- Photo by Ulrika Gaver Gerth
Bruce M. Penniman, the author of Building the English Classroom: Foundations, Support, Success (NCTE, 2009) taught English for 36 years at Amherst Regional High School, where he also held the positions of department chair and instructional director. In 1999, he was named Massachusetts Teacher of the Year and was a finalist for National Teacher of the Year. A past president of the New England Association of Teachers of English, he has also edited NEATE’s journal, The Leaflet, and the NCTE Assembly on American Literature newsletter, This Is Just to Say (now Notes on American Literature). A teacher-consultant with the Western Massachusetts Writing Project since 1994, he served as the site’s co-director from 1994 to 2002 and director from 2003 to 2007. Currently semi-retired, he is still active in the National Writing Project, facilitating in-service workshops, co-coordinating the Massachusetts Writing Project network, serving on the State and Regional Networks Leadership Team, and assisting with National Reading Initiative projects. He serves on the NEATE Executive Board and is active in the Teacher Leadership Academy of Massachusetts. He also teaches courses at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and is co-teaching an interdisciplinary African Studies course at ARHS.
Hey Bruce,
For some reason I opened the email from NCTE and need to say I love the cover of your book as well as the title. I want to wish you well on this venture because I know a lot of hard work went into it. Will need to get you to sign a copy for me someday soon.
Hi Bruce!
I opened the email from NCTE today and was pleasantly surprised to see that I know the author! I’m hoping to see you this summer for Writing and the Teaching of Writing at UMass. 🙂 Will definitely be getting the book and circulating it with my colleagues.
Hi Joanne and Jessica,
Thanks for your support and good wishes. The book was the product of a lot of learning from colleagues in many contexts. I hope you find it useful – and I’d welcome your feedback!
Bruce, this is so cool! You are my inspiration. Someday I will write a book.
Yes you will, Deana, and I can’t wait to read it! A lot of what’s in my book has come from working with committeed colleagues like you.
Saw the nice article and photo in the March NCTE publication all the way here in India and realized that wow, you’ve already finished and published your book. Seems quick. Good for you! It will help so many teachers–must feel good.
Hi Karen,
I finished the manuscript just over a year ago and the final revisionds last summer – it already seems like a long time ago! I hope all is going well for you and your family in India!
Bruce,
I am so very pleased to read of your most recent award from WMWP. It is absolutely well deserved and is indicative of the countless hours you have devoted to the organization. You are an outstanding teacher and a dedicated scholar. You give all of us in the teaching profession a standard of excellence to be proud of.
Best wishes!
Judy (retired and loving it)
P.S. I realize that my comment here is unrelated to the thread involving your recently published book. Congratulations on that achievement as well.
Thank you so much, Judy. The Pat Hunter award was really special because Pat was one of my heroes, taken from us much too soon. Welcome to the retirement club – I hope you’re better at it than I am!
Bruce