TCTELA - Texas Council of Teachers of English Language Arts

09/08/2026

Canned curriculum got you down? Join us for a conversation titled Living with the Script on Saturday 9/19 at 9am. TCTELA Teacher Development Chair and CREST President Tonja Gray will lead this conversation alongside our Middle School Chair, Janeth Cornejo. Bring a new teacher or administrator and win a copy of Kin by Carole Boston Weatherford!

09/02/2026

What if your students groaned when writing time ENDED…because they wanted to keep going?

That’s the kind of writing classroom Stephen and Kayla Briseño are working to build.

And their approach starts with something surprisingly simple:

Students need time.
They need choice.
And they need to know their writing matters before every sentence becomes something to correct.

In this conversation with TCTELA President Markesha Tisby, Stephen and Kayla share how writing workshop can help students become more confident writers and how teachers can become part of that writing community instead of simply standing on the sidelines.

One story especially stuck.

A student who once refused to write eventually began writing 2–3 pages every week.

The shift?

“I’m not critiquing you. I’m not judging you. I’m celebrating you.”

If you teach writing, coach teachers, lead literacy instruction, or simply want more students to see themselves as writers, this conversation is worth your time.

▶️ Watch: https://youtu.be/F_2AR6gA_UU?si=3vs9MoVPbBf2WH7d

And if you know an educator who could use this reminder today, share this with them.

09/02/2026

There is still time! Share your expertise with us at TCTELA 2027!
The deadline for proposals is September 7!
https://ventureall.wufoo.com/forms/p1c0gsgn1osmq49/

08/30/2026

The First 5 Minutes Matter
The first five minutes of class may matter more than teachers realize. Kass Minor explains how simple classroom rituals, student greetings, and small interactions can build connection, belonging, and joy.
Save this for your next school day—and share it with another educator.

08/25/2026

📚 Call for Manuscripts! Share your story, research, and expertise in English in Texas (Vol. 56.2 – Fall/Winter 2026).

Guest Editors Ángeles Muñoz and Esmeralda Cartagena Collazo invite educators, researchers, and scholars to submit for our upcoming issue!

✨ THEME: Testimonios in Motion: The Intersections of Literacy, Language, Identity, and ELAR Teaching and Learning

We are seeking conceptual, reflective, pedagogical, research-based, or theoretical manuscripts that explore how testimonios, multilingualism, and culturally responsive teaching empower learners and transform ELAR classrooms.

Beyond the main theme, we also welcome general Inquiries & Innovations research and submissions for our Standing Columns:

🛡️ Teaching on the Front Lines (Navigating censorship & advocacy)

🌱 Emerging Voices (Early-career teachers, 1–5 yrs)

💡 Youth as Knowledge Generators (Youth-led research & activism)

🗓️ Submission Deadline: September 1, 2026

📖 Readership: 1,000+ educators across Texas & the U.S.

📧 Questions & Submissions: [email protected]

Tap the link to review full submission guidelines and submit your work: https://www.tctela.org/english-in-texas

08/19/2026

What happens when you still love teaching...

but you’re tired?

Your students may be checked out.
Your energy may be running low.

And being told to “find the joy” can feel like one more thing on your plate.

In the newest Wonder & Words, Kass Minor offers another way to think about it:

Maybe the joy isn’t gone. Maybe we need to look for it in a different place.

Kass shares how small moments—the first five minutes, how we greet students, classroom rituals, and community—can help rebuild connection and belonging.

If teaching has been taking a little more out of you lately, this conversation is worth your time.

▶️ Watch the episode: https://youtu.be/qRfZtO28FUY?si=UkIzxb5ftkSVHkCV

Share it with an educator who may need this reminder today.



P.S. Kass Minor will join us at the 62nd Annual TCTELA Conference. Think of this as your preview of what’s waiting in Denton.

08/16/2026

The 1 shift your poems need

Stop dissecting every stanza. Start feeling it. 🎧📚 What if teaching poetry is killing the joy? In this quick clip, acclaimed author Carole Boston Weatherford reveals one simple shift—more reading, more enjoyment, less analysis. Hear the rhythm, feel the emotion, see faces light up. Watch full episode now. YouTube.com/tctela (http://YouTube.com/tctela)

Agree or disagree? Tag a teacher.

08/14/2026

Texas teacher voices are being heard again, and this week, they reached a national audience once more. 💙

Earlier this summer, TCTELA President Markesha Tisby was quoted in The New York Times in coverage of Texas's required literary works list. This week, she was featured on NPR's On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti in an episode titled "Should states decide what kids read in school?" Alongside fellow educator Dr. Tiffany Clark, Markesha brought TCTELA's research findings and the real classroom perspective to listeners across the country. After the episode aired, the production team shared that they received many listener comments highlighting the educator perspective. That response speaks volumes.

We also have another reason to celebrate. TCTELA has been selected as a recipient of NCTE's 2026 Affiliate Intellectual Freedom Award, with specific recognition going to our university research team: Drs. Kim Pinkerton, Diane Miller, and Margaret Hale. This honor reflects the extraordinary work they did to ensure Texas teacher voices were heard in one of the most consequential education policy decisions in recent state history.

Listen to the On Point episode. Markesha's segment begins approximately halfway through: 🔗 https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2026/08/12/states-decide-kids-read-texas-schools

These recognitions belong to this entire community. Thank you for showing up for Texas teachers and students.

Together, our voices are stronger. 💙

Texas has a new statewide mandatory reading list for all public school students -- with whole books on the curriculum. Should other states follow suit?

08/06/2026

Here’s a back-to-school special from TCTELA!
Join the TCTELA Collaborative Learning Cohort—a fully online learning community where you'll exchange ideas, learn from experienced mentors, earn CPE hours, and strengthen your instructional practice.

-September 2026 – February 2027
-Monthly virtual sessions
-Flexible, collaborative, and designed for YOU!

Learn more in the flyer: https://tinyurl.com/u8b28hum
Register today: https://tinyurl.com/3d6uprv2

Let's learn, lead, and grow together!

08/05/2026

How do we tell children the truth about tough topics without losing their sense of wonder?

That question sits at the heart of the very first episode of Wonder & Words, TCTELA’s new conversation series. ✨

In this episode, TCTELA President Markesha Tisby sits down with acclaimed author and poet Carole Boston Weatherford for an honest, unhurried conversation about literacy, history, poetry, imagination, and the stories children deserve to hear.

Carole shares powerful insights about:
📚 Teaching difficult history with honesty and care�✨ Protecting curiosity while telling the truth�🎤 Bringing joy, rhythm, and spoken word back to poetry�💭 Why children often ask the questions adults avoid�🖋️ How family stories and childhood experiences shaped her life as a writer

This isn’t a formal presentation.

No slides. No rehearsed speech.

Just a meaningful conversation about how words can help children understand the world—without taking away their curiosity, imagination, or joy.

▶️ Watch “Teaching Truth Without Losing Wonder” here:�https://youtu.be/5s-O4f7xwjw

Carole Boston Weatherford will also join us at the TCTELA 62nd Annual Conference and Exposition, February 5–7, 2027, in Denton, Texas.

Think of Wonder & Words as your front-row seat to the conference—before the conference even begins.

After you watch, tell us in the comments:

How do you help students explore difficult truths while keeping wonder alive?

Share this episode with an educator who needs this conversation.

How do we tell children the truth—without draining the wonder out o...