wcte on a mission to provide... mentoring scholarship advocacy collegiality pdatWISCONSIN COUNCIL OF TEACHERSe OF ENGLISH WCTEonline.org March 2017 57TH ANNUAL Do it now. follow @WCTEorg CONVENTION Join us, Oct. 12-13, 2017, IN SIDE in Milwaukee Becoming World Readers: Registration, Membership One Book at a Time WCTE application directions New Instructional Resources 2016 Literary Mag results Differentiation Techniques Culturally-Responsive Practices SANDRA KOWALCZYK WCTE member responses NCTE Educator of the Year • Wisconsin Teacher of the Year • Global Teacher Prize Finalist or many years, Sandra Kowalczyk has targets varying reading levels by involving devoted herself to impacting students’ students in differentiated literacy activities. Fliteracy in unique ways. She has received Worldwide, Sandra has won many teach- world-wide recognition for sharing artifacts ing awards for promoting global literacy and from other countries with students while in- has been recognized as one of America’s best. Promoting diversity in class fusing ethnically diverse and global literature s a 2015 Global Teacher Prize finalist, into her classroom. Sandra will be attending the Global She has studied, researched and travelled Education and Skills Forum this Meet Janelle Bailey to over 60 countries, searching for new and A month, in Dubai, U.A.E. She will be working innovative ways to improve literacy in the as part of a team in the initial stages of a United States. “literacy toolkit” to be shared globally. The Her teaching approach brings literature literacy team is comprised of 18 literacy to life by incorporating visual arts, music, educators from around the world who are/ Wisconsin English Journal technology and readers’ theater into the class- were Global Teacher Finalists. There are room. Using reading lists as boarding passes, only three from the U.S. on the team: our Sandra’s students travel to far-off places. keynote speaker, Sandra Kowalczyk, Nancie What we're reading Reading journals have been re-envisioned Atwell (author of the best-selling book, In as passports and students enjoy a departure the Middle), and Erin Gruwell (author of lounge that incorporates pre-flight magazines Freedom Writers). Trips for teachers and international newspapers. Sign up for next year’s convention to In addition, Sandra teaches literacy in- see some of these fresh ideas firsthand!Mark tervention classes for at-risk students and has your calendar, save the date and join Sandra started a highly-successful before-school pro- Kowalczyk and your English colleagues at gram called “Breakfast with Books” which the WCTE 2017 convention! Canterbury Pilgrimage CONVENTION DETAILS START ON PAGE 3 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT >> Marianne Potter BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Marianne Potter, Stevens Point Area HS [email protected] First Vice Pres., Intellectual Freedom Chair John Schad, Kohler MS [email protected] Second Vice-President One of the benefits of belonging to WCTE Kelly Seefeldt, P.J. Jacobs MS, Stevens Point “ [email protected] is the network that is provided to connect Past President Denise Meyer, Western Technical College with others who truly understand the [email protected] Secretary demands and changes in education. Jennifer Kieren, Ellsworth Community HS ” [email protected] Treasurer, Membership, NCTE liaison Dear Fellow WCTE Members, Tom Scott, UW-Milwaukee [email protected] Do the demands on your time ever seem overwhelming? From the end of Pooley Trust Officer, Webmaster Lynn April, CESA #8, [email protected] August until June, do you always feel that papers, meetings, curriculum planning, District Director Liaison professional development or your students’ need allow for limited time for family, Kara Nelson-Sommerfeldt, Arcadia HS [email protected] your interests or your needs? Personally I love my job, but I find the expectations District Directors and demands placed upon teachers to be disheartening. #1 Jeff Carter, Hartford Union HS [email protected] One of the benefits of belonging to WCTE is the network that is provided to #1 Peg Grafwallner, Reagan IB HS,Milwaukee connect with others who truly understand the demands and changes in education. [email protected] #2 Sarah Rowse-Borelli, New Berlin Eisenhower HS The current executive committee is working on establishing goals for our social [email protected] media needs. Continue to look for resources in the Update, the Facebook page and #2 Amanda Sweet, Stevens Point Area HS [email protected] Twitter. The Update can be easily shared with others. The articles provide concrete #3 Jordan Palmer, Shullsburg HS information that educators can implement in the curriculum. [email protected] #4 Kara Nelson-Sommerfeldt, Arcadia HS March is budget planning time for many school districts. Have monies for [email protected] #4 Brad Bryan, Tomah HS your department to attend the WCTE convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, [email protected] Oct.12-13, 2017 been included in your school’s budgeting process? Sandra #5 Jacalyn Mabon, Awards Chair, P.J. Jacobs Jr. HS [email protected] Kowalczyk, our keynote speaker, will be sharing her knowledge of World #5 Kelly Seefeldt, P.J. Jacobs Jr. HS Literature, which meets a reading standard that asks students to reflect on a point [email protected] #6 Patrick Osowski, Fond du Lac HS of view or cultural experience in a literary work from outside the United States. [email protected] In addition, please consider sharing your talents as a presenter for the breakout #6 Katie Herrmann, Hartford Union HS [email protected] sessions. All of this information is located within this issue of the Update. #7 Janelle Bailey, Bayport HS [email protected] We are also asking members to contact DPI leadership (Mike Thompson #7 Mary Beth Desens, Cedar Grove-Belgium HS [email protected]) to share concerns about the “Staffing Changes” [email protected] #9 Martha Handrick, Lakeland Union HS documents. Although these changes may alleviate the teacher shortages, do they [email protected] address the underlying reasons for the teacher shortage? Is this a quick and easy #9 Holly Caudill, Lakeland Union HS [email protected] fix, but is this fix what is best for the students? Please take the time to read this #10 Tim Allison, Eau Claire Memorial HS document and let both the DPI leadership and the WCTE leaders know of your [email protected] #10 Caroline Hickethier, Cornell SD concerns. [email protected] #11 Justina Plemon, Diversity Chair, WCTE provides its members with a network of professionals who understand New Richmond HS [email protected] the demands placed on English educators daily. The leadership believes in the #11 Jennifer Kiernen, Ellsworth CHS members and wants to provide what the members need. Please contact me or any [email protected] #12 Kaye Ortman Peters, Mellen HS of the leadership team to help the organization meet the needs of the members. [email protected] #12 Tanya Sponholz, Prescott HS [email protected] Convention Manager Marianne Potter Marti Matyska, [email protected] WCEE Chair Marianne Potter David Roloff, UW-Stevens Point [email protected] President, WCTE Professional Issues Chair [email protected] Lynn Frick, Sauk Prairie HS [email protected] CEL Liaison, Archivist Emily Ihrke, University School of Milwaukee [email protected] NCTE Awards for Literary Magazine Rebecca Donlin, New Berlin Eisenhower HS [email protected] Wisconsin English Journal Editor John Pruitt, UW-Rock County [email protected] WCTE Update Editor Linda Barrington, Mount Mary University [email protected] DPI Liaison Page 2 Marci Glaus, [email protected] Becoming World Readers: One Book at a Time WHERE: Milwaukee, Wisconsin WCTE is entertaining sectional proposals addressing: WHEN: October 12-13, 2017 • Integration of technology during reading instruction • Introducing new instructional resources Every year, teachers from around the state volunteer to share • Culturally-responsive practices teaching strategies for reading, writing, and speaking at our • Incorporating informational text in the literature classroom convention in hopes of sharing expertise with each other to • Post-secondary developmental reading and writing improve education for all. • Effective ways to approach text analysis and discussion Is it your turn to share next year? • Best practices for RTI - Reading Do you have a strategy that works really well with your students? WCTE is an affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of English. Do you have a special skill or idea that may benefit other colleagues? Proposal submissions due Friday, June 16, 2017. Please submit electronically (scan or take picture) to John Schad at schadj@ If you answered “YES” to any one of these questions, please fill out kohler.k12.wi.us. the attached proposal form and volunteer to share your talents with other colleagues. You can also submit a proposal online at https://goo.gl/forms/ R4ZCBU8mWPP5Xj3T2 Program Proposal and Volunteer Transmittal Service to the Profession Are you willing to work at the conference or become active on a WCTE Committee whether or not you present at the conference (check all that apply)? _____Sectional Introducer _____Registration Desk _____Table Decorations _____Convention Planning _____Diversity ____District Representative _____StrategicPlanning _____Professional