Ponders the effect of September 11th on teenagers. Proposes that reading books can help teenagers sort out complicated issues. Recommends young adult novels that offer hope for overcoming tragedy. Lists 50 short story collections worth reading. (PM)

Relates the author's experience of writing with her students. (MM)

Responds to Ken Donelson's "Professionalism: English Teachers' Rights and Responsibilities" (EJ v77 n4). Argues that English teachers are professionals regardless of public perception, but they lack a perception of themselves as professionals. Concludes that teachers don't need more lists of requirements, but more respect for diversity…

Explains how the movie "The Lion King" may be used to elucidate Shakespeare's "Hamlet," a play about a prince who does not always seem heroic to modern audiences. Gives specific points of comparison between the two works concerning heroes, characters, conflicts, themes, ending scenes, and archetypal patterns. (TB)

Discusses the possibility of vertical connectedness in K-12 education through references to journal articles and the author's own reflections. Suggests that middle school teachers may be leaders in a movement toward eliminating redundancy and gaps between grade levels. (TB)

Provides recommendations from several educators concerning useful periodicals for keeping up with current trends and issues in the teaching profession. (MM)

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)

Offers four reviews of readable and user-friendly handbooks or dictionaries of English usage, and ideas for their use in teaching. Includes handmade as well as published handbooks. (PRA)

Describes how a high school English instructor used the Valdez oil spill to illustrate the meaning in Samuel Coleridge's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner." (PRA)

Provides five responses to Edward Lasky's article, "A Modern Day Albatross: The Valdez and Some of Life's Other Spills" in the same issue of this journal. (PRA)

Offers comments from collectors and dealers on the wonders and all-around fun of collecting books. Presents a short annotated list of books about book collecting and notes one book that will make readers want to collect books. Lists a baker's dozen of other sources on book collecting and presents three quotations to end the matter. (SR)

Chris Altman stresses the importance of helping English language learners ascertain the medium they best work with in interpreting information presented in class. Altman reminds us that meaning does not come directly from teachers giving students information, but from students productively making meaning and clarifying understanding through a…

Impressionistic accounts of contemporary student behavior. (JH)