Today, teachers and administrators are continuing to recognize that learning is a social function, and that students do indeed learn better when working with others. The author agrees with this concept, but she wants to sigh deeply when she hears of one more person or company who has marketed the best approach to collaboration in the classroom. In…

Consistent with National Council of Teachers of English's (NCTE's) commitment to establishing and maintaining equitable school practices, this resolution builds on the 2010 NCTE Resolution on Social Justice in Literacy Education--in particular, the efforts to support teaching about "social injustice and discrimination in all its forms." NCTE urge…

Social location must be used in such a way so as to stabilize oneself. Thus, it is important that people understand their identity and the way in which their previous experiences can rechannel themselves into current ones.

Luis J. Rodriguez believes that the spirit of learning is not nurtured or encouraged in schools because the spirit of teaching is absent. Learning is not just about books but it happens in all kind of ways that should be nurtured with spirit.

Offers reflections on the joys and sorrows of teaching English in a rural school. (RL)

Presents responses from seven practicing teachers to the question, "How have you changed the physical environment within your classroom to create an optimal learning environment?" (HB)

Time and opportunity to discover truths are essential in education. Discovery takes repetition and trial and error. Discovery crosses intellectual and disciplinary boundaries as well. What is learned through the diverse experiences of one's academic and individual lives will pollinate each other if there is room left for discovery. The tyranny of…

This issue of "Stepping into the Classroom" reaches the broad ends of the spectrum of experience to showcase two authors who have worked hard to learn from personal experience and translate ideas into practice. Greg Van Nest, a veteran teacher of six years, had gone to many national conferences, but in Nashville in 2006, he came away knowing he…

Explores why students might be resistant to learning standard usage. Presents a history of "nonsense" grammar rules. Discusses two reasons for correcting students' grammar. Suggests that classrooms should support the language each student brings to school; provide them with input from an additional code; and give them opportunities to use the new…

An English teacher describes her feelings, experiences, and attitudes about keeping humor in the classroom. (RL)

Defines five areas of proficiency that students who join the work force of the early twenty-first century will need. Considers the implications of these seen in the context of the English curriculum. (HB)

A discussion on the increased use of objective grading techniques and disciplinary procedures to provide a safe and fair educational environment is given. An argument on such mechanistic procedures is presented, which could never be truly objective and that they would result in more harms than benefits.

Relates the story of a classroom experience that serves to show what is meant by both primary and secondary acts of reading. Argues that teaching the poem at the point of utterance makes it clear that the poem is not simply an occasion for a set of questions to which students must supply answers. (JD)

Shows how the advantages of ghetto living may be used in teaching communication and composition. (DD)

Describes the classroom experiences, observations, and successes of one writer when he went back to teaching. (JD)