By Lori Campbell
Two long, stressful years have passed since we last gathered in person for the California Association of Teachers of English (CATE) Convention, and I am sure we could all use a “booster” as we exit the allegorical cave of COVID. This year, CATE’s theme is “California Dreamin’: Reimagining the Future of English Education Together.” And the ERWC strand for this coming convention presents best practices not only in the traditional classroom, but also in light of the new world in which we educators find ourselves and our students.
You can choose from sessions that address the difficult subjects of inquiry, transfer for learning, metacognition, scaffolding, and integrating ELD into the ERWC course. There are also sessions that apply a digital face to ERWC by including media studies, writing for the ERWC blog, and looking at the recently fully Quality Matters (QM) certified ERWC blended course for Canvas. You will probably need to bring some colleagues with you because some of these sessions occur simultaneously.
There is still time to register for the CATE Convention. This video can show you what to do. If you have already registered, here are some helpful hints as you get ready to journey to Long Beach. Safety protocols are in place to ensure the wellness of participants and speakers, and the ERWC community is so excited to have this opportunity to reconnect with our wonderful teachers.
For more information on CATE 2022, please visit https://www.cateweb.org/convention/cate-2022/.
Lori Campbell is the English department chair for Kern High School District’s Kern Learn Program. This is a complete distance learning program that provides students the option to take their A-G required courses online. She has taught ERWC both face-to-face and through distance learning for 10 years. She holds her master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction.
Teaching ERWC 