Participation Type
Paper
Session Title
In the Present Tense: Appalachian Teachers Writing for Their Work and Lives
Presentation #1 Title
In the Present Tense: Appalachian Teachers Writing for Their Work and Lives
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
For decades now, America's teachers have been under siege. That attack has felt particularly sharp in Appalachia, where shrinking populations and tight budgets have taken a heavy toll on the region’s economies, communities, and schools. Few Appalachian places have felt those effects more deeply than West Virginia, where too many rural schools teeter on the edges of bankruptcy or state takeover (or both); where students consistently do poorly on standardized exams; and where more and more blame for the state's many troubles gets laid on the shoulders of its teachers. "In the Present Tense" is a new blogging project whose aim is to both support and connect diverse teachers across the state and, in so doing, to disrupt the current narratives of siege and incompetence. As teachers blog and share their stories of teaching and learning, they recognize commonalities, share strength, and build resilience. As their stories "get out there," these blogs challenge the increasingly dominant narrative of teacher incompetence, and help us all to begin to think differently about one of our state's—and our region's—most important professions.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Elizabeth Campbell and Susan Malinoski both hail from Marshall University's EdD program. Beth is an Associate Professor of Curriculum and Instruction who teaches research, writing and educational foundations; Susan is an EdD student and Assistant Principal at Charleston Catholic High School.
In the Present Tense: Appalachian Teachers Writing for Their Work and Lives
For decades now, America's teachers have been under siege. That attack has felt particularly sharp in Appalachia, where shrinking populations and tight budgets have taken a heavy toll on the region’s economies, communities, and schools. Few Appalachian places have felt those effects more deeply than West Virginia, where too many rural schools teeter on the edges of bankruptcy or state takeover (or both); where students consistently do poorly on standardized exams; and where more and more blame for the state's many troubles gets laid on the shoulders of its teachers. "In the Present Tense" is a new blogging project whose aim is to both support and connect diverse teachers across the state and, in so doing, to disrupt the current narratives of siege and incompetence. As teachers blog and share their stories of teaching and learning, they recognize commonalities, share strength, and build resilience. As their stories "get out there," these blogs challenge the increasingly dominant narrative of teacher incompetence, and help us all to begin to think differently about one of our state's—and our region's—most important professions.
