Welcome to California English’s new editor, Dr. Heather Macías
Dr. Heather Macías, who is Associate Professor of Teacher Education and Program Coordinator of the Dual Language Development Graduate Program in the College of Education at CSU Long Beach, was selected by the CATE Board of Directors as the new editor of CATE’s professional journal, California English.In her application and interview, Dr. Macías shared the following:
“My interest in serving as editor for California English is rooted in my early teaching career. As a new high school English teacher, reading California English introduced me to a statewide community of practioners and showed me how journals could amplify teacher voice and expertise. Reading these articles and later attending the annual conferences for California Association of Teachers of English (CATE), I began to see that teachers across California shared my commitment to an innovative, equity-focused teaching practice. As a novice teacher, I set a goal to one day contribute to this important publication.”
“As editor, I envision California English continuing its legacy as a trusted resource that elevates teacher voice, shares best practices, and advances equity in English education.
First, I want California English to remain valuable for teachers at all career stages. Novice teachers need ideas and resources that strengthen and inspire reflection on their teaching, while experienced teachers can find value in staying innovative and current with new strategies and engaging discourses. California English provides an ideal platform for experienced teachers to share expertise and for novice teachers to offer fresh perspectives.
Second, discussions on teaching must remain relevant and responsive to the strengths and needs of today’s students. As editor, I will ensure that pedagogies and strategies speak to the diversity of California’s students. Today’s students are culturally and linguistically diverse, living in urban, suburban, and rural areas with different life experiences. California English needs to reflect and celebrate all types of students and how they learn, while recognizing, affirming, and leveraging students’ cultural and linguistic knowledge and skills for classroom learning. Additionally, students today have used technology since birth, making it essential for ELA teachers to engage in discussions on the role of technology, AI, and critical media literacy in classrooms.
Third, California English must remain innovative. Innovation means originality and creativity in teaching while staying connected to current events that impact today’s classrooms and students. Articles must engage in discussions about supporting students’ social-emotional learning, mental health, and agency while recognizing the challenges students’ communities face. I also strongly believe California English should be unafraid to critique the policies, practices, and systems with which we regularly engage. As teachers and teacher educators who work with students, create curriculum, and collaborate with communities, our voices need to serve as counternarratives to those who have never taught. Our perspectives, experiences, knowledge, and skills are invaluable in shaping the future of teaching in California, and articles within California English need to be part of those conversations as a leader in literacy learning.”
The CATE Board of Directors welcomes Dr. Heather Macías.