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Not long ago, while looking through a box of my mother’s keepsakes, I came across an old academic journal article written by a great uncle I hadn’t even known existed. Later, when taking on the challenge of composing a creative piece during the Summer Institute, my mind was immediately drawn back to that unexpected discovery. I was intrigued with the idea of using this archival document to create a new text, a layered conversation between past and present. Crafting this archival remix was a fun experience, but also an emotional one, as uncovering a piece of my family’s history also brought to life new ways of understanding my own identity.

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Hello, Basil! What an incredible turn of events it was for me to discover your journal article among my mother's keepsakes. I never knew much about her side of the family, so I'm excited by the prospect of learning more about you and the life you led in Texas. I wonder, did you know of my mother, Marion? She was the daughter of your sister Juanita. After marrying Charles and settling in the Atlanta area, she had two children, Lesley and Brad. I am Lesley, her daughter.

Educators all over the United States are in a dither regarding their curriculums. Many are wondering what's wrong with our schools - are we teaching enough science, math, and foreign languages? The emphasis seems to be on what should be included in our curriculums. Shouldn't we be just as concerned about the effectiveness of the subjects now offered?

First of all, I have to say that your word choice is impressive and that I'm honestly in a dither as I consider this dialogue with you. Now, let's get to it and discuss these concerns you raise about education. Whether it is 1960 or 2025, I can tell you that there is indeed a shared concern regarding "what should be included in our curriculums." You mentioned that educators in 1960 were weighing whether there was sufficient instruction relating to science, math, and foreign languages, and I'm assuming that this concern stemmed from fears of falling behind the Soviet Union after the launch of Sputnik in 1957. Isn't that what the National Defense Act (NDEA) was all about? Today, fierce debates over curriculum continue, yet they focus largely on whether concepts relating to race, gender, sexuality, and the use of technology should be taught in schools.

Teaching is like any other highly skilled profession; you must have the tools to do the job. Imagine a carpenter trying to build a house without a hammer or saw, or a judge attempting to decide a case without knowledge of law practices.

I agree with you here, Basil, and I appreciate your use of analogies to emphasize the importance of teachers being adequately prepared with the tools they need to deliver high-quality instruction. As a former employee of the Texas Education Agency (TEA), you might be interested to know that the TEA still oversees teacher certification here in Texas and that there are now varied pathways, including traditional and alternative routes, that can lead to teacher certification. There does exist, however, the frustrating reality that teachers are still not always regarded as skilled professionals in the same way that doctors or lawyers are. Unfortunately, the content they teach and even the instructional methods they use are all too often subject to scrutiny and control by politicians and their constituents. Low pay is also an unfortunate reality for most teachers.

The teacher's job is similar to the practice of an attorney. The attorney will build his case, one step at a time, upon proven and established points of law. The teacher will teach a lesson, one step at a time, applying established laws of learning. Both the attorney and the teacher are trying to make certain that the job they are doing will be effective.

I agree with you again, Basil, that there exists an established framework of principles that can lead to instruction that is meaningful and effective for students. These days, teachers meet regularly in Professional Learning Communities (PLC's) to share ideas and design instruction for their students. The resulting lessons typically include sequential elements such as: clearly established objectives, a hook to engage students or connect a new concept to prior knowledge, direct instruction, guided practice, checks for understanding, independent practice, and finally, a summarizing activity.

That being said, I believe that there are also more subjective elements that can contribute to successful learning. There is a variable in this framework, and that would be the students themselves, with their unique dispositions, talents, and learning needs. How does the teacher gain knowledge of the students, and how is this information leveraged to improve the learning experience for students? How do teachers recognize when students are ready for the next step in learning? I want to learn more of what you have to say about this Law of Readiness.

We all recall the old saying, "We can lead a horse to water, but we cannot make him drink." Teachers can fill a classroom with students, but they cannot make them learn - until they are ready to learn. It is the teacher's job to prepare or develop within the student a state of readiness for learning . This is a must for the start of each lesson.

Basil, this sentiment of the old saying, "We can lead a horse to water, but we cannot make him drink," resonates deeply with me as a universal struggle that teachers presently face. Despite the thoughtful planning and execution of an engaging lesson, it seems as if all too often, some students are reluctant to actively engage in the learning process. I'm wondering what, in your opinion, can be done to rekindle interest in learning among disengaged students?

First, the teacher must get the attention of the student or the class. She must realize that the thoughts of the class, at the start of each lesson, are on as many different things as there are members of the class. Next, the teacher needs to know that all impressions which contribute to learning are received through one or more of the five senses. When the senses are focused upon a single set of ideas or a single set of related activities, we have a state of attention.

Basil, I am in total agreement with you about the necessity of gaining the attention of students before real learning can take place. I like to strategically utilize transition times to casually greet and engage with students as they enter my classroom. My presence serves as a reminder for them to enter my classroom calmly, and I am also able to get a feel for how everyone is doing. Teachers now commonly utilize what we refer to as warm ups or bell ringers - brief activities designed specifically to engage students and ease them into a mindset that is prepared for learning. This may be a stretch for you to imagine, Basil, but students also benefit from moments of mindfulness, when we briefly guide students in silence to focus on their breathing and calm their minds. Self-regulation strategies like this are also helpful for students to use on their own when they feel like crashing out. (And by the way, that phrase is 7th grade slang for feeling intensely emotional or overwhelmed!)

Basil, these are all excellent suggestions for warm ups that will engage students' attention and prepare them for learning. However, teachers no longer use chalkboards to present material. Modern classrooms are equipped with an interactive flat screen panel - a fancy name for a screen that can project images, texts, and video. Imagine touching the screen with a pencil or your finger to write on it, but without the chalkboard dust! I know you would be amazed at the ways technology has transformed education. Ironically, though, there has been a recent emphasis on bringing back "old-school" methods (no offense, Basil) to balance students' use of technology with more traditional instructional methods.

Attention, however, is of short duration and must be immediately developed skillfully into interest. Interest may be developed by the teacher through the presentation of the lesson while the learners are applying the information or skill. The following suggestions may be of help in developing interest:

Yes, when students understand the relevance of an assignment or can connect their learning to real-life situations, they are more likely to actively engage in the process of learning. Considering your work as a vocational teacher, I can understand how these real-life applications would have a special significance, as your students learned trade skills. And Basil, consider also my belief that incorporating the use of "why" in conversations with students in lieu of a ready answer can be a powerful means of encouraging their independent and critical consideration of a concept.

Basil, I agree! Incorporating multiple modalities, or presenting information in a variety of ways, in a lesson is a helpful way to speak to the range of learning styles and preferences among one's students.

This idea of meeting the unique needs of learners, however, brings to mind a sensitive subject, and that is the educational experience for students with disabilities during the 1960's. I believe that at the time your article was published, there were the beginnings of a movement that advocated for the rights of people with disabilities to have access to education and inclusion, yet students with disabilities were still most often educated, if at all, in segregated areas. Since this time, legal mandates ensure that students with disabilities have access to a free and appropriate education and that they receive the accommodations that best support their learning needs. This topic of access to education is especially meaningful to me, as this legal framework supporting inclusion comprises the very foundation of the work that I presently do, as a Special Educator.

Budget time for each phase of the lesson

Help students to see the practical value and application of all information and skills. Use practical illustrations.

Make preparations so that no students need be idle or inactive at any time.

Always offer constructive and encouraging criticism of the student's work and progress as needed.

Sharing sincere and constructive feedback with students lends a sense of legitimacy to their work and supports the further development of their learning. You mention the importance of noting progress toward a goal, Basil, and I couldn't agree more. Recognizing the effort that a student puts into their work, as well as the growth they have demonstrated with their development of a skill, should be acknowledged and celebrated.

Desire to Learn

Since attention and interest are important but of short duration, they will not cause the learner to put out a determined effort over a long period of time.

To sustain this desire, the teacher needs to appeal to deeper and more fundamental motives. The learner will put forth a very determined effort to satisfy this desire when he is convinced of the value to himself of the thing he is asked to learn. Such an effort will be made when the teacher has convinced him the results achieved will be of real benefit and value to himself.

When teachers have performed this important task, we can say with pride that we have developed within the student a desire to actively engage in the learning experiences. In short, we have caused the learner to want to learn. This represents a state of readiness for learning.

Parents could help the teacher by developing, in a general manner, a state of readiness for learning in their sons or daughters. And when the teacher follows through with each lesson, applying the law of readiness, our classes will be overflowing, not because the courses are graduation requirements, but because the students enjoy these courses and can see their practical value and application.

I like how you encourage a collaboration between teachers and parents in order to become aligned in understanding a student's needs and supporting them in reaching academic goals. Extending this collaboration beyond the parents to also include other teachers, school counselors, and administrators supports a holistic approach that speaks to a student's overall success and wellbeing, as well.

Basil, while I'm saddened by the fact that our paths in life never crossed, I take great joy in having discovered this unexpected connection with you. It's a moving experience to understand your own identity within a new context, and I'm grateful for having had the pleasure of "meeting" you through your journal article. Who could have possibly imagined, when you first put pen to paper, that your writing would travel so far to reach an audience you never anticipated, with a message even you could not have fully realized at the time.

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A Conversation Across Generations by Lesley Demshar

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Our research project was a welcome opportunity for me to take a deeper dive into the work of Dr. Steve Graham and Dr. Karen Harris, renowned scholars in the field of writing instruction for struggling writers, especially those with learning disabilities. A substantial body of research indicates that the Self Regulation Strategy Development (SRSD) framework is a powerful tool for improving writing outcomes across grade levels. I’m eager to implement this approach in my own classroom and consider its impact on my students’ writing progress in the coming school year.

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Turning Struggling Writers into Strategic Thinkers with SRSD

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An aspect of the Summer Institute I particularly enjoyed was the opportunity to engage with guest writers. Our Zoom chat with Lora Head, who joined us from Coahuila, Mexico, was especially inspiring. Her approach to writing poetry emphasizes the importance of giving ourselves time and space to reflect and to notice the world around us. A journal prompt I later shared with the group extended her theme of mindfulness, a valuable practice for both writing and for personal well-being.

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This presentation reflects a lesson shared with a 7th grader in my Applied Language Arts class who was struggling to compose complete sentences within her short constructed responses. Leveraging a framework of station activities for the class enabled me to spend valuable one-on-one time with her over the course of several days for conferencing and remediation. During these brief sessions, the student received individualized, targeted instruction that reinforced her sentence structure knowledge, introduced a mnemonic strategy to support her use of editing skills, and reinforced her self-perception as that of a capable and effective writer.

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Demo Lesson  7th grade - Applied Language Arts Lesley Demshar  Round Rock ISD Pearson Ranch MS

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My backyard garden, though simple, is one of my favorite places, a peaceful refuge from the demands of daily life. In my memoir, I reflect on the quiet beauty of experiencing mindfulness in nature, and I capture a series of moments with loved ones, past and present.

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I enjoyed how many of our journal writing prompts encouraged us to play with words in creative and strategic ways. Whether we were counting syllables or considering word meaning to fit a specific pattern - like Six-Word-Memoirs, acrostic poems, list-making, or haiku - we had fun taking on the challenge. What a great way to engage reluctant writers, get pencils moving, and bring laughter to the classroom! This is my light-hearted attempt at haiku, which commemorates my enduring need for a band-aid when admiring desert plants in the Texas landscape.