Recalls memorable moments from the author's public school life which imply that the best possible learning environments are active, meaningful, personalized, and collaborative; nourished by conversation, by reading, and by writing among teachers, administrators, parents, and students; and that the best teachers are learners. (SR)

Presents the author's acceptance speech when named 2000 Outstanding Educator in the Language Arts by the Elementary Section of the National Council of Teachers of English. Shares her life story to argue that teachers' actions have the potential to add, deepen, or change current trends and events within the struggle for educational justice. (SG)

Explores educational possibilities and discusses how classroom practice might be related to one's communal and national future. Defines pedagogy as the integration in practice of particular curriculum content and design, classroom strategies and techniques, a time and space for the practice of those strategies and techniques, and evaluation…