Dear WHACTE Members and Friends,

If your district is like ours, the start of school

always calls for hours of professional develop-
ment, state and district policy updates, team
planning, and other meetings that seem to sap
the energy reserve we built over the summer.
We come back the first day refreshed, but be-
fore we even get into our classrooms to prepare
for those kiddoes, we are buried beneath piles
of handouts with the latest in the district and
schools instructional vision. Weve done data
digs and calendars and feel overwhelmed by
Labor Day.

I planned to take on the roll of pep rally leader
here and give you stirring words of encourage-
ment to rekindle the fire you hopefully had on
your first day back. In the omnipresent optimism
of our profession, I hoped to garner just the
right timing and vocabulary into something in-
spirational enough to hang on your bulletin
board to boost your enthusiasm whenever it may
falter. As searched for the right words, my of-
ficemate shared the link to the following letter.
I think it does a better job than I ever could.
Get a hanky and get inspired..and dont let
them suck your fun circuits dry.

A Sandy Hook Parent's Let-
ter to Teachers
By Nelba Marquez-Greene

As another school year begins and old
routines settle back into place, I wanted
to share my story in honor of the teachers
everywhere who care for our children.
I lost my 6-year-old daughter Ana Grace
on Dec. 14, 2012, in the rampage at
Sandy Hook Elementary School. My
son, who was in the building and heard
the shooting, survived.

While waiting in the firehouse that day
to hear the official news that our
daughter was dead, my husband and I
made promises to ourselves, to each
other, and to our son. We promised to
face the future with courage, faith, and
love.

As teachers and school employees be-
gin this new year, my wish for you is
that same courage, faith, and love.
It takes guts to be a teacher. Six brave
women gave their lives trying to pro-
tect their students at Sandy Hook.
Other teachers were forced to run from
the building, stepping over the bodies
of their friends and colleagues, and
they came right back to work.
When I asked my sons teacher why she
returned, she responded, Because they are
my kids. And my students need me now
more than ever. She sent daily updates on
my sons progress, from his behavior to
what hed eaten for lunch. And four months
later, when my son finally smiled one day
after school, I asked him about it. His re-
sponse? Mom. My teacher is so funny. I
had an epic day.

While I pray you will never find yourself in
the position of the teachers at Sandy Hook,
your courage will support students like my
son, who have lived through traumas
no child should have to.

Your courage will support students who
are left out and overlooked, like the
isolated young man who killed my
daughter. At some point he was a
young, impressionable student, often
sitting all alone at school. You will have
kids facing long odds for whom your
smile, your encouraging word, and
your willingness to go the extra mile
will provide the comfort and security
they need to try again tomorrow.

When you Google hero, there should
be a picture of a principal, a school
lunch worker, a custodian, a reading
Presidents Message Kristen (Stapp) Nance
Volume XV, Issue 1 Page 1
Inside this issue:
Newsletter Date Volume XV, Issue 1
WHACTE
Grant Winners

First Place
Dana Gilson

and

Second Place
Jacquelyn Nichols


Congratulations!
Presidents Message 1-2
Fall Event 3
Grant Winners Greeting 4
Legislative News 5
Coaching through... 6-7
Abydos Article: Academic
Learning Time
8
WHACTE Dues Information 9

specialist, a teacher, or a bus monitor. Real heroes dont wear capes. They work in Americas schools.
Being courageous requires faith. It took faith to go back to work at Sandy Hook after the shooting. Nobody had the answers or
knew what would come tomorrow, but they just kept going. Every opportunity you have to create welcoming environments in
our schools where parents and students feel connected counts.

Have faith that your hard work is having a profound impact on your students. Of the 15,000 personal letters I received after
the shooting, only one stays at my bedside. Its from my high school English teacher, Robert Buckley.
But you cant be courageous or step out on faith without a deep love for what you do.

Parents are sending their precious children to you this fall. Some will come fully prepared, and others not. They will come f ed
and with empty bellies. They will come from intact homes and fractured ones. Love them all.
When my son returned to school in January, I thought I was going to lose my mind. Imagine the difficulty in sending your sur-
viving child into a classroom when you lost your baby in a school shooting. We sent him because we didnt want him to be
afraid.

We sent him because we wanted him to understand that while our lives would never be the same, our lives still needed to
move forward.

According to the 2011-12 National Survey of Childrens Health, nearly half of Americas children will have suffered at least one
childhood trauma before the age of 18. They need your love.

A few weeks before the shooting, Ana Grace and I shared a special morning. Lunches were packed and clothes were picked out
the night before, so we had extra time to snuggle. And while I lay in bed with my beautiful caramel princess, she sensed that I
was distracted and asked, Whats the matter, Mom? I remember saying to her, Nothing, baby. Its just work. She looked at
me for a very long time with a thoughtful stare, then she told me, Dont let them suck your fun circuits dry, Mom.
As you begin this school year, remember Ana Grace. Walk with courage, with faith, and with love. And dont let them suck your
fun circuits dry.


Nelba Marquez-Greene's 6-year-old daughter Ana Grace, who was killed in the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary on Dec. 14, 2012.
Courtesy of Nelba Marquez-Greene
Page 2 Volume XV, Issue 1
On Saturday, September 21
st
,
West Houston Council of
Teachers of English hosted
our annual Fall breakfast at
the Sugar Land Marriott
Town Square Hotel for nearly
five hundred teachers from
Ft Bend, Cy Fair, Houston,
Spring Branch, Lamar Con-
solidated, Katy, and other
private and public schools in
the Houston area.
Participants browsed booths from our sponsors
like: Bedford, Freeman & Worth, Blue Willow
Bookshop, ETA Cuisenaire, QEP Professional
Books, Rally Education, Writers in the Schools,
Triumph Learning, Tween Read, and The Univer-
sity of Houston before the business meeting be-
gan in the formal ballroom.
At the business meeting, our president, Kristen
Stapp-Nance, presented the 2013-14 slate of
officers and board members to the members.
The slate was approved. Next, she presented
our 2013-14 Mercedes Bonner Promising New
Teacher Grants to Dana Gilson from Fort Bend
ISD and Jacquelyn Phillips of Spring Branch
ISD.
Catherine Roth, our 1
st
vice president for pro-
grams, introduced our main speaker, Victoria
Young from the Texas Education Agency. She
spoke about the major changes to the STARR:
State Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness.
Victoria reviewed the scoring guides for all levels
before going into specifics about the two major
areas: READING and WRITING. In READING, she
explained what the reading data revealed and
addressed the text complexity. In WRITING, she
explained what drives the scoring and how each
grade level test was different. FOR MORE DE-
TAILS, please go to our website for the complete
presentation. As always, she was direct but reas-
suring she has our backs as educators and the
best interest of the students we teach. We are so
lucky to have her working for us at TEA and even
luckier to have her talk with us each Fall about
the past and future testing of the state.
Catherine then presented our second set of guest
speakers: Dr. Margaret Hale from the University
of Houston and Valerie Koehler from Blue Willow
Bookshop. Together they presented from their
different points of view the BEST of the BEST in
childrens litera-
ture. With attrac-
tive covers on dis-
play, they reviewed
over 25 picture
books, graphic nov-
els, award- winning
novels, etc. for ALL
ages- young, mid-
dle, and even adult.
They truly showed
us a BALANCED DIET
of READING. Margaret and Valerie
were a charming pair of presenters
with just the right amount of humor
and captivating recommendations to
send us running to purchase these
books. For an annotated list of the
reviewed books, go to our website.
And, if you havent visited Blue Wil-
low Bookshop in West Houston, you
have missed a rare treat.
With new information about the state
tests and an awesome list of great
new titles, everyone left satisfied and
ready to tackle a new school year.
A special thanks goes to Catherine
Roth and the WHACTE executive
board for a wonderful Fall workshop.
We all look forward to next years
program!
Fall Event
Page 3 Volume XV, Issue 1
Thank you to
our
sponsoring
vendors
The Fall Event could not have
been complete without the help
of the following vendors:

BedfordSt. Martins
Blue Willow Bookstore
ETA Cuisenaire
Freeman and Worth
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
QEP Professional Books
Rally Education
Teacher Created Materials
Publishing
Tween Read
Triumph Learning
University of Houston
Writers in Schools













This summer I used half of my grant money to take professional devel-
opment courses in ESL strategies, and teaching methods for English
teachers. I plan to use the rest of the grant money to take courses for
teaching strategies for students that are gifted and talented and stu-
dents that live in poverty.
I learned many aspects of education in college and felt confident when
I began teaching, but nothing can prepare you quite like experience
does.
Thank you so much for the opportunity to support new teachers who
have minimal experience, but want nothing but the best for their stu-
dents!
Jackie R Phillips




























I intend to use the WHACTE grant in my classroom by purchasing
class novel sets, leveled small group nonfiction books, and voice
recorders. I hope to incorporate recorders into my writing workshop
to allow struggling writers to orally tell a story then be able to hear
it played back and write the story down. I want my students to
"think of writing as chatting on paper" (from A Writer's Notebook:
Unlocking the Writer Within You by Ralph Fletcher).

Thank you!

Dana Gilson
A Word from the Grant Winners
Page 4 Volume XV, Issue 1
High-stakes testing was one of the most talked-about issues this legislative session, and several high-profile bills were
adopted pertaining to standardized testing and related subjects.
On Sunday, May 26, the House and Senate both approved House Bill (HB) 2836 by Rep. Bennett Ratliff with a
unanimous vote in each chamber. HB 2836 is an attempt to reduce the amount of time spent on standardized testing in
grades 3 through 8. It limits the number of district benchmark tests that may be administered. The bill requires state
tests to be validated and designed for the primary purpose of assessing students mastery of the curriculum. It
demands better monitoring of state contracts with testing vendors. HB 2836 also calls for an interim study on
curriculum standards in response to concerns about the high number of TEKS that have been adopted by the SBOE and
the oft-repeated criticism that our TEKS are an inch deep and a mile wide. Additionally, HB 2836 requires a redesign
of the tests used for students with significant cognitive disabilities and should help reduce the amount of teachers
paperwork necessitated by those tests. The bill will also help prevent schools from being penalized under the
accountability system for certain students referred to a residential facility for treatment. HB 2836 was sent to the
governor today.

The Legislature passed another testing reform bill that impacts elementary grades. Under HB 866 by Rep. Dan
Huberty, certain students who achieve satisfactory scores on STAAR tests in in third, fifth and sixth grades may be
permitted to skip the exams in grades four, six or seven. However, the bills implementation will necessitate a waiver
from the federal government because of the No Child Left Behind Act. HB 866 passed the House unanimously and was
approved by a vote of 29 to 2 in the Senate. It was sent to the governor Monday, May 27.

The most comprehensive education reform bill approved by the Legislature this session was HB 5 by House Public
Education Committee Chairman Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock. HB 5 deals with testing, graduation requirements and the
accountability system. After much negotiation between the Senate and House and a widely reported deal under which
the testing bill would be approved only upon passage of a charter school bill, the final version of HB 5 passed both
chambers unanimously on Sunday night.
Volume XV, Issue 1
WHACTE Legislative Update
A note from Janet Charpiot
Page 5
Our Voice Still Needs to be
Heard!!!
Censorship Problem?
NCTE offers advice, helpful documents, and other support at no cost to K12 teachers, schools,
and districts that are faced with challenges to literary works, films and videos, or teaching
methods. Leave a message at 800-369-6283, ext. 3848, or call Charles Suhor,
NCTE/SLATE Field Representative, directly at 334-280-4758.
Coaching through Teaching, Reflecting and Learning
Alongside Our Colleagues
By Stephen Winton
Often when teachers assume administrative positions this is
called leaving the classroom. I think this term illustrates the
misconception that one can be a school leader without continuing
to be a teacher and learner oneself. Reflection is the most valu-
able tool in improving instruction. If administrators do not model
both best practices and self-reflection by working with teachers
and students in classrooms, whatever else they do will likely have
diminished returns on student growth.
This year I became Assistant Principal of Harmony School of
Excellence - Endeavor. Finding myself in the company of amaz-
ing colleagues, a joy of each day is working with educators and
kids and reflecting on teaching and learning.
We are blessed with an outstanding English language arts teacher
named Dale Meadows. Dale is starting the year with a unit called
"The Writerly Life." His objective is to make writing personal
and meaningful to students.
Dale has done an amazing job in setting up a vibrant community
of readers and writers. If you walk into his room at any time,
you'll see students sitting in groups talking about their writing or
thoughtfully engrossed in their writer's notebooks. Here's a small
sampling of the work to scaffold this authentic writing experi-
ence
Anchor Texts







Exploration of Genres What is a reader?













Thinking about the writerly life



Volume XV, Issue 1
Dale stops by my office almost daily
and we talk about teaching and learn-
ing. We thought it might be a good
idea for me to come into his class and model that writers are
everyday people who write about what is important to them.

Students at my school will be receiving Chromebooks this
week. I thought about my newly created blog about my run-
ning and how much it means to me. So, I decided to use the
blog as a readaloud text, hoping that I could model the possi-
bilities of personal, meaningful writing. This lesson would be
different than many of my past demonstration lessons, as the
focus is not so much skills-based, but rather engagement and
creating a vision for writing possibilities.

Dale introduced me, and the students sat in circle in front of
me. I told students that I write for many purposes. For my job,
I write lessons, e-mails, proposals, etc. But I also write for
myself. I told the kids that I'm training for a 100 mile race, and
that I keep a blog to write about my running. Wanted to get the
kids voices in quickly, I asked them to do a turn and talk about
what kind of blogs they read and added examples to the board.

Not wanting all the races to become a blur, I write so that I can
both remember these experiences that are important to me and
reflect upon them. I showed them my blog: http://
woodlandstrailrunner.blogspot.com/

Wanting to lay some ground-
work for John OFlahavans
Consume, Critique, Produce, I
talked about that when writers
are trying a new form of writ-
ing, they look at similar texts to
think about the choices the writ-
ers made. If we're writing a
recipe positing for a website,
we would look at other exam-
ples to see how we might put it
together. I knew that on my
blog I wanted a place to show
my past race results. Trying to
figure out how to best organize
the information, I showed them
a couple of blogs of elite ultra-
marathoners that I had con-
sulted. I said I liked how one
listed his results in sections by
year, from January to Decem-
ber, but I liked how the other formatted the date. Not wanting
kids to think that learning from other writers is copying a tem-
plate, I pointed out that every writer makes choices and our job
as a writer is to think about these then make the choice that best
fits our piece and audience.
Page 6
Coaching through Teaching ...
By Stephen Winton
I showed them a race report I'd written about the Rough Creek 40
Miler I'd run over the weekend: http://
woodlandstrailrunner.blogspot.com/2013/09/rough-creek-40-
miler-race-report.html I told them that just as I'd done with the
race results listing, I had read many race reports by others before
I had written mine, identifying that most contained information
about the background of training, the course, the race itself, and
reflections on what they learned.

As I read aloud, I stopped at certain points to talk about how be-
ing a writer helps us experience life more richly. When I ran this
race, I knew I'd write the race report. So I experienced the
race through the
eyes of a writer,
looking for in-
teresting mo-
ments to in-
clude, such as
the deer bolting
across the path
at the start, the
little boy wait-
ing in the mid-
dle of the last
descent for a
high-five. I
wanted kids to
think about the
possibility that
being a writer makes them more aware.

Kids asked a lot of questions, more about the running than the
writing process. This was okay because if the focus was engage-
ment it was working.

Above, a photo at the foot of a steep hill in the Rusty Crown. I
told Dale that if my hobby were stamp collecting, I might've
needed to pick a different text to get the kids' interest.

Fearing that students would think that all of this writing flows
magically out of me in completed form, I touched on the revision
process. I showed them a section of a first draft, where I noticed
that I had begun most of the sentences with the word "I" and how
this might be boring and repetitive to the reader. Touching on a
bit of grammar, I showed how I added some dependent clauses to
vary the sentence beginnings. I also noticed some typos as I read
aloud and fixed them on the spot.
Volume XV, Issue 1
After the read aloud, I talked
a bit about the mechanics of
putting a blog together. This
wasn't a tutorial, but I wanted
kids to begin to have a vision
of what their possible blog
might look like. I showed
them how you create a layout
on with Blogspot, moving
sections around to show that even in this technical bit a writer
is making choices.

I told students that no one has to create a blog, but I wanted
them to think about what might be, so they turned and talked
about what they might blog about. I said that some blogs are
created by more than one person, and students
might wish to collaborate.

In moving towards having a vision for the
writing, I wanted kids to sketch out what the
layout of their blog might be. I showed them
a paper-based example I'd made:




I sent students off to make their own, but Dale helpfully sug-
gested between the first period and the later classes I taught
that more scaffolding was needed, and said I might use the
templates other students made as models. Brilliant!

There were a lot of kids excited about the possibility of making
their own blog. For some, blogging will not be their thing, and
that's okay. I used to write fiction when I was younger, but I
never do it now. Students need to find the kind of writing that
speaks to them. Dale is offering his students plenty of
choices. There needs to be ample of time for students to write
in the mode that suits their interests. If the work isn't meaning-
ful to the kids, it doesn't matter in the long run.

After the lessons, Dale and I reflected on celebrations and areas
of growth in my teaching. We brainstormed ideas of different
paths for continuing this focus on engagement in personally
relevant writing.

I learn so much from going into the classrooms of teachers like
Dale and reflecting on the work they are doing. In turn, the
only way I know to begin teaching is by modeling authentic
work. Teaching in front of others as an administrator is scary if
we cling to the authoritarian power structure. But if we let that
go and view leadership as learning and reflecting together with
our colleagues, the work is more likely to lead to growth for all
involved, which in turn allows us to better serve the needs of
our students.
Page 7
Vanished Time by Jennifer Weeks
Research recently found that half of
each school day may be wasted in some
classrooms and engagement rates may
be as low as 50% to an astonishing 90%.
Several factors may be contributing to
this critical lost time: a teachers
managerial competencies, instruction
type, grouping practices, or characteristics of individual stu-
dents. Regardless of the situation, the way in which children
spend their time in classrooms, or Academic Learning Time, con-
tinues to be an important topic for all school personnel.

Academic Learning Time (ALT) is the time during which students
are productive, active, and successfully engaged in their learn-
ing. Many teachers report that one of the most difficult aspects
of teaching is maintaining engagement and interaction among all
students during whole group instruction (Gettinger and Seibert,
1995). However, successful strategies are available, making this
difficult task more manageable. Highly effective teachers im-
plement interactive presentations and activities that include
modeling, guided practice, questioning and answering, and con-
structive feedback before students begin work independently
(Time-on-Task, 2013).

Increased ALT is of special importance, as this was an area I was
determined to make significant improvements upon in my own
classroom. After the first few days of school, I noticed that
many of my 26 kindergarteners were not fully and actively en-
gaged in whole group activities. They were playing with their
hair, picking up crumbs from the carpet, tying and untying their
shoes, playing with their neighbors hair, and one even drifting
off to sleep. I needed an intervention and quickly. With the
collaboration from school district administrators, fellow teach-
ers, and educational research, I have found and implemented
several effective strategies that increased the ALT of all my stu-
dents. Some helpful strategies include:
ENGAGEMENT THROUGH MOVEMENT
Exercising Verbs: One student uses a complete sentence to
prompt students to do an exercise activity and the rest of the
students identify the verb. For example, a student instructs
Now we will jump 5 times. The students complete the action
and identify the verb jump.

Brain Breaks: This can be done when students need a short
movement break. In advance, prepare popsicle sticks with dif-
ferent movement activities written on them. When the students
need a break, pull a stick and complete the activity.

Limit Lecture: Limit whole group instruction to 15-20 minutes.
After this time, students should have the opportunity to move
around and change activities.

Hand Signals: For new vocabulary words, have children come up
with hand signals to use for each word. Going forward, when we
read a book or sing a song, they make the hand signal when they
hear the word.

Volume XV, Issue 1
STUDENT LED ENGAGEMENT
1. Student Led Whole Group: Provide students the opportu-
nity to lead whole group. Instead of posing a question to the
entire class, have students work in pairs or small groups to
answer a question or solve a problem. Then they report their
findings to the class on how they answered the question or
solved the problem. Finally, have them pose and answer
questions from the rest of the group.
2. Ask a Friend: If a student does not know an answer to a
question, they can ask a friend for help. The friend answers
the question and the student in need of help repeats the an-
swer.
3. Pick-a-stick: Write each students name on a popsicle
stick. When asking questions, first ask the question and then
pick a stick randomly and have that student provide the an-
swer. After he/she provides the answer, have him/her pick
another stick and ask the next student a question.

RESEARCHED STRATEGIES
1. Construct engaging lessons around objectives and provide
clear, concise directions.
2. During lessons, provide substantive teacher-student inter-
actions model, guide students through practice, ask ques-
tions that require higher order thinking, and give immediate
corrective feedback.
3. Use quick, efficient transitions to move students in and
out of activities smoothly.
4. Implement rules and procedures that are effective and
reduce time spent on disruptions and disciplinary situations.
Think/Pair/Share: Pose a problem or question to students and
have them think about what they heard, turn to a neighbor
and share his/her thoughts, and finally have a few groups
share with another pair or the class (Time-on-Task, 2013).

OTHER INTERACTIVE POSSIBILITIES:

1. Peer Instruction 2. Practice Sessions
3. Role Play 4. Brainstorming 5. Games
Competition (Time-on-Task, 2013)

In conclusion, one of the most daunting tasks a teacher
faces is ensuring that all students are maximizing Academic
Learning Time, particularly during whole group instruction.
Fortunately, several effective strategies are available to em-
ploy, leading to amazing outcomes. Teachers who provide
interactive learning activities, incorporate effective classroom
management techniques, utilize good teaching practices, and
are familiar with research on Academic Learning Time foster
students who are active participants in their knowledge acqui-
sition and skill development, and perform at high levels of
accomplishment (Time-on-Task, 2013).


References
Florida Association of Education. (2013). Time-on-Task: A Strategy
that Accelerates Learning. Retrived from http://feaweb.org/time-
on-task-a-teaching-strategy-that-accelerates-learning

Gettinger, Maribeth and Seibert, Jill K. (1995). Best Practices in In-
creasing Academic Learning Time. Best Practices In School Pyschol-
ogy. Retrieved from http://dox.aea1.k12.ia.us/docs/gettinger.pdf
Page 8
Do you know someone interested in joining WHACTE? Have them send the following information and a
check for $15.00 to:
WHACTE
P.O. Box 79083
Houston, TX 77279-9083
Name
Home Address with City/State/ZIP
School or Organization
Email Address
Teaching Level and Position: elementary, middle, high, college, or other
Phone Number
Volume XV, Issue 1
Page 9
WHACTE Dues Information
What do I get for my dues?
Membership in WHACTE, emails regarding upcoming events, and the quarterly newsletter, The ELAborator.

How does WHACTE use that money?
WHACTE hosts two events each year. The Fall event is traditionally a breakfast with fabulous profes-
sional vendors and a keynote address. Keynote speakers in past years include Victoria Young, Dr.
Mario Campanaro, Stephanie Harvey, Teri Lesesne, Janet Stevens, and Andrea White - one of
Houston's outstanding authors. Your dues pay for these speakers. The Spring event is currently
under construction as your Board of Directors seeks to meet the most direct needs of our mem-
bers. We plan to move towards a Saturday morning professional development opportunity, but more
details to come!

WHACTE sponsors grants for promising new teachers: The Mercedes Bonner New Teacher Grant -
Promoting the Art and Craft of Teaching. Winning teachers have taught one to two years and are
given $500 each. The first place winner receives $500 in addition to a classroom library. What a
fabulous way to pass the torch to the next generation of educators! Recent grant recipients have
been graduates of the University of Texas, Trinity University, the University of Houston, Texas Chris-
tian University, and Hillsdale College.

WHACTE publishes a newsletter several times a year filled with teaching strategies, book reviews, and
the latest legislative news. This makes for wonderful professional reading that enhances our own
learning and the learning of the students we see each day.

Last, we have an amazing website that keeps us up-to-date on professional meetings, shares the latest
professional information and helps us better communicate with each other.