<![CDATA[The Maine Council for English Language Arts ( MCELA ) - Blog]]>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:30:09 -0400Weebly<![CDATA[I’d Almost Forgotten What Engagement Looks Like]]>Tue, 25 Feb 2025 18:40:22 GMThttps://www.mainecela.org/blog/id-almost-forgotten-what-engagement-looks-likeAuthor: Beth Carlson, NBCT. MCELA Executive Board Member, English Teacher and Department Head at Kennebunk High School, bcarlson@rsu21.net ​

In the October newsletter, I wrote that my English department was centering reading in our classrooms this year. I was hopeful but also worried that our efforts would not generate the returns we wanted. As part of the changes we’ve made, we are only doing one full-class novel.  We designed the year to also include a couple of book groups to provide students with structured choice as well as full choice through independent reading. I have attempted book groups or literature circles over the years with mediocre results, but this time, I am excited to say that the groups were a resounding success. The unit was called People on the Move. The book choices included American Street; The Faraway Brothers; From Here;  Butterfly Yellow, Americanized: Rebel Without a Green Card, Home Is Not a Country; and Four Winds. I gave each student the first three pages of each book to read and asked them to rank the top three that seemed most interesting to them. This gave the students agency, and all students ended up with their first or second choice. My students chose American Street (two groups), The Faraway Brothers, Butterfly Yellow, and From Here.  

Because my students’ choices were all immigrant stories, I asked them what they knew about immigration or how people make the choice to come to the U.S.  The answer was very little. Kennebunk may not be far from Portland or Lewiston and is neighbors with Biddeford, but my students had very little knowledge about the people who have settled in these towns or other places in Maine. I decided to use the 2023 New Mainers series, “Long Way Home” from the Portland Press Herald as well as an article from 2024 titled “400 Years of New Mainers” to introduce them to the idea of asylum seekers and immigrants who have moved to our state. Each student was assigned one article from the series plus the two photo essays. I gave each student an organizer for note-taking for a Socratic Seminar, and I was so pleased to see their knowledge grow, their questions answered by peers, and their curiosity piqued over the course of their discussion. Many had read more than the assigned articles, and several had had discussions with family members about immigration. They left that class motivated to begin reading their books.
Each group decided how to break up their reading across the classes in the unit. They had the month of November.  Using ideas from Kate Roberts’ book, The Heart of Fiction, I gave them criteria to record in their notebook in preparation for each class: three new vocabulary words defined as well as at least two synonyms; one or two lines (quoted) that show important aspects of the main characters or significant secondary characterization; one or two examples (quoted lines) that reveal moments when there seems to be a shift in a character (situation/feelings/knowledge/theme or big idea/plot); and one quoted line that you think is interesting/beautiful/revealing/well written/different: imagery/ figurative language, charged/emotional language/persuasive/ length of sentence/tone/attitude/etc.  This work gave them knowledge and evidence to start the group discussions. Their conversations were rich and students were engaged in the discussions. I walked around the room listening and occasionally answering questions.  Each group designated a notetaker to record their discussions and keep them on task.  I organized each class to start with the group work and end with reading time. I often taught a mini-lesson on the notebook criteria in between.  I found this structure particularly motivating as the students had just discussed what they’d read and were generally invested in getting back into the book for 10-20 minutes at the end of class, especially if they were a little behind.  Most were very earnest at keeping pace with their groups.  

The students closed out the unit with a paper about how being an immigrant complicated each character’s life.  Their book group then became a writing group, helping to develop and polish each other’s writing.  We were not quite done, however.  Students used an annotation template to take notes on the article, “What I Saw In the Darien Gap” published in The Atlantic magazine as well as two articles from the George W. Bush Presidential Center about the complexity of and controversy around immigration.  I then jigsawed the groups so each new group included a person who had read each book.  The students were charged to make a podcast episode to teach others about what they learned.  They spent one class deciding the importance of what they’d learned and what they thought others should know.  They had another class to plan and script and a third to record. They had to title the episode and include introductory music.  The podcasts, titled, “American Dream,” “Borderless Stories,” and “New Roots” are posted on The Herd, our online student publication.

During this month and a half, my class felt like a learning community.  The feedback from the students afterward reinforced this with comments such as, “This unit was fun,” and, “I learned so much, but it wasn’t like history.”  I never focused on politics at all, instead framing the unit around learning about why people move, and the kids rarely brought it up.  Other comments included, “I never knew some immigrants came here because their home was dangerous,” and “Seeing their stories through their point[s] of view gave me different ideas from those I’ve heard about.”  I am calling this unit a big success on several levels.]]><![CDATA[Maine Educators Presenting at NCTE]]>Mon, 18 Nov 2024 18:07:29 GMThttps://www.mainecela.org/blog/maine-educators-presenting-at-ncteGoing to NCTE? Check out these sessions by Maine educators. Presenting? Add your session to the blog comments!

1) From Inquiry to Action: Igniting Engagement and Purpose Through Project-Based Research and Action
2) Literacy Practices to Enact Change: Making Shifts in Reading Lenses and in Writing Frames (Poster Session)
Dana Maloney, Adjunct Professor Montclair State University (lives in Maine)

The Scientific Superpower of Curiosity: How Stories of Scientists Spark Inquiry, Critical Thinking, and Hope in the Classroom and Beyond
Melissa Guerrette, Oxford Elementary School with Authors/Presenters: Sarah Albee, Kate Messner, Rajani LaRocca, Angela Padron, and Loree Griffin

Translanguaging Perspectives on Writing Practice: Learning from Findings Across Contexts:
Heather Reichmuth, University of Southern Maine

Special Education Teachers' Instructional Practices and Needs Providing Writing Instruction to Students with Disabilities (Poster Session)
Joo-Young Lee, University of Maine

1) Exploring the Ethics of Storytelling with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners Through Drama
2) Centering Student Interests and Emotions in ELA Classrooms
Kathleen Rose McGovern, University of Southern Maine



1) Authentic Neurodiversity & Disability Representation as Resistance Against Misinformation and Passive Curricular Violence in the Classroom
2) Heart, Hope, Humanity: Happiness: Bringing Queer Picturebook Joy to the Classroom
Meghan Wilson Duff, University of Machias ​
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]]><![CDATA[Let's Build a Community of Readers]]>Tue, 29 Oct 2024 14:34:11 GMThttps://www.mainecela.org/blog/lets-build-a-community-of-readersBy Caitlin Saras 
Literacy Instructional Coach, Lewiston High School
MCELA Executive Board

This might be a little different from what you’re expecting. Articles about reading and writing are published everywhere, teaching our students to read and write and highlighting the importance of reading to our children at home. Yes, these things are incredibly important. But I want to take a moment to remind us of the importance of reading for fun for ourselves.  

This is as much a reminder for myself as it is for our community of teachers. Summer--with its (slightly) more laid-back pace--is usually when I tear through the books that pile up during the spring. During the school year, it’s a different story. The workday leaves me tired and there’s still more work to do at home. Other obligations are pressing for my time. The thrillers and literary fiction I love so much feel like too much to handle on a weeknight. It took me over a month to finish Liz Moore’s The God of the Woods, even though I’d been dying to read it and was hooked the minute I started it (I do recommend it, by the way).    
There are plenty of articles out there about the mental and physical health benefits of reading. We already know that it helps us connect and feel empathy with others. NAMI California cites a study done by the University of Sussex that found reading can reduce stress up to 68% (2020). Reducing stress, even for a few minutes, helps our bodies and brains take a breath and let go. We also have many options for reading now. I am a fan of physical books, but e-readers and audiobooks make it easier than ever to take this time to unwind.  

My love of reading is what brought me to the world of teaching English, and I know that I feel better when I go back to that love of reading for fun at home. I feel myself unwind with some quiet music and a book, and it gives me something to think about other than the stressors and unfinished to-do lists of the day. The Peach Cobbler Murder might not be groundbreaking, but it’s a light read in my favorite genre that is currently helping me relax before bed.  

And even though these thoughts are about us reading for fun, I do also think about how reading for fun translates to the classroom. What are our conversations with students like around reading for fun? Are we modeling reading practices during independent reading or book group reading time? Why do we expect students to like reading in any form when we don’t show that we do too? There’s not a one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to this, but modeling the practices we use in our own lives can help inspire students to a love of reading.

I want to encourage you, myself, and all of us who see students each day to set aside a few minutes a few days a week to get ourselves back into the habit of reading for fun. What genres make you happy? What have you heard good things about? Is there something you’d like to reread? 
Grab that eye-catching title at the store and reactivate your Audible subscription. Let’s work towards building back to a widespread community of readers rediscovering their love of reading.    
​     
“Why Reading Is Good for Mental Health.” NAMI California, 23 Dec. 2020,
    namica.org/blog/why-reading-is-good-for-mental-health/.
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]]><![CDATA[Open-Access Textbooks for Teaching Writing]]>Tue, 29 Oct 2024 14:33:27 GMThttps://www.mainecela.org/blog/open-access-textbooks-for-teaching-writingBy Ryan J. Dippre
Associate Professor of English / Director of College Composition
University of Maine
MCELA Executive Board

Building on the AI Repository materials I shared in the October newsletter, I want to highlight some more the WAC Clearinghouse’s open-access teaching resources—this time, in the form of the excellent textbook series Writing Spaces.  Writing Spaces is a set of textbooks (they are up to six volumes at this point) full of peer-reviewed chapters written by teachers of first-year writing in colleges and universities.    
 
Chapters have a wide variety of interests and themes.  In Volume 5, for instance, Erin E. Kelly discusses “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Peer Review,” Jason McIntosh explores assessment, and Danielle DeRise considers the role of bias in writing.  Teachers in search of accessible, thoughtful, and thorough material for different concepts, processes, and theories of writing can find much to work with.
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]]><![CDATA[Moving Back Towards Classrooms That Center Reading and Writing for Engagement]]>Mon, 23 Sep 2024 19:12:50 GMThttps://www.mainecela.org/blog/moving-back-towards-classrooms-that-center-reading-and-writing-for-engagementBeth Carlson
Nationally Board Certified Teacher/English Department Chair at RSU21, Kennebunk High School
bcarlson@rsu21.net 
MCELA Executive Board Member

I’ve been teaching long enough to experience the adage in education that we always cycle back to past practices. When I started teaching English in 1987, Nancie Atwell’s Write From the Middle was the English teacher’s bible. I was the looping 7th and 8th grade teacher-facilitator of dynamic reading and writing workshops. There was energy and excitement in my classroom. Years later, I moved from York to Kennebunk where my new job was teaching freshmen with a more traditional, teacher-directed, and novel-based curriculum. These classes looked more like the ones I attended in high school. When the Common Core State Standards were adopted, our department struggled to shift from teaching novels to teaching standards. In hindsight, this shift seemed like a bigger lift than it should have, and now we all understand the importance of prioritizing skill-based assessments over novel content. Currently, we are undergoing another curriculum overhaul, and under the tutelage of Penny Kittle, who authored Book Love and co-authored 180 Days, we are moving back towards classrooms that center reading and writing for engagement.  

My department has observed a steep decline in students who read at home. Their vocabularies are not what they used to be. Even students who have historically been readers claim they don’t have the time. Since the pandemic, their engagement with our classroom content has varied from disengaged to rote. This is why placing student engagement at the center of our curriculum has been a priority. We are starting with free choice reading with our first 9th grade unit titled “Patterns of Storytelling.” We are making space for students to read for 15 to 20 minutes of our 80 minute block. We’re getting them to write based on mentor texts; teachers and students are doing daily book talks. All writing is quick writing to eliminate it being done by AI. Students will choose pieces to bring through the writing process.  
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This means we’ve had to let some things go. For some, it’s been a favorite unit. For some, it’s being the sage on the stage. For others, it’s a grip on the familiar and the comfortable. I am back to facilitating student learning. The onus for learning has been put back on the students with opportunities to choose their reading and flexibility in what writing pieces they process to polished copies. We piloted some of these practices last year. This year, we’re 100% in.  

I am really hopeful. Yesterday, I noticed two students in my advisory reading. Another teacher said she has readers in her study hall. These are small anecdotal trends, but exciting ones nonetheless. I’ll let you know how it goes!
​]]><![CDATA[WAC Clearinghouse Repository Materials for AI]]>Mon, 23 Sep 2024 19:11:22 GMThttps://www.mainecela.org/blog/wac-clearinghouse-repository-materials-for-aiRyan J. Dippre
ryan.dippre@gmail.com
Associate Professor of English and the Director of College Composition at the University of Maine
MCELA Executive Board Member

The WAC Clearinghouse is one of the key publication venues in the field of rhetoric and composition/writing studies.  It contains hundreds of books, thousands of articles, and a massive repository of resources for the teaching of writing—all open-access!  In response to the rise of generative AI programs over the past couple of years, the Clearinghouse has developed several resources that teachers may find helpful.
 
TextGenEd: Teaching with Text Generation Technologies, edited by Annette Vee, Tim Laquintano, and Carly Schnitzler (2023), provides over thirty undergraduate-level assignments to help students think through AI.  Another repository, TextGenEd: Continuing Experiments, provides additional updates and addendums from throughout 2024.  Additionally, Anna Mills has curated a set of resources for teachers in AI Text Generators and Teaching Writing: Starting Points for Inquiry. 
 
Generative AI is a difficult topic to address, and—to make matters more complicated—the capabilities of Generative AI seem to be constantly changing as new updates and programs emerge.  These resources give teachers a few places to take on this challenging (and ever-changing task).

]]><![CDATA[Call for Proposals: MCELA 3/21/25 Conference]]>Wed, 18 Sep 2024 14:36:41 GMThttps://www.mainecela.org/blog/call-for-proposals-mcela-32125-conferenceCALL FOR PROPOSALS 
The Maine Council for English Language Arts seeks proposals from teachers and other professionals to provide workshop sessions related to our 2025 conference theme–Cultivating Possibilities In Ecosystems of Learning​. 
Our annual state conference will be held on Friday, March 21, 2025,
at The Holiday Inn By The Bay in Portland, Maine. 
This year’s theme focuses on how educators cultivate learning possibilities for themselves and their students. More specifically, MCELA will center this theme around four seeds: the core values of social responsibility, leadership, empowerment, and collaboration. 
Because we believe that Maine literacy educators and leaders represent a network of experienced professionals who have critical expertise to share with their colleagues, MCELA’s conference committee seeks educators who will share original presentations that encourage a rich diversity of pedagogy, identity, and practice. Workshops will illustrate how presenters build community, cultivate agency, and foster a culture of learning in their classrooms and learning ecosystems.
We hope that you will consider sharing your work with fellow educators, and we ask that you include how your workshop connects to one of the conference theme-seeds:
  • Social Responsibility: How do you address diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in your practice? How do you incorporate social-emotional learning in your classroom or school? How do you tackle contemporary issues like climate change with students? 
  • Leadership: How do you advocate for literacy practices among your colleagues and community? How do you support your colleagues and their professional learning? How do schools and organizations elevate each other from excellent to distinguished practices?
  • Collaboration: How do you foster interdisciplinary learning–in your classroom, school, or community? How do you embed effective literacy instruction and practices in other content areas? How do you foster purposeful interactions with colleagues?
  • Empowerment: How do you develop student-centered learning? What practices cultivate student choice and voice? How do you make space in the curriculum for relevant, integrated, challenging, and engaging opportunities for your students? How do you cultivate agency with colleagues? How might educators leverage their experience and expertise in professional learning?
Submit your proposal digitally at this link: MCELA 2025 Conference Presenter Proposal. Please send questions to maine.ela@gmail.com.  The deadline for proposals is 10/25/24. 
Workshop presenters will receive a Bookshop.org gift card and earn a 10 contact hour presenter certificate. We encourage you to save the date and request professional development funds from your local districts soon.

]]><![CDATA[New MCELA Leadership for 2022-23]]>Sat, 27 Aug 2022 12:57:08 GMThttps://www.mainecela.org/blog/new-mcela-leadership-for-2022-23This year MCELA has new leadership. Carrie Barbosa–who generously served as MCELA president these past two years leading our abrupt shift from an in-person conference to online webinars, book studies, and author talks–has moved to Portugal. We are so thankful for all that she did to support literacy in Maine during that time.

Patti Forster, English teacher at Camden Hills Regional High School, will be taking the lead as the new MCELA president, as we transition back to the in-person conference.
Yes! Our conference is back! March 17, 2023 at the Westin in Portland. Save the date! Get your PD funding and approval early. Conference details on Events and Programs tab.

Todd McKinley, instructional coach and middle school ELA teacher at heart, will be our vice president.
Bre Allard, Literacy Coach at Lewiston Middle School, is stepping up as our secretary.

Sheila Bennett, English teacher at John Bapst Memorial High School, is returning as our Treasurer.
We also have a very experienced and committed Executive Board to help guide us and support our important work to improve the teaching of literacy across the state (learn more about our Executive Board on the MCELA Leadership Tab).
​
2022-23 MCELA Goals:
  • Advocate for intellectual freedom
  • Increase visibility for the organization and board diversity
  • Be a connection for learning and growing in the teaching of literacy through our in-person conference, online offerings, social media, monthly email newsletter, and Northwords
]]><![CDATA[Maine Council for English Language Arts Honored with 2021 Affiliate Journal of Excellence Award]]>Sun, 27 Feb 2022 14:11:53 GMThttps://www.mainecela.org/blog/february-27th-2022​Maine Council for English Language Arts Honored with 2021 Affiliate Journal of Excellence Award from National Council of Teachers of English
Award honors exemplary Affiliate Journals

Champaign, Illinois—The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) has selected the Maine Council
for English Language Arts (MCELA), as a 2021 Affiliate Journal of Excellence Award honoree.
Northwords, co-edited by Dan Murphy and Patti Forster, and published by the Maine Council for English
Language Arts (MCELA), has been named a recipient of the 2021 Affiliate Journal of Excellence Program
Award, given by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). 
 
Established in 1995, this award honors outstanding affiliate journals and their editors who demonstrate
excellence in these publications. The winning affiliate journal must be a magazine-type
publication—print or online—and provide members with scholarly articles on issues and topics related
to English language arts teaching. The journals are judged on content, organization, and scholarly
exploration, appeal to many different groups within the affiliate, coverage of important issues in English
language arts education, and inclusion of other types of writing (e.g., poetry, affiliate news, book
reviews).
 
The Affiliate Journal of Excellence Award winners will be announced at the 2021 NCTE Annual
Convention, during the Affiliate Event on Sunday, November 21.  
 
About NCTE
The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) is devoted to improving the teaching and learning of
English and the language arts at all levels of education. For more than 100 years, NCTE has worked with
its members to offer journals, publications, and resources; to further the voice and expertise of
educators as advocates for their students at the local and federal levels; and to share lesson ideas,
research, and teaching strategies through its Annual Convention and other professional learning events.]]><![CDATA[National Council of Teachers of English Presents Intellectual Freedom Award to Maine Educator]]>Thu, 12 Dec 2019 14:55:12 GMThttps://www.mainecela.org/blog/national-council-of-teachers-of-english-presents-intellectual-freedom-award-to-maine-educator
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