TCTELA Teacher Development Section
December 2019
Teacher Development Section Information
TCTELA Teacher Development section will advance the literacy leadership growth of all Texas literacy leaders by developing a network of diverse professionals and by providing resources, tools, and professional development based on best practices in literacy education.
Core Values:
Every student and teacher voice matters and deserves to be heard. TCTELA Teacher Development advocates for both students and educators. TCTELA Teacher Development provides support and community to teacher leaders in the implementation of new standards, new materials, and new pedagogy. Just as every student deserves to see themselves in the books they read, teachers and teacher leaders deserve to be authentically represented in the professional development and resources provided by TCTELA Teacher Development. The most rewarding work in education is done in collaboration, not isolation.
Vision:
The vision of the TCTELA Teacher Development section is to be seen as useful and reliable support system for coordinators, specialists, professors, administrators, and any other educators in the role of developing teachers.
Professional Text Recommendations
Leading Well by Lucy Calkins
Purchase the book HERE.
180 Days by Penny Kittle & Kelly Gallagher
Purchase the book HERE.
A Student's Guide to Academic and Professional Writing in Education by Katie O. Arosteguy, Alison Bright, and Brenda J. Rinard
This book engages preservice teachers in thinking about the kinds of writing they’ll do as students in education classes, teacher candidates in the field, and--eventually--classroom teachers. Coming out of genre study, the text offers concrete examples of writing that teachers do, from reflections to lesson plans to grant proposals. It also engages PSTs in thinking about the rhetoric of writing in education. A great text for those serving in higher education, especially as programs begin to think about improving PST’s writing in the face of edTPA.
Purchase the book HERE.
Suggestions for Classroom Libraries
Neither by Airlie Anderson
This picture book is an incredible text for a read aloud or a classroom library. This text is a great tool to foster conversations on inclusivity, identity, and belonging.
Purchase HERE.
Smile by Raina Telgemeier
A graphic novel that is somewhat autobiographical in nature, this book follows the author's story of what happens when her "dental drama" is compounded by normal middle school stresses.
Purchase HERE.
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
A book written in verse will catch the eye of a reader who does not do too much reading. A compelling story about a decision to revenge his brother’s death, a fifteen year old boy meets several characters to sway his ultimate decision.
Purchase HERE.
New TEKS Resources
PD2Teach
PD2Teach is a project from TCTELA supporting teachers and curriculum leaders in the implementation of the new ELAR/SLAR TEKS for K-8 beginning in 2019-2020 and continuing with high school TEKS in 2020-2021.
This link will take you to a portfolio of videos that you can use in PLCs, department meetings, or in other professional learning contexts. The videos feature classroom teachers engaged in conversations about adapting instruction for the new TEKS.
Access these incredible resources HERE.
Educator-Created TEKS Resources
Collaboration Station
A way for teachers to create “grids” in order to promote discussion through video chats. Teachers can pose discussion questions and students can respond to other comments.
Administrators, coordinators and coaches can use this tool to create collaborative sharing spaces for teachers, whether it be a "what are we reading" grid, a place for questions, or an online book club. Flipgrid can be used in PD for teachers to be able to ask/respond to questions.
Resources: Book Selection and Censorship
With more and more educators opting for a more contemporary and diverse book collection, it is worth remembering the support that NCTE offers to teachers and school staff facing challenges of books or other instructional materials. NCTE’s Intellectual Freedom Center offers resources for teachers and schools facing book challenges, as well as a place to report a challenge and receive support.
NCTE also offers position statements on A Student’s Right to Read and Guidelines for Dealing with Censorship of Instructional Materials. Dr. Ann David, an associate professor at the University of the Incarnate Word, is a member of the Standing Committee Against Censorship and can also offer support and guidance. You can contact her at addavid@uiwtx.edu.
Also, the National Coalition Against Censorship, a great friend to NCTE in the fight against censorship, has a Censorship Action Kit that is free and available online. It contains information about the law, strategies for supporting students’ right to read, and advocacy tips.
TEA Updates: TEKS, Assessments, and More!
What will the STAAR/EOC tests look like during both the overlap years and the 2021-2022 school year?
- The blueprints for STAAR/EOC during the overlap years will not change. Students will only be assessed on overlapping standards.
- Currently, TEA has not yet released what this means for EOC writing, specifically persuasive/argumentative, which are not identified as overlapping standards.
- It is currently unknown as to what the new test will look like in 2021-2022. However, law requires there to be somewhat of an integration of writing into all ELAR tests in the future. Several writing items will be field tested this year.
What standards are considered "overlapping"?
- TEA has released the overlapping curriculum for reading, grades 3-8. You can find these documents HERE, alongside the vertical alignment documents.
- We are still waiting for writing overlapping standards to be shared.
- 9-12 documents have not yet been released.
House Bill 3: What We Know
Are You a Literacy Leader?
Contact Us!
Caty Dearing
Email: catydear@gmail.com
Website: https://www.tctela.org/sections
Twitter: @catydear