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April 2004
In this issue:
- From the Editor
- Turning the Accountability Tables (Phi Delta Kappan)
- Rural Poverty and the Importance of Place Value
- John Wayne and Me
- From the Front Line
- NCLB and the Plight of Imagination
- NCTE Sponsors 1984+20 Project
- Make plans for Convention 2004
- Write an NCTE Resolution
- Call for Personal Opinion Papers
- Call for Articles
From the Editor
Fred Barton
Editor, SLATE Newsletter and
Region 4 Representative to the NCTE/SLATE Steering Committee
See http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/slate/116461.htm.
Turning the Accountability Tables: Ten Progressive Lessons from one 'Backward' State
Chris W. Gallagher (Reprinted from Phi Delta Kappan, V. 85, No. 5, Pages 352-360, (January 2004).
For too long teachers have been forced into a defensive posture, protecting their professionalism and their students' learning from the accountability hawks who know little about teaching and learning, Mr. Gallagher asserts. It's time to turn the tables. See http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/k0401gal.htm.
Rural Poverty and the Importance of Place Value
Angela Kirby, Michigan State University and The Crossroads Writing Project
Significant poverty can be found in rural areas and this poverty effects the performance and attendance of poor children in school. Angela Kirby tells about some ways teachers can impact students' success by helping them find their place in the community. See http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/slate/116409.htm.
John Wayne and Me
David Hochheiser, Gorham High School, Gorham, Maine
Sometimes a censorship challenge can have a happy ending! See http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/slate/116458.htm.
FROM THE FRONT LINE
Challenges Down; What Administrators Fear
Charles Suhor, NCTE/SLATE Field Representative
More important than the slight drop in cases are the "moving, flesh-and-blood" stories that go with the cases reported this time and the fact that the percentage of books retained is greater than it was in the September report.
See http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/slate/116410.htm.
NCLB and the Plight of Imagination
Fred Barton, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
Barton comments on some stories about No Child Left Behind and its effects on young children. See http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/slate/116407.htm.
NCTE Sponsors 1984 Project
The 1984+20 Project is an NCTE-sponsored invitation for schools, colleges, communities, reading groups, and library groups to read and discuss Orwell's prophetic novel 1984. The aim of discussion is to increase public awareness and analytic acuity about the recent resurgence of manipulative language by public officials, corporations, media, and interest groups as a tool for sculpting public policy.
For more information see http://www.ncte.org/about/over/inbox/news/116449.htm.
Make Plans for Convention 2004
The NCTE/SLATE Steering Committee and and the Standing Committee Against Censorship will sponsor two sessions each at NCTE's Annual Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana, November 18-21, with workshops on November 22-24. Look for your Convention Preview issue of The Council Chronicle in July. Look for the online program on the NCTE Web site then, too. See http://www.ncte.org/profdev/conv/annual.
Write an NCTE Resolution
http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/slate/news/107214.htm.
Call for Personal Opinion Papers
You are invited to submit a Personal Opinion Paper (POP) for publication in the SLATE Newsletter. POPs can be on any sociopolitical issue that affects the teaching and learning of English language arts. Recent topics have included student testing and grading. Send a POP to Fred Barton, Editor, SLATE Newsletter, .
Call for SLATE Newsletter Articles
SLATE Newsletter is looking for articles on issues related to the teaching of the English language arts. Send your contribution to Fred Barton, Editor, SLATE Newsletter, .
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