VATE Representatives Speak Out on NCTE Advocacy Day
By Jan Suppa-Friedman
NCTE prepared us for our scheduled visits to legislative offices. VATE board members Shelah Novak, Middle School Member-at-Large; Yvonne Maisel, Newsletter Editor; and I, NCTE Liaison, collaborated on our cogent focus for when we would meet our congressmen. We were taken aback somewhat when we went to Frank Wolf, VA 10th District’s, office. He was on his way over to the Capitol to vote and had three minutes to get there. So, he told us to run with him over to the Capitol. He set off at a very brisk pace with his Legislative Aide, Yvonne, Shelah, and me in tow. Scampering along beside him, Shelah and Yvonne tried to talk about the platforms upon which we had agreed. Finally, halfway up the steps of the Capitol, he left us behind with his aide.
VATE Conference 2008
In today’s global community, where the longest distance is that between an index finger and the send button on a computer, and where anyone can post practically anything on the Internet, how do we teach kids the fine line between truth and fiction? To what extent is nonfiction truth? And what elements of truth allow fiction to be realistic? More information
Speakers
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Dr. Sara B. Kajder, author of Bringing the Outside In: Visual Ways to Engage Reluctant Readers and The Tech-Savvy English Classroom, will share her expertise with technological tools that engage writers and readers. |
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Susan Campbell Bartoletti, Newbery Honor winner and Sibert Award winner for Hitler Youth, and Orbis Pictus Award winner and Sibert Award winner for Black Potatoes, will share insights about her research process to record history and to make that history accessible to students. |
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K.K. Bruno, author of Mischiefs and Miseries: A Novel of Jamestown 1607, will address the balance of fact and fiction in historical fiction. |
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Sara Holbrook, author of Practical Poetry and Outspoken: Improving Communication Skills through Poetry Performance, as well as numerous poetry collections, will perform her own poetry and share insights about teaching and performing poetry. |
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Building Level Membership
The Virginia Association of Teachers of English is committed to enhancing the quality of the teaching of English and language arts in the Commonwealth. VATE encourages building principals and lead teachers to “join our team” by purchasing a School Level Membership for your English/Language Arts faculty and/or other departments dedicated to improving student literacy.
Learn more about building level membership.
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The Virginia Association of Teachers of English appreciates the financial support of businesses and organizations that share VATE’s commitment to enhancing the quality of the teaching of English and language arts in the Commonwealth. Anyone who signs on as a corporate member prior to September 1 will be eligible for ad placement and reduced vendor fees for the Fall Conference and all other corporate membership benefits.
See our corporate partner list and learn how to become a corporate partner.
