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In February 2010 we will hold our annual conference in Louisville at the Marriott: Louisville Downtown. Go to http://conference.kcte.org/ for more information. If you are willing, we would love to have you present. Click on http://conference.kcte.org/call.html to fill out the proposal form. There are many ways to be involved in the conference. If you would like to help in some way, please contact our 2010 Conference Chair, Brandon Abdon, at conference@kcte.org.
Thank you for being a part of KCTE/LA,
Della Minix, President (2009 - 2010) president@kcte.org
Dear Kentucky English/Language Arts Teachers,
I am reminded of a middle school student who was accompanying a teacher presenter at the most recent conference. This student was speaking to the audience and made the simple comment that "you cannot think outside of the box unless it is open." Too many teachers live in their classroom day-after-day, teach engaging and rigorous lessons, and see outstanding results and never know they are doing so well. This conference invites all teachers to "open the box" so that they might step outside and share their own great work and also peer into the great things that are happening in other schools. What works for you in your school? How can you grow with and through others? I challenge our members to be the growth.
I would also like to invite you to submit a conference proposal. Kentucky's teachers are doing some of the most groundbreaking work in the nation, and this would be your opportunity to share the wealth. If you are willing, we would love to have you present. Click on http://conference.kcte.org/call.html to fill out the proposal form.
Professional Development is one of the Kentucky Teacher Standards, and I've found that the KCTE/LA Conference is one of the best ways to fulfill that standard. In addition, you will have the opportunity to network with teachers from around the Commonwealth.
Please join us as we "Open The Box" and make an impact on the learning of your students. Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Brandon Abdon,
2010 Conference Chair
conference@kcte.org
KCTE/LA has established the annual "Stephanie Kirk Classroom Learning Award" as a memorial to Stephanie Kirk. The Award is to support an innovative project which encourages attainable improvement in the language arts areas. In years where none of the applications are judged to match the criteria, the judges reserve the right not to assign the award in that year. We have closed applications for the 2010 award (to be awarded by December 2009) and wish the best of luck to those who submitted applications. Watch our site for information about the 2010 recipient and about the process for submitting an application for the 2011 award.
For more information contact the KCTE/LA current Special-Projects Chairperson, John Williamson, at projects@kcte.org
July is a number of things to many people. It's a month for blueberries, ice cream, hot dogs, picnics, and recreation. But it is also the month in which the US congress designated a one-time-only National Literacy Day. That was 2 July 2000. Some civic organizations designate the entire month of July for literacy. And, of course, there is the UNESCO designated International Literacy Day always in September.
Join in the Kentucky English Collaboration about literacy at http://www.kyenglish.org/July-Is-Literacy-Month
The KCTE/LA writing contest is now coordinated by the section vice presidents. Contact them for information. Email all of the vice presidents at contest@kcte.org. Contact individual vice presidents at elementary@kcte.org (Sherri Bazzell, Elementary VP), middle@kcte.org (Kerry Stephenson Conrad, Middle-School VP), secondary@kcte.org (Kelley Cook, Secondary-School VP), or college@kcte.org (Rob Lockhart, College VP). The deadline for this year's contest was 1 May 2009. Winning entries in the 2008 contest appeared in the Fall 2008 Kentucky English Bulletin. Information about past winners is online at http://contest.kcte.org/index.html.
The NCTE sponsors two national writing contests for individuals, one for 8th graders and the other for 11th graders. For information about the contest for 8th graders contact Frances Helphinstine at young-writers@kcte.org. Information about the awards and past recipients is available on this site at http://www.kcte.org/achievement/pyw.html . Information about the NCTE Writing Achievement Awards, which offer opportunity for Kentucky 11th graders to receive national recognition for their writing, is available on this site at http://www.kcte.org/achievement/aa.html . For information about the contest for 11th graders contact Frances Helphinstine at achievement@kcte.org.
The NCTE also sponsors an award for junior highschool, middle school, highschool, and secondary school literary magazines. For more information on PRESLM (Program to Recognize Excellence in Student Literary Magazines) awards contact Frances Helphinstine at preslm@kcte.org. Further instructions are available on this site at http://www.kcte.org/achievement/preslm.html .
Toyota now offers a number of opportunities for teachers from the United States to study cultures and environments abroad. Different programs offer destinations of varying types. Each program has its own application deadline and specifications. Teachers participating in past Toyota International Teacher Program opportunities have returned with renewed commitment as teachers and with fresh ideas for sharing first hand experiences and international perspectives with their students, colleagues and communities. Find the details and apply online at http://www.iie.org/programs/toyota Call (877) TEACH-JP or email toyotateach@iie.org for more information or an application.
The Library of Congress Chronicling America project provides image scans of many United States newspapers from the 19th and 20th centuries. We have featured the Hopkinsville Kentuckian in the past (100 Years Ago: "Darwin's Centenary," Hopkinsville Kentuckian, Feb. 16, 1909). Read Volume 25 number 150 of the Paducah Evening Sun at the Library of Congress site.
Charlie Hughes has set up an announce-only email list at U of K to cover Literature-related events in Kentucky.
News of publications, authors, readings, writing contests and awards, and more literary news will be distributed in infrequent e-mail messages to list subscribers. Subscribers are also encouraged to send their own announcements to the list. This is a moderated, announcement-type mailing list. This is not a discussion list, the kind that can overwhelm your mailbox. Your e-mail address will not be disclosed to any other entity or used for any other purpose. KCTE/LA has set up a page at http://www.kcte.org/etc/kylit.html with instructions from Charlie on how to join the list.
Shelby W. Fannin, past Middle School Chairman for OLEMA, shares adolescent literature titles which capture the most averse to reading, an array of activities which turn students into readers, and sources for inexpensive reading materials as Townsend Press.
Kathryn Mincey shares her guides for students to use to teach themselves standard grammar and usage within the evolution of the Alliance for Excellent Education position.
Mary Jerde and Maggie Gulley share current grant sources for K-12 English teachers, pointers for writing grants, and strategies which increase chances for receiving funding, such as collaborating with other schools.
George Eklund shares activities to use to take our students into the exploratory process of a poem.
The Kentucky Council of Teachers of English/Language Arts, Inc. is an incorporated non-profit, service organization for Kentucky English and Language Arts teachers of all levels (Kindergarten-Graduate School). Membership dues and conference registrations support
The over 300 members of KCTE/LA create a vibrant organization which has been recognized by the National Council of Teachers of English as one of the more active state affiliates. Recent projects (in addition to the activities listed above) include
In addition to supporting funded projects, the KCTE/LA connects English and Language Arts teachers to the Kentucky Department of Education. A number of KCTE/LA board members either direct or coordinate outreach progams for state Writing Projects, and the KDE sends a liaison to triannual KCTE/LA board meetings.
Regular membership in KCTE/LA is $30.00 per year (January 1, 2009 - December 31, 2009). Membership includes a subscription to the KEB and the KCTE/LA News. Membership paid between 31 May 2009 and December 31, 2009 goes into effect at the time the membership is paid and continues through December 31, 2010. An online printable registration form and registration information are available at http://www.kcte.org/membership/member.html . A secure, online credit-card registration form (for full-membership only) is available at https://secure.kcte.net/membership/register.html .
If you would like to receive additional information or have a copy of our printed membership form mailed to you, please follow this link to our online information form at http://www.kcte.org/info.html .
