Secondary ELA & Library Media News: April 2022

 

Dear Secondary ELA and Library Media Colleagues:

 

Two events have me thinking about literature and poetry about the land: 1) I recently spent a weekend hiking and camping in the San Rafael Swell gazing at the petroglyphs and pictographs of the people who inhabited this land long before you and me, and 2) Jeff Winget, Curriculum Specialist at the San Juan School District, was our lone attendee at the ELA Standards Public Comment Meeting in Richfield, so we had a discussion about some of the great writers of the American West (Ellen Meloy, Terry Tempest Williams, Edward Abbey, Wallace Stegner, and more) as we swapped adventure stories of us discovering and recreating on this piece of earth. While April is National Poetry Month, Earth Day also falls within this month on April 22nd. Both experiences were reminders of how literature has the power to connect us to others and to the land on which we live. 

 

I also recently have had to reconcile my love of Stegner’s Angle of Repose with news that he plagiarized significant portions of it from Mary Foote’s journal. How does one come to terms with a beloved piece of art when you learn that it’s not what you thought it was? Or that the creator is different from who you originally thought? I’m not entirely sure. These questions don’t have easy answers. And while these wrestles with plagiarism are not entirely new, they seem relevant in this age of quick creation and sharing of information. 

 

Here’s to hoping that you’re able to spend some time enjoying springtime!

 

Naomi 

 

My Current Read: An American Sunrise by Joy Harjo

My Current Listen: “That’s Where I Am” by Maggie Rogers

My Current Watch: Coda Apple TV+

 

Educator Spotlight

Heather Wihongi, Riverview Jr. High

English teacher, journalism teacher, and instructional coach


How long have you been teaching?

I have been teaching for a total of 21 years.

 

Who/what inspired you to become a teacher?

I had several teachers and professors throughout my high school and college who inspired me to become a teacher and showed me the impact that teachers can have on students, but two stand out in my mind.  My high school biology and botany teacher Mr. Francis instilled a love of learning about nature and the world around us, but also how important it is to make learning fun.  My college humanities professor Dr. Parry showed me the life lessons to be found in literature and the importance of cultivating relationships with your students.

 

What has been the most rewarding part of teaching?

The most rewarding part of teaching is 100% my students.  I love experiencing the impact I can have on their lives, but even more, I love the impact they have on mine.  It is so rewarding to run into them years down the road and have them mention how they connected with a book they read in my class, still use the essay-writing strategies I taught them, or just loved the way they felt comfortable and accepted in my classroom.

 

What are your hobbies/interests when you are not teaching?

I love traveling with my family; our favorite destinations are New Zealand (where my husband is from) and New York City.  I am also a huge foodie, and I love cooking/baking, feeding other people, and binge-watching The Great British Bake-Off and Somebody Feed Phil.  Obviously, I adore reading as well, but my husband has recently gotten me hooked onto Korean K-dramas, which is seriously cutting into my reading time.

 

What do you think is the most important thing about teaching ELA to kids?

I think the most important thing about teaching ELA to students is showing them the power of words.  Whether those words are in the books they are reading or the writing they create, I love showing them that words have power and can make a huge difference in the world around them.

 

What is your favorite book? Author?

Well, isn’t this the most difficult question ever!  While I have several books that have become my favorites throughout my lifetime, I’d have to say Beauty by Robin McKinley is probably one of my all-time favorites.  Reading this book when I was young was what sparked my life-long love of reading.  Beauty also made me fall in love with beautiful words and language, and the lessons I learned from this book about self-worth and compassion had a big impact in my formative childhood years.

 

April is National Poetry Month!

 

 

 

P-12 ELA Standards Draft Open for Public Comment

 

The draft of the preschool through Grade 12 Utah English Language Arts (ELA) standards are now open for public comment. This public comment period concludes on June 14, 2022. 

Feedback can be provided online at https://tinyurl.com/433du5cx or in person at two remaining public meetings:

April 27, 2022, 6-8pm

Washington School District

121 West Tabernacle

St. George, UT 84770

 

May 17, 2022, 6-8pm

Ogden City School District

1950 Monroe Blvd

Ogden, UT 84401

 

Standards Implementation Institute Summer 2022

 

See this flyer for information about this summer’s Standards Implementation Institute. Registration is open now. Secondary ELA topics include: 

 

 

Intermountain AP Summer Institute

 

 

 

2022-2023 Secondary Literacy Director Meeting Dates

 

Mark your calendars! 

To receive a meeting invite, contact Brenda McMurtrey at brenda.mcmurtrey@schools.utah.gov

 

 

Join the Listserve

 

Want to stay in the loop of future newsletters? 

Join the Secondary ELA ListServ at https://lists.uen.org/mailman/listinfo/secondaryela or 

the Library Media ListServ at https://lists.uen.org/mailman/listinfo/library-media

 

Have an item for the monthly Secondary ELA & Library Media newsletter, a research or teaching tip, or an educator spotlight nomination? Email brenda.mcmurtrey@schools.utah.gov  by the first of the month.

 

**Please note: LEAs have the duty to select instructional materials that best correlate to the core standards for Utah public schools and graduation requirements. (UCA 53G-4-402(1(a)). Posting of these resources by USBE staff curriculum content specialists does not imply the resources have received official endorsement of the State Board. Educators are responsible to ensure use of these materials complies with LEA policies and directives.

 

 

Naomi Watkins, Ph.D.

Secondary ELA and Library Media Specialist

Utah State Board of Education

801-538-7616