Creative Campus

The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), a professional group of PreK-College literacy educators and researchers, has established October 20, 2009, as the “National Day on Writing.” As part of this initiative, they have created a National Gallery and asked NCTE leaders to create Local Galleries in order to showcase the many types of writing that we do.

Dr. Lisa Scherff, Associate Professor of English Education, created a local gallery “University of Alabama & Tuscaloosa Area Gallery” (http://galleryofwriting.org/conferences/galleryofwriting/galleries/46970). The goal is to highlight the multiple ways that we, our students, PreK-12 students, and community members write—in all its forms. All I need now is input and writing.

Dr. Scherff needs assistance with ways that can promote writing, and the gallery, at UA and in the local community.

Here are some thoughts/questions going into this project:
1. Writing is more than pen on paper, or typed documents—it is blogs, wikis, digital stories/videos, poetry, screenwriting, multi-genre pieces, graffiti, word clouds, etc.
2. What types of writing are we and our students doing? PreK-12 students? Adults in the community?
3. How can we encourage local students and community members to write and submit things to the gallery?
4. What is the best way (time and organization-wise) to go about collecting and selecting writings? Should we “select“ at all?

Lisa Scherff, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of English Education
Co-Director, Belser-Parton Literacy Center
Secondary Programs Coordinator
223-B Graves Hall
Box 870232
The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL  35487-0232
(205)348-5872

Co-Editor, English Leadership Quarterly
President, Alabama Council of Teachers of English