PROCEEDINGS FROM THE 2006 REGIONS 2, 4, 5, 6 NCTE AFFILIATE LEADERSHIP MEETING

Louisville, Kentucky – June 23-25, 2006

Leaders worked together to answer the following questions:

• What will you learn this weekend that you can bring back in a well-informed plan for your affiliate?
  
• If you focus on AFFILIATE ACTIVITY, what one thing can you do this summer to begin to make a difference?
  
• If you focus on your own teaching, what’s the connection between your concerns and the concerns of other affiliate members? Is there a way to bring those other members into the conversation?

CONTENTS

1. ORGANIZATIONAL/OPERATIONAL ISSUES
2. CONFERENCE PLANNING, SESSIONS 1 & 2
3. MEMBERSHIP
4. DIVERSITY
5. HOW TO MAKE THE AFFILIATE THE “GO TO” ORGANIZATION, SESSIONS 1 & 2
6. SURVEYING MEMBERS
7. POLITICS, SESSIONS 1 & 2
8. SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AFFILIATES, & PD
9. MEDIA LITERACY
10. SCOA (Standing Committee on Affiliates)

NOTES - ORGANIZATIONAL, OPERATIONAL ISSUES

Convener: Carolyn Denny (Texas Council)
Group Members:  Joan Curtis (Texas Council), Virginia Guerrero (San Antonio Area Council), Herb Ramlose (Illinois Association), Ulrich Hardt (SCOA and Oregon Council), John Manear (Western Pennsylvania Council)

1. A variety of state structures exist—Examples

• Oregon—one state affiliate, 0 local affiliates
• Penn.—Local affiliates that broke away from and are often stronger entities than state affiliate.
• Texas—5-6 local affiliates with outlying areas having no local presence though teachers often belong to state affiliate and attend conferences
• Several states talked about difficulty of achieving membership in rural outlying areas

2. Some ideas

• Missouri—Writing Project as a part of organization
• Oregon—IRA and NCTE link:  Cited IRA model for creating local organizations which involved state leadership contacting/visiting local language arts leaders and planting seeds for local organization, then assisting in creating local structures, and supporting those structures in their beginning stages
• Texas—State Executive Director, a paid position, to manage state conferences (We talked about the difficulty of sustaining “educator-run” organization beyond the annual conference because of time and other issues). Bring in leaders from other English-related groups (IRA, ESL groups, etc) to sit on relevant committees to create a more meaningful, unified effort and voice.
• Missouri—private contractor runs conference for state organization
• Illinois—District established within state and each represented on state affiliate board

3. A question—How do we become more representative of all groups, create racial, ethnic, gender, etc. equity within the organization?

Various state representatives indicated that this remains an issue.  One group member talked about how her state tries to meet the issue “head-on,” honestly and openly recruiting leadership from diverse groups.

4.  Another question—How do we encourage more membership among elementary teachers?

NOTES - CONFERENCE PLANNING

Link to Affiliate Conference Survey Results:  http://www.zoomerang.com/reports/public_report.zgi?ID=L22KTZEBS6M3

Convener and Notetaker: Dirk Remley (College English Association of Ohio)

Participants: Regina Rees (Ohio Council), Jacqui Joseph-Biddle (NCTE), Mary Helen Steinauer (Ohio Council), Alan Perry (SCOA and Georgia Council)

Marketing
Reduced attendance problem
Discounted fees
Top-notch speakers: nationally recognized: co-sponsored
Topics/themes: general versus specific
Incentives to attend: in-service credit
Use of door prizes

Cost
Speakers expenses—travel expenses; honorarium $250/500/2500
Shared expenses? NCTE co-sponsors some speakers/ use of venders
Location: institution versus convention center/hotel/resort - Institution will be least expensive.

Frequency: 1-2:
Timing: Fall/Spring or Spring/Summer
  
Success (measurement?):  Profit/attendance/response rate/amount of discussion among participants/people attending
Improving
Constant
Competition—redundancy with other conferences—regional/national

Programming
One speaker—all day workshop
Concurrent sessions
   
Observations:
Much depends on population served and economic status of affiliate: how focused
College versus k-12; amount of funds to use on conference budget.
Post-conference survey can help understand what was/wasn’t effective to help with future planning.
NCTE as resource to understand regional/conference attendance patterns
Continuity: same person(s) to coordinate conference from yr to yr (some affiliates permit service in a given office for multiple yrs.  “Conference Director” who convenes a “conference committee”).
Need liaison officer for state education agency (college/k-12)

NOTES - CONFERENCE PLANNING 2

Convener: Pam Schoen (Minnesota Council) Notetaker:Michele Winship (Ohio Council)

Participants: Carol Ann Hart (Western Reserve of Ohio Council), Bernard Gallagher (Louisiana Council), Herb Ramlose (Illinois Association), Jacqui Joseph-Biddle (NCTE), Mary Helen Steinauer (Ohio Council)

Key Understandings: 

• Speakers change their pricing based on exposure (NCTE has higher exposure, so speakers accept less)
• Some student attendees come because they are required to by professors
• Most attendees go because they can take away nuts and bolts practical "stuff” that helps them teach.
• Some states shift their conferences around to different locations; location is a draw.
• Would a Saturday workshop format be more appealing than a concurrent session format?
• A downfall of a workshop format is that you are only addressing one topic and one audience (for the most part).
• People who pay a registration fee want to get the most for their money.  (NCTE double-time sessions are less well-attended than regular sessions)
• A split format with concurrents and workshops may work.
• An open-call for best practice to share doesn’t necessarily produce good results.
• Roundtable discussions are effective ways to cover a variety of topics.
• Classroom management could be a topic for entry-year teachers.
• Special sessions for pre-service teachers and/or entry-year teachers may or may not be a draw.
• Selling vendor tables is one way to raise money.  Fees need to cover the cost of the venue’s charge for the space or table.
• NCTE only provides an overhead projector.  A-V fees can really inflate the price of a conference, so limiting things like video projectors ($400 - $450 a day) makes a difference.  Some affiliates provide no A-V.
• Conference planners need to find out what can be brought in from the outside and what charges are for specific items like patching in cords or taping.
• Timelines for conventions need to be done at least a year in advance.
• State-selected “Author of the Year” is one idea for a speaker.  The award presentation can be in conjunction with the conference, and a publisher can bring in books for signing.
• Many elementary teachers go to state IRA-affiliate conferences.

NOTES - MEMBERSHIP ISSUES…

Convener: Claire Lamonica (Illinois Association) Recorder: Tashia Hill (New Mexico Council)

Group Members:  Thomas Scott (Wisconsin Council), Barb Thompson Book (Indiana Council), Teresa Grimm (West Houston Area Council), Bernard Gallagher (Louisiana Council), Ruth Townsend Story (SCOA)

Questions:

1. How can we build and retain membership?
2. How do we get people involved?
3. How do we attract younger members?
4. What’s in it for me?
5. How do we deal with long distance issues for more secluded areas?

Answers:

• Begin recruiting at the collegiate level—work with student teachers and colleges and universities to include membership as a part of the student teaching process.
• If there is only a state affiliate, integrate district organizations within the state.
• Take the affiliate on the road with web technology.
• Face-to-face interface--strategy building and networking.
• District leaders need to make personal contact with teachers in their area.
• Create word of mouth.
• Go beyond the conference; create smaller membership opportunity events like Saturday morning or after school topic groups, i.e. “Bagels & Books.”
• Create opportunities for leadership for younger members.
• Flexibility—break-out and try something new. Remember, if you do things they way they’ve always be done—you always get what you’ve always gotten.
• Network and create reciprocity with other organizations and local businesses for added support for your organization.
• Open up your organization. Create positions on the board where each position is selected from different schools and/or districts/cities within your state.
• Actively and continually seek out ways to cater to the needs of teachers. When you meet their needs; they will come.

NOTES – DIVERSITY

Convener: John Manear (Western Pennsylvania Council)

Participants: John Manear (Western Pennsylvania Council),  Lynette Reini-Grandell (Minnesota Council), Michele Winship (Ohio Council), Felicia Godwin (Oklahoma Council), Georgia Edwards (Texas Council), Dirk Remley (College English Association), Nancy Saguto (Greater St.Louis ETA)

How to promote diversity in affiliates regarding age, race, school level, class, etc. John took this on as an issue when organizing the local committee for the Pittsburgh convention. More women then men. More older teachers than younger.

Lynette reports similar problems in Minnesota. White flight has created large concentration of children of color in Minneapolis schools. Lots of teachers of colors are pulled in many directions, hard to recruit them into the organization. Used to have a diversity chair but abandoned that position when it proved hard to staff. They are making progress in pulling in younger teachers through one to one recruitment.

Georgia’s city is quite diverse and there isn’t much of a problem attracting Latino teachers, but it is harder to attract African American members. In general, she feels that there are fewer African American teachers in the profession—better jobs available more money, etc. Also these teachers who do come through tend to get recruited into some of the toughest teaching situations, eating up the time they might otherwise spend in professional organizations.

Dirk mentions that an underlying lack of diversity in the profession is a contributing factor. The faculty is highly sought after; have to watch out for turning diversity into a numbers game. 

African American members of Western PA affiliate recruited other members to make the committee more diverse.

Michelle mentions that there is a support membership group for school administrators of color.

Oklahoma affiliate has a hard time recruiting younger people—like many of our groups. Also, few elementary teachers. Agreed that we tend to be viewed as a secondary teachers organization. Are we sincere, able to sustain elementary initiatives.

Michelle says that many elementary teachers turn to reading councils/IRA.  The elementary teachers seem pressured to follow more regimented approaches.  Is it realistic to recruit elementary teachers under today’s conditions?

More middle school recruitment—In Western PA—middle school teachers now constitute about 40% of membership.

Minnesota affiliate has a one day workshop that tends to attract more middle level members.  Michelle mentions that teacher prep institutions often bring in student members—but renewing them in early phases of career is tough.

W PA is doing a back to school social for early career teachers. Special sessions for new teachers at each conference.

MN offers mini-grants for instructional purposes—many recipients had not been particularly active members but this helps to activate them because they then write articles for the association.

Scarcity of males? John recounts about 15 years ago he started running AP workshops in summer—noticed that only 2 men out of about 50 attendees. English becoming more feminized? 4:1 ratio of women to men in ELA education. W PA reports about 12% men in the affiliate.

Dirk says that his membership structure is departmental—one fee means everyone in department is a member. His challenge is activation of potential members.  Affiliates may need to just be very up front about an issue. Dirk says that CEA affiliate in Ohio has a higher percentage of men. Kent State English departmentt more male than female.  Nancy reports that despite the fact that she teaches in a really diverse school, it’s hard to maintain a diverse teaching faculty.

What about working harder at HS and College levels to recruit teachers of EngLA? Plant the seed of possibility.  Dirk reports that some inner city kids in Akron are actively discouraged from going to college.

Nancy echoes this with a story that some city kids are accused of “putting on airs” when they think about going to college or teaching.  Would it be smart to survey high school kids about an interest in teaching?

Michelle discusses Gates grant in Columbus aimed at recruiting math and science teachers. Funding for simultaneous enrollment in two-year college and HS to get requirements out of the way—scholarship $$ etc.
Nancy said that some HS’s in STL are really bad—teachers who genuinely don’t believe that kids can learn.
Dirk: “Don’t ask don’t tell goes to school (teachers say don’t ask any questions, we won’t tell you answers!). Nancy tells story of a student who never had geometry and got an automatic A.

Mentorship program once you get into the profession may be an answer.  Discussion of what it takes to start and sustain a new mentor program. UC Santa Cruz New Teacher Center. Charlotte cautions about low expectations of “our kids”—negative stereotyping.  Pipeline issue…how to build up confidence and competence (study skills example). Dirk gives example of teachers of developmental math and English—how important it was for those teachers to support students individual concerns.  Get beyond defeatist mentality. 

Michele talks about value added production of teachers—scores that demonstrate growth that an individual teacher may make.  Younger teachers are being preferred because they tend to be more flexible or malleable. The trick is how do you keep those who are already in the organization occupied and contributing.

NOTES - HOW CAN AFFILIATES BECOME THE “GO TO” GROUP FOR TEACHERS IN THE STATE?

Convener—Pam Schoen (Minnesota Council) Notetaker—Michele Winship (Ohio Council)

Other Members—Nancy Saguto (Greater St. Louis ETA), Colleen Ferguson (Arkansas Council), Andy Anderson (Kansas Association), John Zbikowski (Wisconsin Council), Clark Kolterman (Nebraska ELAC), Kent Williamson (NCTE), Georgia Edwards (Texas Council), Lynette Reini-Grandall (Minnesota Council), Tim Engbrecht (Manitoba Council), Theresa Billock (Western Reserve of Ohio), Carol Ann Hart (Western Reserve of Ohio) , Nancy Kampfe (SCOA and South Dakota Council)

Key Understandings

Affiliates have done a good job of bringing people together for conferences and social activities, but there are other activities/services that affiliates could provide

Web pages and blogs may be a way to reach a wider audience

• Resources can be provided
• Online conversations can take place
• Open websites may not promote membership, however
• Newsletters and websites that publicize how the affiliate is already serving the profession help to identify the affiliate’s role.
• Affiliates can expand the places and key contact people for issues help the affiliate to become a resource.
• NCTE is building a program called Pathways, a series of structured reading and learning experiences.  NCTE hopes that affiliates will pick this up and run local meetings around the topics and issues, so that local leaders can “broker” meetings through Pathways.  This program will provide professional development credit at the local level.  Local affiliates have the ability to have continued influence that NCTE doesn’t have.
• Summer roundtables can be held around the state to hold discussions about issues (this can tie into NCTE’s Pathways, too).  If the technology is available, this can be done through web/tele-conferences, as well.
• Recognition of individuals or districts for service to the profession or intellectual freedom is another way to provide support and build recognition.
• Additional state committees that meet outside of the conferences could also deal with regionalized issues.
• Some states have active sub-affiliates that deal with local/regional issues.  California and Michigan are two states that have effective sub-affiliates.
• Student writing workshops (including a teacher) are offered by some affiliates (with a price break for members)
• Recognition of student and teacher NCTE award winners at a state-level ceremony at the Capitol (Friday at 4:00 p.m. in Nebraska) can also increase visibility
• Literary quiz bowls can be used as a fund-raiser
• Affiliate members can also serve on state-level committees
• Affiliates can provide writing conferences for students and/or teachers
• Affiliates can help train/provide mentors for entry-year teachers
• Affiliates can set themselves up to be professional development providers—face-to-face or through technology
• College credit/professional development credit options for conferences can also be a service to members and non-members who attend.
• Connecting conference presentations to state standards helps teachers who need professional development or justification for conference attendance.
• Iowa has a teacher induction program that can serve as a model.
• Affiliate members can serve as judges for state writing competitions.
• Implementing incentive programs for nominations of teachers for awards has helped to increase nominations.  In addition, the nominating process needs to be easy.
• Creating an endowment fund for teacher research can also enhance professional credibility.

Outstanding Questions
• Should there be services for members only?
• Would benefits such as liability insurance be helpful?
• How can members beyond Board members be engaged more fully?

NOTES2 - HOW CAN AFFILIATES BECOME THE ‘GO TO’ GROUP FOR TEACHERS IN THE STATE?

Convener—Barbara Thompson Book (Indiana Council)  Notetaker—Carolyn Denny (Texas Council)

Other Members—Ulrich Hardt (SCOA and Oregon Council), Virginia Guerrero (San Antonio Council), Thomas Scott (Wisconsin Council), John Zbikowski (Wisconsin Council) , Lowe McManus (College English Assn. of Ohio), Linda Schink (Missouri Association), Teresa Billock (Western Reserve of Ohio), Claire Lamonica (Illinois Association)

Key Understandings

Outstanding Questions
Other Issues

Lowe—A problem is that service is not valued as it was in the past.
Thomas—A five year professional development plan can be developed as part of teacher licensure program; committees for people seeking licensure to provide the program
Claire—Teachers who attend the state convention receive credit.
John—They have the same program in Pennsylvania;  the organization gives inservice credit.
Thomas—A representative from the state department of public instruction sits on their board, keeping them in touch with policy.  In Texas, the representative is an ex officio member of the board. 
Claire—Affiliate’s constitution was changed to allow for policy statements. 
Thomas—Linking with universities provides visibility.  Good relations with literacy departments gives more weight to opinions. 
Claire—Illinois has been successful linking with universities without the organization becoming all about university issues.
Teresa—If you want to be a go-to organization, you need to advertise.
Barbara—In a class she teaches, Barbara was able to plug NCTE and its website.
Virginia—Promote membership in professional organizations for young teachers.
Claire—Her method’s class requires membership in NCTE to receive the journal.
Virginia—How can we sustain membership of young teachers in the first few years of teaching and beyond?
Linda—Her affiliate honors the outstanding English student at each of the colleges at their conference.
 

NOTES:  WHAT ARE SOME PRACTICAL WAYS TO SURVEY ENGLISH TEACHERS TO IDENTIFY ISSUES OR CONCERNS OF INTEREST TO THEM?

Convener/Recorder: John Zbikowski (Wisconsin Council)

Participants: Georgia Edwards (Texas Council), Carolyn Denny (Texas Council), Natashia Hill (New Mexico Council), Tom Scott (Wisconsin Council)

The Texas affiliate has solicited professional issues and concerns at its annual convention by setting up a series of committee meetings on set topics (ESL, the state of the profession, inclusive education, etc.). that overlap with sectional presentations.  Each of these committee meetings is open to anyone in attendance at the convention.  Each has a designated leader who has a particular interest in that issue. 

Problem: These committee sessions haven’t been well attended.  Maybe a new set of topics is needed.

The committee leaders in some cases have been truly dedicated and have taken their issue to responsible authorities (state ed. department) for successful resolution. 

Suggestion: Draw committee leaders from the membership of other organizations more directly focused on the issues, to have “cross-pollination”, new ideas, etc.

Wisconsin affiliate had a successful professional issues committee (careful not to label this a political action committee), but the committee chairperson retired. The purpose was not to lobby per se but to explain concerns and offer help, e.g. to state superintendent.  This led to affiliate members being identified as consultants on assessment and other projects by the state education authority. 

CEL at its annual convention had a round-table session sponsored by Wiley.  A member interested in a particular issue and ready to discuss it sat at each table with a table tent identifying their issue.  Session participants cycled among the tables at set intervals.  This would be a good volunteer opportunity.

Leadership on issues is important. Maybe the affiliate SLATE representative can take the lead in eliciting issues. 

The Texas affiliate may no longer need a committee to deal with the state interscholastic athletic association.  Previously this had been an important group that sought to resolve conflicts between athletics and academics, e.g., in the scheduling of sports contests. 

Texas issues committees seem to function similarly to the nominal group procedure used this weekend, where people sort themselves into groups based on the issues that concern them. 

Affiliates need a committee structure.  Need to provide committees with time to meet.  Committee chairpersons can serve as liaisons to the board. 

Committees can conduct more of their meetings online with voice chat, etc. 

Possible ways to identify issues of concern:

Set up an online discussion. This used to be possible at NCTE, but may no longer be possible there.  The NCTE website is so difficult to use that it’s hard to say whether there’s anymore online discussion there.  Can’t use the website unless you have a copy of English Journal handy to look up your member number. 

Maybe an online discussion could be set up on a site such as Tappedin.org or Nicenet.org. 

Committees need specific tasks.  Maybe all committees should be ad hoc.  Committee structure should be reassessed each year.  Committees need to generate concrete action plans in response to a charge from the board. 

Wisconsin used to have a resolutions committee with a very active chairperson who generated many resolutions.  Conference resolutions may not have any practical effect related to their purported subjects, but they do serve to help the affiliate members think about what’s important to them and what kind of influence they would like to have.

Online survey services free for nonprofits:
Zoomerang.com
Survey Monkey

Conduct the online survey in conjunction with voting, and then DO something with the results.

Taking the pulse of English teachers: “We need to reflect constantly on what we are about.”

Need to collaborate with other professional organizations (special education, reading, etc.) to increase resource availability, avoid conflict. 

NOTES - POLITICS

Convener: Lowe McManus (College English Assn. of Ohio)  Note-taker: Kathi Yancey(NCTE)

Participants: Sarah Henry (SCOA and Arkansas Council), Bernie Skraba (Western Pennsylvania Council)

The kinds of issues

•  Operate at state, regional, or national level
•  What you can teach in the classroom
•  Highly qualified teachers and raters
•  Schools in trouble list

Given that we might have to make concessions or compromises in order to be a change agent in the world, what are we able/willing to give up to make a difference?
 
How do we identify people for this activity? Networks
How do you organize?
How do you communicate?

Partner with NEA? And with ALA?

See clips from the Daily Show and Steven Colbert report

From the Capital to the Classroom: worth examining

NCTE Legislative Platform: http://www.ncte.org/about/policy/guidelines/124259.htm

NOTES – POLITICS 2

Convener: Kent Williamson (NCTE)  Note-taker: Kathi Yancey (NCTE)

Participants: Sarah Henry (SCOA and Arkansas Council), Bernie Skraba (Western Pennsylvania Council),  Andy Anderson( Kansas Association), Ruth Townsend-Story (SCOA), Nancy Kampfe (SCOA and South Dakota Council), Tim Engbrecht (Manitoba Association), Georgia Edwards (Texas Council), Lynnette Reini-Grandell (Minnesota Council)

SLATE started in 1975: separate arm to take on national policy (http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/slate ), anti-censorship added 1990 (http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/censorship )

Now part of NCTE, and everyone can be a member, and it’s becoming more attuned to national policy issues.

Legislative action center online (http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/action ) and DC office (http://www.ncte.org/about/gov/cgrams/news/120704.htm )  SLATE reps can rally people, but it’s everyone’s job to pay attention to national issues

Does this have consequences in terms of our tax status?  (http://www.ncte.org/groups/affiliates/tax/110745.htm )

Not if we do not support a candidate. We can offer testimony; advice to legislators.
Not if we don’t allocate a lot of our budget to that effort.

SLATE has been seen as a place or person who can help.

How are people identified? Issues arise through people needing help, and identified SLATE members respond.

State affiliates and national publicize; that’s how identification occurs, and materials provided by NCTE.

Andy: CD available (http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/censorship/five/108603.htm ).  One person serving as continuing SLATE representative; this puts a face on SLATE.

KS a nightmare state: new state superintendent of schools has no experience in education and has as a goal the creation of many charter schools. Much de-funding of prior school activity connected to professional development (e.g., assessment work).

Important that we take over the language of literacy and education so that we can talk the talk in a way that’s persuasive. Position can’t be reactionary.

NEA public information campaign for the fall on what really happens in classrooms. NCTE survey results speak to this, and Affiliates might provide more stories. The woe-is-me story isn’t useful because it reinforces the stereotype of English teachers who don’t want to comply: our job is to show the unintended consequence of NCLB.

Resources available.

Two ways we are going at this.

1. One group will look at how the language in NCLB needs to change.
2. Stories will be available and we can share those with the representatives who serve on the congressional committees looking at this.

Important to connect to media. We are doing ok with reporters, but editorial boards aren’t as sympathetic.

English teaching has always been political, but we hesitate to get involved. But now such involvement is now part of the package.

Effect of changes is contributing to a new class system, where some parents will feel that they have to choose to take their children out of school.

Parents need to be part of the outreach; they are supposed to be part of the NCLB re-authorization process.

NOTES: SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AFFILIATES, & PD

Convener:  Connie Nagel (Iowa Association) Note taker: Millie Davis (NCTE)

Group Members: Pam Schoen (Minnesota Council), Bernard Gallagher (Louisiana Council), Merideth Niekamp (Ohio Council), Regina Rees (Ohio Council), Sarah Welch (Michigan Council), Clair Lamonica (Illinois Association), Teresa Grimm (West Houston Area Council)

How do we convince School Districts and School Boards that the affiliate conference is a good PD resource?

• Need to market differently—different audience.
• Their message is very different from message you’d send to teachers.
• Need to explain why the special speakers are the best for their staff.
• Rick H. said most people come for the program not for the main speaker but NCTE Affiliate Conf survey contradicts this
• If administrators could see worth of professional organization, then they’d come
• Could send invitation to administrator—maybe with every 6 registrants, administrator comes for free.
• What if you surveyed administrators to see what they think their teachers really need
• They’d know what are the goals on the strategic plan
• If administrators could see that affiliate conference could help them save money on PD
• Timing is important—when is the budget set for professional development?
• What about a template/brochure for all affiliates to use to advertise conference—SEND samples of the New Orleans brochures.
• Find names of faculty at various school districts via their Web sites.
• Get one district to send all teachers on an inservice day and tell other districts about it
• Thank your board/principal for letting you go to conference and share materials.
• Local affiliates might have closer relationships with school districts in their area.
• Get colleagues (e.g. librarians) to send messages through their listservs
• Go through secondary language arts coordinator.
• District language arts coordinator is key to what sorts of PD district uses—if your conference follows the plan that coordinator has in place, you get better results.
• Some districts have PD councils but your speaker may not match their desires
• How does long term PD play out- Kirstey IA state PD model
      • Present
      • Go back and try
      • Ask questions
      • Come back and learn
• Kirstey Comprehensive School Improvement Plan
      • Choose a focus
      • Choose content provider—resource person to help implement (get from  area education agency)
      • Implement whatever goal, focus, strategy is
      • Collaborate with other teachers while implementing—going into other classes, talking over
      • Reflection-qualitative data
      • Collect hard data on students, faculty
      • Evaluate data
• Teresa’s West Houston model is similar, try not to make one size fits all—administrators involved in both.
• Market affiliate as Trainer of Trainers
• Become an approved PD provider for your state—application, use and keep evaluation forms
• In Pam’s Minnesota district, supposed to have no money, yet district is paying lots of money to bring in CA speaker on equity
• Market in each others’ states, then we can be experts
• IL started a speakers bureau—Claire doesn’t know if anyone ever used.
• Writing Project having trouble getting classroom teacher consultants out of classrooms to present is “becoming a nightmare.”—Connie’s writing project covered the sub and that made all the difference.
• West Houston district making sure PD comes with research-based programs
• Networking with others (word of mouth) is a big way that district learns about PD providers
• Some PD choosers don’t do their homework and they get stuck with bad presenters
• Affiliates can be the verifiers of what’s best in PD
• Teachers don‘t realize sometimes that they’re their own best resources
• Teachers give up their power all too readily
• A lot goes to the way we present ourselves
• Peer coaching is cost effective and very powerful PD—Connie’s district—some are afraid this is evaluative—lesson study
• MN-observations evaluative and merit pay attached, test scores factor in.

NOTES - MEDIA LITERACY

Convener: Mandy Wardner ((North Dakota Council)  Note-taker: Kathi Yancey (NCTE)

Others: Sarah Henry (SCOA and Arkansas Council), Andy Anderson (Kansas Association), Lowe McManus (College English Assn. of Ohio), Bernie Skraba (Western Pennsylvania Council)

Where is media literacy?  And multi-modal literacy?
How do we make use of the new materials that are available?
Helps students who need a new approach to learning?

Some teachers see digital technologies as not part of the English classroom
Students’ success can be very persuasive
What role is visual entertainment values playing in the classroom?
Reading film: has to be taught
The role of the visual
How do we interpret?
Processes associated with multi-modal literacies (eg, collaboration): are we prepared

Help students collaborate well and to be sure that they all collaborate?
http://www.ncte.org/library/files/About_NCTE/Governance/Multi-modal-2006.pdf

Issue of assessment: how to evaluate new texts?
Sarah leads Mandy in reflective closing.

Do we understand difference between multi-modal and multi-media literacies?

The history of film as analogue: film studies will break away from us; video
production; certain kinds of interpretation.
We don’t want to be responsible for bad production values.
Researching, writing, and sharing “written” texts digitally, so including multi-media
in English classes prepares them.
Model of KS Affiliate literary journals going online: kids having more fun; sharing it
more; costing less; modeling good media literacy practices.
Some changes come through

Change in professional development
Change in teacher delivered curriculum
Change in student processes or texts

But some teachers want to begin with changing student texts and use that as a way to change professional development

NOTES - HOW CAN SCOA (STANDING COMMITTEE ON AFFILIATES) BE SHARPER?

Convener; Ruth Townsend Story (NCTE)

Participants: Paralee Norman(SCOA and Louisiana Council), Tim Engbrecht (Manitoba Council), Ruth Townsend Story (SCOA), Rick Hardt (SCOA and Oregon Council), Bob Dandoy (SCOA and Pennsylvania Council), Nancy Kampfe (SCOA and South Dakota Council), Barbara Thompson Book (Indiana Council), Clark Kolterman (Nebraska ELAC), Michele Winship (Ohio Council), Pam Schoen (Minnesota Council), John Zbikowski (Wisconsin Council)

How many people don’t know what SCOA can do?

What should SCOA be?

Is its purpose to support affiliates?

Paralee: You’ve given them people to talk to. You can call us and not have to call Millie.

Ruth: SCOA is a conduit.  We can send your concerns to NCTE and can send you information from NCTE, so it is a two-way street.

Tim: What is the nature of the partnership with NCTE?

Rick: We can coordinate things, like a regional conference.

Bob: SCOA reps can trade information within their region.  @Who is having a conference?  When is it? (http://www.ncte.org/profdev/conv/meetings/108877.htm )

Ruth:  Regional reps can also highlight information @ Advocacy Day

Bob:  If a SCOA rep knows about a meeting in your area, maybe he can go, or can suggest someone who can.

Nancy:  Maybe we can do more information with technology like blogs.  On a blog, one idea builds from another. Post an area to the website and set up as time when everyone can ”talk” electronically.

Rick:  Reps can meet with others at the national or at regional conferences.

Nancy: You can do e-mail meetings.

Paralee:  Face-to-face meetings are irreplaceable, but if she could get someone to teach her, she would try to do the meetings electronically.

Nancy: What are the things you do that are really successful and you want other affiliates to know about?

Barbara:  We have to bring young people in by catering to what they like and making our world their world.  We do a Bagels and Books on a Saturday morning.  We invite new teachers and graduate students to the 2-hour meeting where a veteran teacher gives a practical teaching example.  They also have professional books and take the show on the road.  We’d like to do videos and podcasts.

Bob: Bagels and Books are interactive with other teachers.  You’ve given people a resource.

Ruth:  We do Lunch and Learn.  It doesn’t have to be a big deal to give people human contact.

Tim:  Someone in the affiliate wanted ME.  That is why I joined. 

Bob: People volunteer because they want to give something back.  This is like a church or an AA session.  A sense of belonging

Tim:  Providing things (like blogs or podcasts) is not what we need or want.  We need you to want us to share our expertise.

Bob: People crave an opportunity to share and talk about their practices.

Tim:  We join because of pride in our profession.

Paralee:  We need to put officers of affiliates and SCOA reps together to improve things for everyone.  The reps have experience and can help affiliates find answers.

Tim:  Our region is not connected to NCTE.  We were left off the list for Region 4 and as a Canadian affiliate, we are disconnected.

Clark:  Why aren’t more people applying for awards?

Barbara:  it depends on the leadership at the local affiliate.

Clark:  May 1 is the wrong time of the year for teachers.  Can the date be changed?

Ruth:  We need to address this.  Awards are important.  The Board should appoint a liaison to NCTE to know when things are happening.

Paralee:  The awards are highly competitive and affiliates can learn a lot form the evaluation of the judges.

Ruth:  Awards give publicity in your local newspapers.

Clark:  We all live by deadlines and may is a terrible time for teachers.

 Is NCTE planning to join with other organizations?

Jacqui:  We sometimes do meetings with other organizations and we may do more in the future.

Clark:  The Affiliate fee of 40 is too low.

Nancy:  We need to send the information to more than just the President of the Affiliate to be sure that people are getting the information.

Barbara:  Should the map be redrawn so the work will be equally divided?

Ruth:  Maybe we do need more regions.  A telephone works very well to get information. Personal connections are very important and I realize that all the reps are volunteers and have other things to do.

Nancy:  The information that I get is seldom accurate.

Clark:  Some affiliates change their officers inn September after the reports have been sent to NCTE.

Tim:  Turnover is a problem for succession.

Ruth:  A liaison officer should always be appointed.

Nancy:  When people change, they don’t update their information.

Ruth:  All affiliates should have written job descriptions so successors will know what to do.

Bob:  If your affiliate needs help, get Millie to come and work with your Board.  It helped us.

7/2006