English Education Alums Sharing Insights in Campus Talks

Julie and David Gorlewski, married Buffalo State alumni who are leaders in the field of English education and co-editors of the internationally renowned English Journal, are visiting campus October 15-16 to deliver two talks on the field’s changing landscape.

Julie Gorlewski,’85, an assistant professor of secondary education at SUNY New Paltz, and David Gorlewski, ’72, ’74, assistant professor in the educational administration program at SUNY New Paltz, will present “Full Circle: Reflections on a Textual Revolution” on Wednesday, October 15, at 4:30 p.m. in Ketchum Hall 411, followed by a 6:00 p.m. reception.

Their talk, sponsored by the Western New York Network of English Teachers (WNYNET), focuses on how changes in text, media, and education policy influence the daily lives of students and teachers and how both groups can be active participants in the process of change.

Julie also will present the brown bag talk “Questions, Stories, and Truth: Teacher Education in a Neo-Liberal Age” on Thursday, October 16, at 12:15 p.m. in Ketchum Hall 313. Her talk is sponsored by the Buffalo State English Education Student Association (EESA). Both events are free and open to the public.

“Julie and David’s visit is another great opportunity for the Western New York English teaching community to come together and discuss what really matters in secondary English language arts instruction today,” said James Cercone, assistant professor of English and coordinator of the college’s English education program. “We are proud that alumni of our program are national leaders in English teacher education and are honored that Julie and David are willing to visit campus and share their work with us.”

Julie’s academic interests stem from 14 years as an English language arts teacher in the Maryvale School District where she served as English Department chair. She was instrumental in expanding the district’s reading program, overseeing the implementation of an online grading system, and coordinating the district’s language arts program. Her book, Power, Resistance and Literacy: Writing for Social Justice won the 2011 Critics Choice Award from the American Educational Studies Association.

Before joining SUNY New Paltz, David served as Education Department chair and director of the doctoral program at D’Youville College. He wrote Making It Real: Case Studies for Secondary Teachers (2012) with Julie.

WNYNET is a teacher-driven professional social network focused on encouraging and supporting the meaningful teaching of English language arts in the Buffalo-Niagara region.

EESA is a professional social network designed to support Buffalo State English Education students and to encourage meaningful discussions about the teaching of English language arts in secondary classrooms.