The goal of this article is to share how the authors implemented a summer learning experience designed for the benefit of teachers and students simultaneously at Clear Creek Independent School District in Texas. They facilitated what John Hattie's research recommends: "a community of teachers [that] work together to ask the questions,…

This article reports on a weeklong professional development seminar where teachers worked with professionals to understand the way argument functions in different fields.

In a nation and political climate where models of communication and respect for another's ideas are difficult to find, the authors take seriously their charge to support educational practices that prepare students to critically engage in a free and democratic society. As part of a summer high school outreach program, they sought to develop a…

Writing plays an important role in adolescent literacy development, but school writing is often too rigid to accommodate their personal needs, not allowing them to write for different purposes and different audiences. Studies of writing generally focus on learning to write or writing to learn. Using a sociocultural lens, the authors focused on…

Although summer is a glorious time for many, with a summer off, comes the real issue of potential loss of skills. When English language learning is taken into account, summer has an even greater potential for backslide not only in terms of content but also in English language development. For some ELLs, a summer away from school can also mean a…

The authors realized that participating in a book club with friends has often provided the incentive to read books they normally wouldn't choose on their own. Book clubs have offered them relaxed and informal places to share and compare opinions, to explore texts and authors they wouldn't as readily appreciate or fully understand without friends…

Summer is a time for teachers to recharge their pedagogical batteries. Here, three veteran English teachers write about professional development programs that energized them and their teaching.

Offers an "unabashed hymn of praise" to the National Endowment for the Humanities for its Summer Seminars for Secondary Teachers. Describes the pleasures, discoveries, and enriching conversations that have taken place at these seminars over the last 11 years. (TB)

A summer academy for high school students was developed--With a two week session and small class sizes, the academy provided an environment for teachers to address standards while promoting lasting change in students approach to their education. An effort to engage parents with the book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens" is sought so they…

Discusses the influence of a summer institute on the development of an American Literature curriculum for middle school. Notes resulting teaching strategies include: researching archives with students to supplement textbook material; providing field trips; creating personal archival collections with students; pairing texts; and mixing media from…

Describes the experiences of a secondary teacher participating in a six-week National Endowment for the Humanities summer fellowship at Oxford, England. Reports that the teacher went back to her duties renewed through change. (RS)

Discusses the four-week summer Memphis (Tennessee) Urban Writing Institute, during which a furor erupted over the dilemma of grading. Provide a number of approaches to grading students' writing, including minimalist grading, cassette grading, collaborative grading, and portfolio grading. Suggests that teachers consider the grading dilemma and…

Presents reflections of a veteran teacher about the relationship between veteran and new teachers; about the trends of change in educational approaches; and about the benefit of summer programs for teachers. Shares some opinions about educational issues, such as standardized testing and busing. (TB)

Describes a volunteer effort involving community church groups and secondary school children in an effort to provide a summer learning experience for children in public housing. Reviews advantages of the program and what can be learned from it. (TB)

Discusses a summer institute that examined the shifting shape of American Literature, and teaching American Literature. Includes ways in which students help "make" literature with their own writing. Discusses the contributions of new technologies, pairing unlikely combinations of texts, and including middle school teachers who teach…