NJCTE Seeks Teachers for the Dream Nominations

The New Jersey Council of Teachers of English (NJCTE) seeks to address and support underrepresented teachers of color in New Jersey and within our own organization. The Teachers for the Dream grant, funded with the generous support of NCTE, will help NJCTE support teachers of color within the state and within the leadership of our organization. We hold that this initiative will help us increase the diversity of our membership overall. 

Applications are due March 31, 2022.

Teachers of color are underrepresented in New Jersey and nationwide. Yet a diverse staff and educational environment are critical to providing high-quality learning for a diverse body of 21st-century student learners. 

A Fall 2011 study by the Center for American Progress found that “students of color made up more than 40 percent of the school-age population. In contrast, teachers of color were only 17 percent of the teaching force.” The same study found that students of color make up 48% of students in New Jersey, while teachers of color make up 18% of the teaching force. The disparities are only growing starker. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in Fall 2014 the percentage of students enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools who were White was less than 50 percent (49.5 percent) for the first time and represents a decrease from 58 percent in Fall 2004. To address this educational disparity with dire consequences for students of color, Researchers Saba Bireda and Robin Chait argue for, among other supports, mentoring for new teachers of color. NCTE, and NJCTE, are uniquely positioned to do this work for teachers of English.

​In order to support teachers of color and the diversity of NJCTE’s organization, NJCTE’s Teachers for the Dream Program is recruiting two teachers of color in elementary, middle, secondary, or postsecondary ELA education.

These two chosen educators will be involved in all levels of NJCTE. We will ask the two teachers to:

1. attend NJCTE board meetings

2. present, with the assistance of other board members, their work at one of our NJCTE conferences

3. share, at one of our NJCTE conferences, some of their reflections and experiences from their NCTE attendance

In return, the program will provide:

1. 2-year memberships in NJCTE and NCTE for the two teachers

2. conference registration for the teachers for all NJCTE conferences during the two year period

3. travel support to help our two teachers attend NCTE during one of the two years ($500 each)

Please share and/or apply today!

NJCTE Announces Teacher for the Dream Award Winners

NJCTE is thrilled to announce the two winners of our 2021-2023 Teacher for the Dream Award: Alexandria Lefkovits and Deborah Bartley-Carter. This award is a collaboration between the New Jersey Council of Teachers of English and the National Council of Teachers of English.

Alexandria Lefkovits is currently a middle school Gifted & Talented teacher in New Jersey, transitioning from many years as a teacher of English Language Arts. Alexandria holds a BA in Comparative Literature from Yale University and an MS in Education focusing on Adolescent English Instruction from St. John’s University. She has spent 15 years nurturing her love of working with students — whether tutoring, launching an English-immersion summer camp in China, building a preschool Mandarin immersion program in Colorado, or delivering dynamic, literature-focused lessons.  She has taught across grades 6-12 and delivered instruction to Integrated —i.e., mixtures of ELLs, students with disabilities, and students on-level— and Honors-level classes; additionally, she has held the position of AP English Literature and Composition Teacher and prepared students for the AP English Language and Composition exam.

Though her official teaching career began in New York, Alexandria returned to her home state of New Jersey to pursue her passion for equity in education. Since her return, Alexandria has often found that she is the only teacher of color either on staff, in the English department, or in the general education setting. She believes that it is imperative to have teachers of color in general education and higher-level environments in order to avoid subconsciously affiliating high-need environments as being the natural domain of people of color; moreover, she insists that it is the duty of a robust academic program to ensure that multicultural perspectives permeate all areas and levels of learning. Authentic access to these perspectives demands the inclusion of the people holding them. Alexandria has already begun to address these concerns in her own school: serving on the Equity and Inclusion committee, developing an enrichment cluster complementary to the Gifted and Talented program that more accurately represents the demographics of the student body, and guaranteeing all students access to special opportunities irrespective of the perceived barriers of level or language. Alexandria is thrilled to be a recipient of the Teacher for the Dream Award and welcomes the opportunity to share her voice, experience, and ideas with the NJCTE and beyond.

Deborah Bartley-Carter’s lifework has been in education for 20 years. She advanced in her career from primary classroom teacher to district level leadership roles. As a Regional Instructional Specialist in Literacy K-12 in New York City and then District Supervisor of Language Arts K-12 in New Jersey, she worked to find innovative and sustainable ways to impact teaching and learning literacy. As an Assistant Principal in grades 6-12 in New York City, she worked with teachers and fellow administrators to design curriculum, support professional growth and build a thriving school community. 

Deborah continues to learn throughout her professional career. She has always been invigorated by her inquisitiveness and her quest for improving learning experiences for all students. She has been awarded grants to enhance and improve her skills as an educator through the Fund for Teachers, The National Endowment for Humanities, The Moth Teacher Institute and The Gilder Lehrman Foundation. In 2020, she received the Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching and conducted her inquiry research at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. 

Deborah stays connected to the international education community by volunteering her time in programs for visiting Fulbrighters and organizations that support student exchange. She has served as a Board Member for several organizations in New York and New Jersey. She currently serves as a Board of Director for Valley Arts NJ in Orange, New Jersey and One to World in New York City. She was previously a Board member of Dancewave Dance School in New York City and Paulo Freire Charter High School in New Jersey. 

Deborah currently works at JH Brensinger School in Jersey City. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Binghamton University and a Master of Arts from Teachers College at Columbia University. She is an active member of several committees and associations. She served as a local graduate chapter Committee Chair for the National Commission for Arts and Letters as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She is a member of the National Council for History Education, Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education,The National Council for Teachers of English and New Jersey Education Association. 

Call for applicants: NCTE/NJCTE Teachers for the Dream – Deadline Oct 31

Call for applicants: NJCTE Teachers for the Dream – Deadline October 31, 2020

The New Jersey Council of Teachers of English (NJCTE) seeks to address and support underrepresented teachers of color in New Jersey and within our own organization. The Teachers for the Dream grant, funded with the generous support of NCTE, will help NJCTE support teachers of color within the state and within the leadership of our organization. We also hope that this initiative will help us increase the diversity of our membership overall.

If you are a teacher of color, please consider applying: https://cutt.ly/NJCTEDream. If you are not a teacher of color, please share this application with a friend or colleague who might benefit from this award.

Congratulations to Teacher for the Dream Award Winner George Salazar

Please join NJCTE in congratulating George Salazar, one of two winners of this year’s NJCTE Teacher for the Dream Award.

George is a British English speaker navigating the complex landscape of American English education. Born and raised abroad, his experiences have made him acutely aware of myriad philosophies to the teaching of literacy and literature, and how students—especially students of color—are empowered or marginalized by them. When he’s not fighting the spell-checker over the spelling of his words, he loves to write about the literary canon, technology in the classroom, and trends in education policy. Outside of teaching, George is a professional calligrapher, displaying his love for words by marrying both their form and function so others may also fall in love at first write.

As a recipient of the Teacher for the Dream Award, George is honored to join NJCTE’s community of dedicated and inspiring professionals. He is excited by the opportunities granted to share his insights, research, and best practices in local, state, and national conversations being held about teaching, especially in English Language Arts. He believes the perspectives and insights of people of color are necessary to our critical examinations of our content and practices. And with the platform provided by this award, George advocates for more people of color to become educators, so students see themselves represented in our profession, and see their experiences acknowledged, respected, and celebrated in what we do as English teachers.

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Attention NJ ELA teachers: Would you like to write for the NJCTE blog? We would be happy to publish your ideas and insights about your practice or resources you’ve had success with, etc. We welcome original pieces or those that have been posted elsewhere. Please send queries and contributions to njcteblog@gmail.com.

 

2 Time-Sensitive Opportunities for ELA Teachers

First, last-call for applications for NJCTE’s Teachers for the Dream grant! This is an excellent opportunity for English teachers of color, and the application deadline is October 31! Apply today and/or share widely!

Second, the NJDOE has issued a call for input from teachers on standards and assessments. Applications for the various working groups are due November 6. See below for details:

The New Jersey Department of Education (the Department) is committed to engaging stakeholders in efforts to build a coherent system of high-quality academic standards and aligned assessments. To build a stronger and fairer New Jersey education system, the Department believes that a collaborative and systematic approach to curriculum development, data literacy and professional learning is essential to improving teaching and learning and to provide all students with equitable access to post-secondary success.

Therefore, the Department is seeking educators’ input regarding three important initiatives for the 2018-19 school year: 1) the creation of instructional units in Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA), 2) the review and revision of the 2014 New Jersey Student Learning Standards, and 3) the second phase of outreach regarding the next generation of state assessments.

The Department is seeking educators with diverse educational experience to serve on these working groups, particularly, those with experience in:

• School context (e.g., K-12, higher education, urban/suburban/rural, north/central/south)

• Content expertise

• Years of teaching experience

• Role (e.g., teachers, teacher leaders, supervisors, principals, curriculum directors, data analysts, testing coordinators)

ELA and Mathematics Instructional Units and Standards Review Initiatives

During the 2018-19 school year, individuals with content expertise in English Language Arts and Mathematics will be invited to work with Department experts to participate in professional learning and then to develop K-12 instructional units based on the 2016 New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS). This work will be done jointly with the Partnership for Collaborative Professional Learning, which will provide training on the Connected Action Roadmap process.

Educators with content expertise in K-12 Computer Science, Comprehensive Health and Physical Education, Science, Social Studies, STEM, Technology, Visual and Performing Arts, World Languages and 21st Century Life and Career Skills will be asked to engage in a review of the 2014 NJSLS and to make recommendations. The primary goal of the standards review is to ensure that the NJSLS reflect current research on what students need to know and be able to do for postsecondary success.

It is anticipated that individuals with teaching experience in English Language Arts and Mathematics will engage in approximately 10 face-to-face sessions, with possible additional time as may be needed for virtual sessions or individual work.

Individuals interested in being considered for the English Language Arts and Mathematics instructional units initiative should request their principal or superintendent complete this Statement of Assurance, answer these survey questions and send a resume to standards@doe.nj.gov by November 6, 2018.

Individuals interested in being considered to take part in the review of the 2014 NJSLS should request their principal or superintendent complete this Statement of Assurance, answer these survey questions, and send a resume to standards@doe.nj.gov by November 6, 2018. All applicants will be notified by email of their selection status.

Assessment Practitioner Working Groups: Part of Phase II of Assessment Outreach

The goal of the assessment practitioner working groups is to build upon the Department’s draft framework for the next generation of statewide assessments that was established with the insights gained from conversations in Phase I, to support the development and/or procurement of the next generation assessment for the 2020-21 school year.

These practitioner working groups will focus on assessments in English Language Arts and Mathematics for grades 3-8 and high school, building on the priorities shared by students, parents, educators and content experts from around the state, which were identified in the Summary of Findings Report. For the fall and winter of 2018, participants will join working groups involved in the evaluation of assessment characteristics such as data and reporting, assessment technology, assessment types and formats. This work will occur alongside the policy analysis being done in order to further review New Jersey’s high school graduation requirements and related high school policies.

Those who are interested in participating are encouraged to complete the Practitioner Working Group Application by November 6, 2018. The application will be used to collect background information on each applicant for the purposes of placing participants into groups based on their unique areas of expertise. It is anticipated that individuals will engage in at least two face-to-face half-day sessions, with the potential for follow-up in virtual sessions. All applicants will be notified by email of their selection status. If selected, they will be provided their working group information and additional details regarding meeting times.

These practitioner working groups are just part of the NJDOE’s second phase of outreach occurring throughout the year. Information regarding graduation policy outreach is coming later this fall and the Department will provide periodic public updates on working group recommendations. An initial update is anticipated for early 2019, at the conclusion of the assessment working group meetings.

Contact Information

We hope you will consider participating or alert a colleague to this opportunity. Should you have questions regarding ELA and Mathematics instructional units or the Standards Review initiative, please contact standards@doe.nj.gov. For questions on Assessment Outreach, email assessment.outreach@doe.nj.gov.

Call for applicants: NJCTE Teachers for the Dream – Deadline October 31, 2018

The New Jersey Council of Teachers of English (NJCTE) seeks to address and support underrepresented teachers of color in New Jersey and within our own organization. The Teachers for the Dream grant, funded with the generous support of NCTE, will help NJCTE support teachers of color within the state and within the leadership of our organization. We also hope that this initiative will help us increase the diversity of our membership overall.

If you are a teacher of color, please consider applying: http://bit.ly/NJCTEDream. If you are not a teacher of color, please share this application with a friend or colleague who might benefit from this award.

Teachers of color are underrepresented in New Jersey and nationwide. Yet a diverse staff and educational environment is critical to providing high quality learning for a diverse body of 21st century student learners.

A Fall 2011 study by the Center for American Progress found that “students of color made up more than 40 percent of the school-age population. In contrast, teachers of color were only 17 percent of the teaching force.” The same study found that students of color make up 48% of students in New Jersey, while teachers of color make up 18% of the teaching force. The disparities are only growing starker. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in Fall 2014 the percentage of students enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools who were White was less than 50 percent (49.5 percent) for the first time and represents a decrease from 58 percent in Fall 2004. To address this educational disparity with dire consequences for students of color, Researchers Saba Bireda and Robin Chait argue for, among other supports, mentoring for new teachers of color. NCTE, and NJCTE, are uniquely positioned to do this work for teachers of English.

In order to support teachers of color and the diversity of NJCTE’s organization, NJCTE’s Teachers for the Dream Program is recruiting two teachers of color in elementary, middle, secondary, or postsecondary ELA education.

These two chosen educators will be involved in all levels of NJCTE. We will ask the two teachers to

1. attend NJCTE board meetings
2. present, with the assistance of other board members, their work at one of our NJCTE conferences
3. share, at one of our NJCTE conferences, some of their reflections and experiences from their NCTE attendance

In return, the program will provide

1. 2 year memberships in NJCTE and NCTE for the two teachers
2. conference registration for the teachers for all NJCTE conferences during the two year period
3. travel support to help our two teachers attend NCTE during one of the two years ($500 each)

Program Schedule

The timetable for the NJCTE Dream Program is as follows:

• September-October 2018 – Recruit applicants to the program
• November 2018 – Select and meet with (online) award recipients
• December 2018 – Recipients will work with NJCTE board members to submit NJCTE conference proposal (Spring 2019 conference)
• January 2019 – Recipients will work with NJCTE board members to submit NCTE conference proposal (November 2019 convention)
• January/February 2019 – Recipients will attend online board meetings
• March 2019 – Recipients will attend, be recognized, and may present at the NJCTE spring conference; recipients will attend NJCTE post-conference board meeting
• April/May 2019 – Recipients will attend online board meetings
• Summer 2019 – Recipients will attend in-person summer retreat; recipients will work with NJCTE board members to submit NJCTE conference proposal (Fall 2019 conference)
• September 2019 – Recipients will attend online board meeting
• October 2019 – Recipients will attend and present work at NJCTE fall conference; recipients will attend NJCTE post-conference board meeting
• November 2019 – Recipients will attend NCTE and potentially present work
• December 2019 – Recipients will work with NJCTE board members to submit NJCTE conference proposal (Spring 2020 conference)
• January/February 2020 – Recipients will attend online board meetings
• March 2020 – Recipients will attend NJCTE spring conference and present reflections on NCTE; recipients will attend NJCTE board meeting; recipients may take on board membership at NJCTE and assume leadership roles
• May 2020 – Recipients will attend NJCTE board meeting; final report to NCTE

Please apply at http://bit.ly/NJCTEDream. Address any questions to njctedream@gmail.com or NJCTE President Audrey Fisch at njctepresident@gmail.com.

New Jersey Council of Teachers of English, the New Jersey state affiliate of NCTE, the National Council of Teachers of English