As an educator, the author learned that her job was not simply to teach the fundamental concepts of literature and writing, but also to teach students the fundamentals of conversation and collaboration. In this article, the author shares her experience in using traditional, teacher-centered methods to inspire spirited conversations among students…

Presents a dialog among three English teachers concerning teaching performance poetry to ninth graders. (RS)

Presents "fail-safe" lessons for emergencies and substitutes. Describes an experimental design with six steps, designed to help teachers teach students some things about themselves, such as whether boys are better spellers than girls. Offers other examples from the classroom. (EL)

Shares the attempts of one teacher to structure a program that allows students to learn and grow as a community of readers and writers through the use of a response-centered curriculum. (MG)