sharon Draper.  
How do we engage today’s students, in today’s world, with literary and nonfiction texts? Join veteran teachers Leila Christenbury and Ken Lindblom in answering these questions in an event that will advance your practice and transform your classroom!
Section Updates
Secondary Section
The Secondary Section Steering Committee is delighted to announce the revamp of Engage Now!, the Secondary Section’s home for ongoing communication, collaboration, and celebration. Check out this message which offers the first of many opportunities members will have to hear from the hearts and minds of our leadership.
College Section
CCCC Convention

Special discount ($15 each way) for shuttle rides to and from the Kansas City International Airport through March 12

 The CCCC Welcoming Companions Project (WCP) seeks volunteers for CCCC 2018 in Kansas City, MO. WCP volunteers will staff the WCP booth, located in the Kansas City Marriott Downtown, Basie Ballroom Foyer, during regular Convention hours, Wednesday through Saturday. Sign up today to volunteer!