The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) annual conference took place in Boston, Mass., on Nov. 21-24, 2024, drawing close to 8,000 educators from across the globe.

At this year's NCTE conference, News Hour Classroom spoke with Emily Kirkpatrick, executive director of NCTE, about why schools teach English, the importance of writing alongside reading, a workshop that caught her attention and advice for teachers dealing with outside pressures.

"I really would like everyone to understand how much personal time teachers put into this profession that they have chosen," said Kirkpatrick. "And they do so to be the best that they can in order to connect with and support all of the students before them."

Kirkpatrick also shares why she thinks professional development reinvigorates educators and builds community.

NCTE provides several awards for students and teachers each year, including Student Writing Awards and Achievement Awards in Writing with deadlines on Feb. 15, 2025. Learn more about NCTE's awards here.

Produced by Victoria Pasquantonio with Gianfranco Beran, News Hour Classroom's freelance production assistant.

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