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As a member of the Colorado Language Arts Society (CLAS) conference committee, PhD Candidate Mike Wenk recently helped to organize a successful annual meeting held in Golden, CO. Approximately 250 Language Arts teachers, preservice teachers, professors, and administrators from across the state gathered to collaborate on high quality Language Arts teaching and learning that meets state standards in meaningful ways.

For example, Mike and high school students Daryn and Molly led a session on the research they have been conducting together on integrating queer identities in the Language Arts curriculum while at the same time meeting state standards. School of Education Professor sj Miller served as the respondent. As Mike explains, their joint effort has been "to insert queer issues and identities into the curriculum so that it’s front and center rather than happening on the fringes of school. Kids are bringing their own knowledge on these topics into the classroom and driving a sea change in schools."

CLAS is an affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of English. CU-Boulder also has a 50-member student affliliate group, called NCTE-CU, led by teacher candidate Caitlin Dennis. At the CLAS conference, NCTE-CU offered a session on student teaching experiences led by student teachers from CU-Boulder and CSU, a local Cooperating Teacher, and a University Supervisor from Metro State. As student teachers shared their experiences, preservice teachers had the opportunity to learn and talk about their upcoming student teaching semesters.

The annnual conference also provides prospective and current Language Arts teachers with important opportunities to network professionally. 

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Daryn, Professor Miller (respondent), Mike Wenk, and Molly [left to right] 
shared youth participatory research on queering the curriculum in their session at the recent CLAS Conference.

Related Faculty: Michael Wenk, sj Miller