Goering Elected to National Group's Secondary Education Committee

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Chris Goering

Chris Goering, University of Arkansas assistant professor of secondary education, has been elected to the Secondary Section Committee of the National Council of Teachers of English.

The secondary section provides multiple forums for dialogue on historical, current and emerging topics of interest to secondary English language arts educators. Goering will serve a two-year term on the committee, which is the body that plans the secondary level programming for the NCTE annual convention, presents the Paul and Kate Farmer and Edwin M. Hopkins awards for articles in the "English Journal", and presents the High School Teachers of Excellence Award for outstanding teachers from across the country.

"Being elected to the secondary section and having the opportunity to work with outstanding committee members from across the country is a dream come true for me," Goering said. "I have attended secondary section events at NCTE since 2002 and have had research and pedagogical presentations accepted to the conference since 2006. Serving in this capacity is but a small way to give back to my professional home organization of NCTE."

Goering also was appointed by the secondary section chair Kay Haas to NCTE's Research Forum that identifies and addresses issues of broad concern to members interested in advancing research in English language arts. The forum members develop position and policy statements and other publications helpful to teachers, administrators and policymakers regarding research in English language arts and coordinate efforts to secure private grants and foundation funding for National Council of Teachers of English research initiatives. The forum explores ways to increase support for literacy research by engaging other groups in collaborative projects and by creating support materials to help the council make the case for governmental support for literacy research programs.

"In essence, our task is to attempt to articulate the various research endeavors of the council into one centralized and focused agenda," Goering said. "I am honored to represent the secondary section and our collective interests to this forum."

Goering joined the faculty of the College of Education and Health Professions in 2007 and directs the college-based Northwest Arkansas Writing Project and Center for Children and Youth. He coordinates the English education program in the college and serves as assistant program coordinator for the secondary education program. He was an award-winning high school English teacher in Kansas before beginning a career in higher education.