English Education - Volume 33, Issue 2, 2001

Considers new roles for English educators working toward advocacy, toward truly new knowledge, toward collaborative readings of culture and context, and away from hierarchies. Notes that educators must recognize that it will take everyone to create the educational systems that lead to truly democratic literacies.

Describes the community of English educators in 2001. Considers individual and collective roles of English educators as modeling life-long learning for students, prospective teachers, and colleagues. Concludes that the vision of English educators in the 21st century must be locally constructed and rest upon the desires of participants to make teacher education a high priority in their professional lives.

Considers complex ways in which a student teacher negotiated her status and derived her authority in the multiple sites in which she worked as student, as apprentice, and as teacher. Illustrates the importance of encouraging teachers to adopt an “anthropological stance.” Shows how teacher education is complicated by the layered nature of the work in universities and in field supervision.

Presents ideas to better connect with students. Considers how teachers might think about questioning themselves and their experiences daily to find the answer to becoming the teacher every educator wants to be. Concludes that children are great learners because they modify and change what they already know to gain new knowledge.

Recounts the author’s effort to make critical literacy possible in explicit ways in a children’s literature class. Concludes that it is necessary to deepen educators’ understandings of what is meant by making critical literacy possible and to remind themselves daily how important this will be to preserving democratic ideas.

Shares with readers the responses of several teachers and teacher educators whom were asked to comment on some of the books that have been important to their work. Draws upon these comments to offer reading suggestions. Notes that expanding teachers’ interests and attention offers the best hope of making books matter in a complex teaching world.

Focuses on the history, nature, and accomplishments of the CEE (Conference on English Education) Commissions within the National Council of Teachers of English. Gives a sense of where the Commissions are headed in the new millennium.