NDCTE North Dakota Council of Teachers of English
February 2014
IN THIS ISSUE: ELA issues within North Dakota colleges - 3 NDCTE Teacher of the Year reflection - 4 COVER: Louise Erdrich scheduled as keynote at 2014 Conference
Issue 2
February 2014
Page 2
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Helping students relive passion for learning
far as to lift one of their ten fingers (rarely the naughty one) in what could only be described as the lamest attempt ever to show proof of life (even in this scenario, Aaron Knodel many cannot show childNDCTE President like enthusiasm for school). I call it eye-tag. We all do it, and it is a sad Knodel Here is where I play it up. commentary of our schools. First, I demand that those too-cool-for-school-fingerThe teacher asks a probing question (ya, we movers get their hands entirely in the air. After all, no are that good), and in unison, every set of eyes in self-respecting second-grader would want to be the last the room immediately shoots downward at the to raise his hand. Then, I remind them that the teacher desk. will not ACTUALLY call on the first to win this race. We wait (as instructed by our college methAnd when the children realize this, they begin to wildly odology teachers) for the proper amount of time. shake their arms (“I MUST Yet not a soul is looking up, “That intrinsic desire to GET YOUR ATTENTION and not a hand is raised. We NOW!”). The movements learn, to feel worth as a perwait longer… and longer, until quickly become more erratic, son because of an experience that one brave (er, foolish) almost dangerous. Yet, still no student becomes so curious gained, is deeply rooted in reaction from the teacher. It about the deafening silence our DNA.” must take one final, bold, and - NDCTE President Aaron Knodel that she cannot help herself. perfect move—the kickstand! Without intent or desire, she cautiously looks up, Yes, the kickstand. That maneuver wherein a only to quickly realize that the teacher (a tiger-like child is so desperate to get his name called that he predator) has been studying the class in anticipation will take his quaking arm, lean it up against the sturdy of that one subtle movement. The student quickly foundation of the other, and lean desperately forward. diverts her eyes, but it is too late. The teacher has This is the classroom I want my high school called her name. students to experience. This unfortunate game does not have to be, Sadly, it has long been cast away in the name and despite the fact that it may bring us sadistic of social norms and peer pressures, at the expense pleasure (let’s be honest), we probably should of mind-numbing worksheets, and from countdemand more. er-intuitive school initiatives. We must get it back. So how did we get here? And there is hope. At the start of every school year, I ask all of That intrinsic desire to learn, to feel worth as a my classes to close their eyes and envision their person because of an experience gained, is deeply elementary classroom. I have them picture their rooted in our DNA. Our students, regardless of teacher and their peers, remind them of the smell their past experiences or current view of adolesof Elmer’s glue, reminisce about snack time and cence, has not changed that. We can, through recess. And then I take them through a situation much effort, get them to relive that passion in our parallel to the one above, asking them to visualize secondary classrooms. the room as a teacher asks a question of the class. So, this is my humble proposition—challenge Finally, I ask the class to open their eyes and yourself to create classroom experiences worthy raise their hands in the same manner as these of a kickstand. And share this challenge with your students. Inevitably, a few of the students immestudents –tell them to “bust out a kickstand,” in part diately thrust their arms wildly into the air (having as a reminder of the inherent greatness of school. figured out the game), while a few others quickly The eye-tag classroom can be so much more! remember they are in high school and go only so
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NDCTE board
Contacts for NDCTE information Aaron Knodel President
aknodel@west-fargo.k12.nd.us
Heather Woods President Elect heather.woods@sendit.nodak.edu
Annie Volk Past President
anne_volk@bismarckschools.org
Britt Liepitz Secretary
Brittni.Liepitz@msd1.org
Sue Anderson Treasurer
susan.l.anderson@sendit.nodak.edu
Vanessa NordmarkBeahm Member at large vanessa.nordmark@gmail.com
Bridget Ryberg NE Rep
bridgetryberg@gfschools.org
Benita Saur SW Rep
benita.saur@msd1.org
Kaylie Young SE Rep
kaylie.m.young@sendit.nodak.edu
Beth Aufforth NW Rep
beth.aufforth@sendit.nodak.edu
Kristi Mahrer SLATE Rep
kristi.mahrer.1@sendit.nodak.edu
Alan Church College Rep
alan.church@dsu.nodak.edu
February 2014
Page 3
Pathways CREATES ELA ISSUES in ND Colleges
Alan Church
NDCTE College Rep.
A year ago, I expressed some concerns about the pending effects of the North Dakota University System’s so-called Pathways plan that was conceived by then-chancellor Hamid Shirvani. Many questions may reasonably remain about Pathways, even as they do concerning the rapid descent of Shirvani who, like Cardinal Wolsey in Act 3.2 of Henry VIII, having “touch’d the highest point of all [his] greatness” fell “Like a bright exhalation in the evening, / And no man see me more.” Following Chamberlain’s advice in the same play, I am not inclined to press a falling man too far! I do not feel the same about Pathways which, however much we might prefer that it fall, seems to have enough momentum to survive even without its cardinal architect who was pulled down in part because of its weight. The main concern on my campus and other “second-tier” colleges in the state has been the wisdom of devolving developmental writing instruction to the domain of two-year colleges. At DSU, the
NDCTE ON SOCIAL MEDIA Featuring popular NDCTE tweets from the last year
original plan would have required us to have DSU students enroll in developmental writing classes through BSC rather than take them through DSU—although more than likely this would require DSU to hire someone qualified to teach developmental writing on the DSU campus. Of course, we already have someone qualified to teach developmental writing, Ms. Michelle Stevier-Johanson, who has an MA in English Composition from Indiana University (Bloomington) and is close to completing her Ph.D. there as well. The coordinator of our Writing Center and Tutor program, Ms. Stevier-Johanson is a passionate advocate of developmental writing and a board member of the Basic Writing Group of the Conference on College Composition and Communication. Under the proposed Pathways plan, she could no longer teach developmental writing for DSU, but she could be hired to teach developmental writing at DSU for BSC. I will leave you to ponder what is gained by such a move. We believe, as do some of our sister institutions, that we are uniquely qualified to address the particular needs of our students, and we are hoping that we will have a say in the matter. One change that may be more reasonable concerns establishing some consistency for Dual Credit tuition. Our Academic Affairs Office has informed the campus that a letter will be sent to our Dual Credit instructors soon; likely, it will have already been sent by the time you are reading this. Although I have yet to see a draft of that letter, it will implement Pathways’ plan to establish a common dual credit tuition rate. Dual Credit courses taught at high schools are considered subsidized programs if the high school is paying for the instructor; if the instructor is being paid by the college, it is an unsubsi-
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Chech out
New, great resource for communicating with students
Jeremy Murphy
NDCTE Comm. Director
@NDCTEboard
Class time is valuable. It’s important to get the most out of each minute. Sometimes, due to unforeseen circumstances, situations will arise that make this difficult (snow days, etc.) Then it feels like I am trying to make up for lost time. I discovered remind101 this fall (thanks to #ndedchat at 9 p.m. every Wednesday). It is a valuable source for sharing information in a safe manner. I only use it for those rare class announcements that result from last minute changes to a crammed ELA curriculum. It helps me make sure students are prepared the next time we meet and we are able to use the time wisely. It’s free - www.remind101.com
February 2014
Teaching English considered ‘heroic’
Page 4
MEMBERS RESPOND TO QUESTION OF THE ISSUE If you wrote a book about teaching, what would the title be?
“Happiness in the Classroom: Yeah, It’s Real.”
Shawn Krinke
West Fargo High School
At the 2013 NDCTE Conference, Kristi Frahm accepts the NDCTE Teacher of the Year award. She was surprised with a visit from her son and husband (pictured). Photo from NDCTE staff
Kristi Frahm
NDCTE Teacher of the Year
The word “hero” might be used too loosely in today’s society. I just told my husband, who has never done a plumbing job in this life, that he was my hero for taking pipes apart to fix our severely clogged kitchen sink. If I look at a much broader scope, though, I think that Aaron Knodel, the 2014 North Dakota Teacher of the Year, is certainly an education “hero.” On a daily basis, he puts forth his energetic creativity and dynamic personality that build such a positive rapport with students. His beautifully written front-page article entitled “Teaching Takes True Courage” that was published in the October 2013 NDCTE newsletter offers six pieces of advice that exhibit wisdom for every teacher to follow, even those of us who have taught almost more years than Aaron is old! Aaron centers his commentary around the sagacity of one of my favorite literary protagonists, Atticus Finch. If you didn’t get an opportunity to read Aaron’s front-page Didn’t read Aaron’s article? Click:
http://www.ndcte.org/dnn/Newsletter.aspx
article, please do so now. Share it with your colleagues, too. For me, it is such a privilege to teach To Kill a Mockingbird because of the depth, compassion, and maturity of the characters. Scout, Jem, and Atticus, along with several minor characters, become “heroes” in the readers’ eyes as these fictional dynamic characters unfold with each turn of the page. On the other hand, Malala Yousafzai is the “real life” heroine that my sophomore class has been studying as well to connect to the theme of education in To Kill a Mockingbird. A Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Malala displays bravery much beyond the span of her sixteen years as a fierce advocate for educational rights of all children, but especially for females. My tenth graders and I have been inspired by Malala’s determination to win over evil and work toward something so basic as a child’s schooling. Still another example of heroism is depicted in a powerful scene from the movie Freedom Writers. Visiting with Erin Gruwell’s students, Meip Geis, when told by Marcus, “I’ve never had a hero before. But you are my hero,” has a ready reply: “Oh, no. No, no, no, young man, no. I am
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“From Christian to Criminal - Students’ needs are really the same!”
Laurie Larson
YCC
“Holy Crap, I Have to Grade THAT?”
Tana Sakauskas
Bismarck High School “From Christian to Criminal - Students’ needs are really the same!”
Laurie Larson
YCC
“Love at the School: Lessons Learned from working with your Spouse”
Maggie Townsend
Legacy High School
February 2014
Page 5
PATHWAYS: from page 3 -------------
problem was not with those instructors who already had a Master’s degree, but those who dized program. Beginning fall 2014, subsihad only a Baccalaureate degree. According dized programs will charge $65.00 per credit to the Pathways plan, those instructors who while unsubsidized programs will charge only had a Bachelor’s degree would not be a tuition rate of $115.00 per credit hour. allowed to teach at a four-year institution, Instructors with a Bachelor’s degree would only a two-year institution. Exceptions be paid $25.00 per student, per credit hour; could be made if we could demonstrate by a Master’s degree would be paid $35.00 an adjunct instructor’s portfolio that they per student, per credit hour; and a Doctorate were engaged in professional activities and degree would be paid $45.00. As reasonable continuing education that would warrant an as this change is, it will likely not be popular exception. if it results in less pay for the instructor. My I wrote about the increased scrutiny argument in defense of it would be that it adjunct faculty were experiencing in my last establishes consistency throughout the state newsletter article, concluding that we would that has been chronically lacking. not know the effect it would have on Dual Another expected change that will come Credit adjuncts until the end of the academic about as a result concerns how colleges and year. We lost many of our adjuncts because universities document the qualifications of they did not wish to go through the portfolio Dual Credit adjuncts who have already been process, choosing instead to explore opportuteaching in the system for some time. Last nities elsewhere with other schools that were year, DSU saw a drop in the number of Dual not ready to subject them to the process. I Credit courses it was offering because we re- learned from the portfolio review process that quired our dual credit instructors to be subject most of our Dual Credit instructors did not to the same documentation process we had in know the difference between a Resumé and place for ada Curriculum junct faculty Don’t know the difference between a Resume and CV? Vitae. teaching on Click: While http://chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/creatingmaintaining-your-cv/26887 camhttp://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/641/01/ Dual Credit pus. The likely will
MEMORABLE MOMENTS FROM #NDCTE13
Upper left: Conference attendees work in small groups, discussing lesson plans and sharing ideas. Lower left: Participants break into groups as keynote Ryan Goble provides hands-on activities related to reading literacy. Above: Attendees discuss the thoughts keynote Jim Burke shared during his presentation. Upper right: Keynote Ryan Goble takes participants through a life-size graphic organizer. Lower right: A student speaker has participants mimick their favorite animal during one of the final motivational sessions. Photo s by Jeremy Murphy
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“Dual Credit instructors have to understand they are college instructors...if a student is earning college credit the course and its instructors will have to be treated as a college course.” - NDCTE College Rep Alan Church
present continued problems in the state in terms of consistency, there is at least some progress on my campus and across the state. Without reservation, I can tell you that validating faculty credentials is necessary from the perspective of higher education and its accrediting agencies. Furthermore, Dual Credit instructors have to understand they are college instructors, whether or not they are merely being subsidized or paid completely by their colleges. Although the identity of Dual Credit instructors is naturally tied to their secondary schools, if a student is earning college credit the course and its instructors will have to be treated as a college course.
February 2014
Page 6
HEROES: from page 4 -------------
not a hero. No. I did what I had to do, because it was the right thing to do. That is all.” She goes on to say, “You are the heroes. You are heroes every day” to those students who have approached their schooling with a completely new interest. This changed attitude is due to the tireless efforts of their teacher Erin Gruwell. Honored with the 2013 NDCTE Teacher of the Year is humbling to me, and yet it validates what I strive so hard to accomplish in the classroom and with my students. Teaching English classes can be tiring, yes, but out of that exhaustion come absolute fulfillment and even a small sense of “heroism” knowing that we have touched students’ lives in a long-term way. When she was much younger, my daughter used to kid me that
our family couldn’t travel in the tri-state area without running into one of my current or former students. She was amazed that students would actually come up to me and visit in malls, in parking lots, or at state-wide gatherings. I told her that it was such a compliment to me for students to share their lives with me! This summer I had the ultimate coincidence happen when a former Carrington High School student sat in the same row as I at a New Rockford live theater performance! A graduate of the Class of 1996 and now living in Indiana, Amanda easily visited with me before, during intermission, and after the show as though we were dear old friends! We so enjoyed getting caught up with each other’s lives! THIS is why we teach English… to build relationships with students as we teach life through
academic material so that even those fictional characters seem REAL. Building various types of connections should be a huge part of our jobs. If this is accomplished,
the “job” doesn’t seem so much like a “job.” It might start to seem a bit “heroic,” at least in the minds of our students.
NDCTE July 27-29 Conference 2014
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: LOUISE ERDRICH AND KELLY GALLAGHER Gallagher
- extensive background in secondary literacy education - teaches full-time at Magnolia High School in Anaheim, CA - adjunct professor at California State University
BOOKS:
Reading Reasons: Motivational Mini-Lesosns for Middle and High School Deeper Reading: Comprehending Challenging Texts, 4-12 Teaching Adolescent Writers Write Like This: Teaching Real-World Writing Through Modeling and Mentor Texts Readicide: How Schools Are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About It
Louise Erdrich is the author of thirteen novels as well as volumes of poetry, short stories, children’s books, and a memoir of early motherhood. Her novel Love Medicine won the National Book Critics Circle Award. The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse was a finalist for the National Book Award. Most recently, The Plague of Doves won the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Louise Erdrich lives in Minnesota and is the owner of Birchbark Books, an independent bookstore