I’ve gathered a group of articulate educators for a session on helping teachers connect with communities at NCTE next week.If you are attending the convention, we hope you attend — it’s session F55, Saturday, Nov. 23, 8:00-9:15 AM. Peter Smagorinsky will be our featured speaker. He has written portraits of many outstanding teachers and had them published in the Atlanta Journal Constitution. and has strong ideas about the need for teacher voices. Then we’ll have discussion tables led by a selection of very smart educators. They’ll introduce various perspectives on this issue — and then invite participants to start writing, right at the tables.

Our illustrious table leaders:

• Leila Christenbury, Virginia Commonwealth U.
• Millie Davis, NCTE Outreach
• Cathy Fleischer, Prof. at Eastern Michigan U.
• Kevin Hodgson, teacher in Southampton, MA
• Penny Kittle, teacher in North Conway, NH
• Mindi Rench, teacher in Northbrook, IL
• Harry Ross, Prof. at National Louis U., Chicago
• Lauren Rubin, Prof. Development Coordinator, City University of NY
• Andrea Zellner, Graduate student, Michigan State U.

If you’re not attending, yourself, but know someone who is, do pass on this message. And think about conducting a similar session at a conference yourself. This is one way to actually help teachers to start writing.