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"Unscripted Possibilities" examines the potential for change that emerges in rural environments affected by poverty and educational reforms that ignore the specific contexts of rural schools. Using a National Writing Project program, the College, Career, and Community Writers Program, as a case, we argue that professional development relationships that are characterized by mutuality and indeterminacy create changes in teacher practice and school culture. Our analysis adapts concepts from Anna Tsing's (2015) The Mushroom at the End of the World to uncover hopeful possibilities in damaged school environments.

The National Writing Project's (NWP) College, Career, and Community Writers Program (C3WP) aims to improve young people's ability to write thoughtful, evidence-based arguments. In an era where public discourse has become increasingly polarized, and "echo chambers" of narrow views populate people's social media feeds, teaching students to ground their arguments in evidence is more important than ever. To equip students to thrive in this challenging environment, the NWP's approach to argument writing starts with having students understand multiple points of view that go beyond pros and cons and are based on multiple pieces of evidence, which ultimately enables students to take responsible civic action. At its core, C3WP supports students in navigating an increasingly dense informational world so they can become informed citizens who are prepared to participate in and ultimately strengthen a healthy and vibrant democracy.

David Bleich's exploration of language conflicts in the university in "The Materiality of Language: Gender, Politics, and the University" helps explain the ongoing struggle over basic writing as between two radically different understandings of language. Progressive educators and writing teachers see language as rhetorical and contextual, "material" in Bleich's terms. Policy makers, large-scale writing assessment designers, and public discourse generally see language as ahistorical and decontextualized, involving ladders of skills to be mastered, or "sacralized." This article examines the struggle between these materialist innovations and repressive policy mandates and assessments as a manifestation of this root struggle over language. The ongoing nature of this struggle, having occurred in this country for over a century, means progressive programs must maintain a stance of constant vigilance, innovation, and subversion. The outcome critically affects efforts to increase access to higher education.

An experienced mathematics teacher in a rural high school in the United States was studied as she first implemented a reform calculus curriculum. Her instruction was compared to her previous practice using a curriculum not constructed with the reform movement in mind. Despite her early attempts to make her instructions more student-centered, the teachers' actions in the classroom were similar in many ways; demonstrating solutions to prototype problems was and important instructional strategy that she used in both curricula. However, the teacher showed an increased focus on conceptual knowledge and on the use of graphing calculator technology. The reform text was an influential part of this teacher's change process.

Invasive species are a growing global threat to forest ecosystems. In North America, previous invasions have functionally eliminated the American chestnut (Castanea dentata), a keystone and commercially important species in eastern North American forests, and currently threaten to eliminate other important species, such as ash (Fraxinus spp.), redbay (Persea borbonia), and eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis). Invasive species, particularly invasive insects, pathogens, and plants, threaten forest ecosystem integrity and put commercial forestry at risk. However, as the threat from invasive species grows due to expanding international trade, the scientific workforce with specialized expertise and training to mitigate current threats and, more importantly, avoid future threats, has been declining over the past 40 years. Research funding and administrative capacity to respond have also not kept pace with increased frequency and risk of species introductions. Herein, we review the nature of this ongoing challenge by examining contributing factors, including documenting trends in expertise and funding. In addition, we make recommendations for resources needed and information gaps that should be addressed and justify the need for increased support for basic biological research and further exploration of techniques to identify and treat potential threats (e.g. sentinel studies). Study Implications: The US faces an invasive species crisis. Major tree species are already being decimated. The forest products industry relies primarily on a hand full of species. A new insect or disease could thus decimate the industry. We show that the pace of introductions has accelerated due to greater and faster shipping volume. Port screening and sanitation need considerable improvement, especially for live plants, which harbor insects and pathogens. Interior monitoring and overseas sentinal studies need enhancement for better detection of threats. More research and control staff are needed at government and university posts, especially to enable rapid response. Finally, research is needed on new detection and control technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses principles about writing instruction that emerged from mainstreaming basic writers in first-year composition at California State University, Chico: (1) students learn college writing by being in the context of college writing, not some other context; and (2) literacy learning does not come in discreet levels. Describes how writers in first-year composition are supported through adjunct workshops. (SR)

Comments on the interview of bell hooks in the preceding issue of the "Journal of Advanced Composition." Comments on hooks's concepts of audience and power, race relations, multicultural education, and the politics of literacy. (HB)

Argues that easy claims about the relationship between language mastery and academic or economic access (made by both conservative commentators on education and mainstream writing teachers) are false and obscure real social and political boundaries, such as racism, sexism, elitism, and homophobia, that really do prevent access. (SR)