If you're at the NCTE Annual Convention in Denver, please consider attending your BLTN colleagues' presentations listed below. BLSE and BLTN will be at Booth 422 - Exhibit Hall A. Stop by and say hello. 

Kaitlyn Cooper (MA'21)

Dr. Kayla Hostetler (MA '24)

Alfredo Celedón Luján (MA '87, M.Litt '18) 

Alfredo encourages attendees to come to the Saturday night Cultural Celebration hosted by the Latinx and Black caucuses. "It is important," he writes, "because a posthumous 'Hero Award' will be presented to Rodolfo 'Corky' Gonzales, a giant of '60's Civil Rights Movement in Denver, who was the author of the epic poem and Brown Power anthem: 'I Am Joaquin/Yo Soy Joaquín'. Corky was largely influenced by Martin Luther King, Jr., Cesar Chavez, and Dolores Huerta, and he collaborated with other Civil Rights leaders like Dennis Banks of the American Indian Movement (AIM)." Alfredo will provide the introduction to the event. 

From his role on the nominating committee, Alfredo Luján encourages members of the Bread Loaf community to submit nominations for NCTE leadership positions. Here is a list of open positions with a link for making nominations.

Editor's note: In each month's newsletter, Kurt Ostrow will share teaching ideas gleaned from BLTN fellows. We hope you'll find these useful. Reach out to Kurt at ostrowk@gmail.com if you have a teaching resource to share with BLTN colleagues. 

I started doing a school committee speech assignment at the end of my 9th-grade unit on Of Mice and Men. I set up a hypothetical situation: Our school committee is voting on whether to keep the novel in the curriculum because of its controversial nature. I connect this to book bannings happening across the U.S. I tell students that the school committee is looking to hear some student perspectives before they vote, and their task is to convince the school committee to vote their way.

I have a few documents that walk them through the thought process of determining which side they fall on, constructing their basic argument and selecting evidence, using outside research, using the rhetorical triangle to support their argument, and acknowledging and debunking a counterclaim. Giving them this hypothetical situation also provides an opportunity to talk about knowing your audience and purpose, and tailoring your writing accordingly. I have been really impressed with the work that has come out of this assignment!

Kate Daversa teaches at North Quincy High School in North Quincy, Massachusetts.

Supported by a grant from the Michael Armstrong Fund of the Bread Loaf School of English, Mary Guerrero (MA '04) will visit the archives of the late English educator, visionary primary school leader, and distinguished Bread Loaf professor, Michael Armstrong. Mary will perform research in this one-of-a-kind archive, catalogued by Michael's widow Isobel Armstrong, herself a leader in literary education. The collection is housed in Middlebury College's Davis Family Library and is accessible to library patrons by appointment. 

Mary took Michael's Bread Loaf classes, Describing the Imagination and Thinking about Narrative. She went on to participate in the research project “Language Acquisition” (funded by the Spencer Foundation) with Michael Armstrong, Ceci Lewis, and Lusanda Mayikana. Armstrong visited classrooms in Mary's home city, Lawrence, Massachusetts, on multiple occasions. During one visit, he worked with Mary's fourth grade students, the director of education at the Addison Gallery, and photographer Oscar Palacio to create a photo book about Lawrence and what students noticed in their community.

About her research, Mary writes, "I imagine that, as Michael Armstrong taught us, visiting his archives will be an opportunity to have conversations with his work, to think deeply about pedagogy, our students as creators of their own narratives and the importance of mutuality as he presents it in his chapter 'Pedagogy of Freedom'— the mutuality of teachers and students co-creating knowledge and understanding."

Fourteen NextGen youth (and a handful of mentors) from Vermont, Louisville, and South Carolina were hosted by NextGen-Lawrence (Massachusetts) and Andover Bread Loaf (ABL) October 31-November 2, 2025. Participants wrote together, learned about Lawrence through the Lawrence History Center and the Essex Art Center, and gathered at the Phillips Andover Log Cabin for good food, writing, and sharing on Halloween night. On Saturday morning, the group split for two pre-conference sessions. Youth attended “Where Do We Go From Here? (Mapping Our Roles)” with Amaryllis Lopez, while mentors engaged with Glennys Sanchez, for “Plática Methodology. ” The NextGen crew then joined the central event: “Everybody Eats!,” the Andover Bread Loaf Fall Conference with Harlym 125. See slides from the gathering on the NextGen blog. 

One weekend. 13-15 hours of professional development.

Join us in Vermont this February for the Bread Loaf Winter Institute, a weekend teacher professional development workshop that will empower you to deepen your teaching practice with innovative, relevant workshops and activities.

Teachers will come to our mountain campus in Ripton, Vermont from February 27 - March 1, 2026 and earn 13-15 professional development hours though workshops and creative exercises led by renowned Bread Loaf faculty and focused on this year’s theme: Expanding the English Classroom.

Workshop focuses for 2026 include...

When the session concludes, you can choose to cross-country or downhill ski at Middlebury’s Rikert Nordic Center or Snowbowl at a discounted rate. Participants can stay on campus in our historic Inn or commute to Ripton.

Discover more on our Winter Institute website or reach out to us at blse@middlebury.edu with your questions.

We hope you will join us!

Genithia Hogges (MA '24) directs bilingual instruction. Genithia reports that she is starting a new position as Program Director of Bilingual Instruction for Boston Public Schools. 

Lauren Jewett (MA '23) runs for U.S. Congress. A 17-year veteran special education teacher in New Orleans Public Schools, and longtime advocate for inclusive education practices, Lauren Jewett has launched her campaign for the U.S.  House of Representatives. Read more on her official web page at http://www.laurenjewett.com. Lauren currently teaches special education at the Leah Chase School in New Orleans.

Sara Taggart promotes library love. We're pleased to receive and share this inspiring note from Sara, who teaches high school English at Mifflin High School in Columbus, Ohio.  "Libraries are not just great resources for our students for reading, casual Internet use, and research. They also provide a safe haven for students beyond the support from schools. More than just providing a place to hang out, our Columbus Metropolitan Libraries provide after-school snacks, homework help, general social services like workshops for students and families, and great programs even beyond the walls of the library. 

This year, we lost a lot of federal government and state government funding, leaving our school with practically zero money for extra 'fun stuff.' We had to get creative in how we reward our students for things like grades and behavior. To celebrate quarter one matriculation, I organized for the CML’s genealogy and history division to give a presentation on 'Haunted Columbus.' It was the perfect reward to be timed with the end of quarter 1 at Halloween time. The library came and presented for free, even giving the kids some candy along with their spooky history. Sure, it was a little nerdy for some of the kids, but others really enjoyed it; they were asking questions and learning something new! I encourage teachers to reach out to their local libraries and see what types of cool resources they can offer for students. It was a great experience that we hope to continue in the future."

Are you interested in co-publishing an article with your students in a special issue of the BLTN Journal this May? BLTN editors Tom McKenna and Kurt Ostrow are ready to help guide you, from concept to finished product. Please reach out to us. No idea is too tentative! We can help you hone the concept and find a process and format. Send an email to get the conversation started: tpmckenn@middlebury.edu and /or ostrowk@gmail.com. 

Please notify us of accomplishments you’d like to share in the monthly newsletter. Contact Tom McKenna if you’re interested in publishing in the annual BLTN Journal.

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