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October 2009



The Gallery of Writing now contains more than 20,000 pieces!

Local galleries have been established in more than 2,000+ locales across the nation, and 19 national/international partners had joined the initiative.

Contribute to the Gallery of Writing

 


Will We See You in Philadelphia?

Many Council groups, such as affiliates, assemblies, Sections (elementary, middle level, secondary, and college), committees, commissions, Conferences (CCCC, CEE, CEL, WLU), and Associations (TYCA) hold sessions, luncheons, or workshops during the Convention; search the Convention Program for these events (working meetings aren't listed in the Program; if you need information on when your group is meeting, please contact your group's chair or NCTE).

Here are just a few of the sessions being offered in the Learning Lab in NCTE Central:

The National Gallery of Writing: A Comprehensive Look at Writing Today That Would Be Incomplete without You!

Make a Difference in Federal Policy

Supporting Schoolwide Professional Development Efforts with Pathways for Advancing Adolescent Literacy

 

NCTE Makes History with the National Day on Writing
and the National Gallery of Writing
by Kent Williamson, NCTE Executive Director

From the outset, this was a bold undertaking. Those familiar with Council history may place it in the same category with the "Experience Curriculum," the "English and the National Defense Report" (which led to the inclusion of English in the National Defense Education Act, providing funding for Project English and a series of Impact Conferences), and the NCTE/IRA national Standards for the English Language Arts project in terms of its ambition and scope.

From an institutional perspective, it represents an audacious claim of authority on behalf of our professional community -- a claim that the practice of writing is so profoundly different today, so essential to 21st century living, that it needs a fresh look, a day of its own, and even a new kind of digital gallery where it can be appreciated, celebrated.

What Do We Know about the Gallery and the Day So Far?

  • In the month of October alone, the National Day on Writing/National Gallery of Writing story was picked up in at least 100 articles or broadcasts, reaching a circulation base in excess of 3 million. This doesn’t count 202 blog hits (including a feature in The New York Times education blog), nor public service announcements (like the National Day/National Gallery of Writing piece produced on the EMU campus that ran in the Detroit market), nor many local radio and TV news spots.

  • Every U.S. state is currently represented in the National Gallery, as is American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Austria, Canada, England, Germany, Iraq, Japan, Mexico, and New Zealand, to name a few.

  • The submission formats in the Gallery are widely varied: 73 videos, 169 audio files, 185 social media postings, 120 text messages, 118 PowerPoints/presentations,155 visual displays/artwork, 623 emails, 131 pieces composed on a good ol' typewriter, 4,501 pieces initially composed with a pen or pencil, and 7,201 pieces composed with a word processor.

  • The unanimous Senate vote recognizing the National Day not only came at a propitious time for the Council and proved that that august body could agree on something, it marked the first time that NCTE had written a bill that was passed by a body of Congress -- an historic accomplishment. A careful reading of the resolution text shows that it not only recognized the day, it recognized important Council beliefs about writing.

 

Don't Miss These Convention Sessions for Council Leaders

Section Get-Togethers
Thursday, 4:30-6:00 p.m. (note this year's new time) Elementary, Middle Level, and Secondary

Open Hearing on Resolutions Friday, 9:15-11 a.m. comment on resolution drafts prior to the vote

Affiliate Representatives Meeting (session E.02) Friday, 4-5:15 p.m. join NCTE and affiliate leaders for discussions and more

Annual Business Meeting for the Board of Directors and Other Members of the Council Friday, 5:30-7 p.m. award presentations, talks by NCTE leaders, vote on resolutions, announcements

Affiliate Breakfast Saturday, 7:00-9:15 a.m. roundtable discussions, talks by NCTE leaders, award presentations

NCTE and CEE Nominating Committee Meetings Saturday, 12-12:45 p.m.
Sunday, 8-9 a.m.
nominate yourself or a colleague for office during these open meetings

 

 

Council-Grams, a bimonthly newsletter for NCTE members who are leaders in the Council (committee chairs, executive committee members, editors, affiliate or assembly officers, etc.), is distributed by email by the National Council of Teachers of English, 1111 W. Kenyon Road, Urbana, IL 61801-1096; 800-369-6283. If you would like NCTE to have a different email address on file for you, please email Council-Grams@ncte.org.

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Copyright 2009 National Council of Teachers of English
NCTE...The Professional Home of the English Language Arts Community

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