November 11, 2020

Linda Christensen, OWP Director, Receives Prestigious Education Award

“I can’t think of any teacher in America who has had such a wide and positive influence on the teaching of English to under-served students in American secondary schools.” - Sheridan Blau, Teachers College at Columbia University

Linda Christensen, director of the Oregon Writing Project (OWP) at Lewis & Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling, Rethinking Schools editor, and social justice educator, is the winner of the 2020 Distinguished Service Award from the National Council of Teachers of English.

According to the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) website, the Distinguished Service Award (DSA) is given to a person (or persons), either volunteer or staff, who have exhibited valuable professional service (within the Council and outside) including scholarly or academic distinction at any level, distinguished use of language, and/or excellence in teaching.

The award committee, led by NCTE President-elect Alfredo Celedón Luján, praised Christensen for her decades-long support of her students “in using multiple literacies to confront issues of social justice and to guide and lead action toward more just schools and a more just society.” Christensen was nominated for the award by Sheridan Blau of Teachers College at Columbia University, who said of her, “I can’t think of any teacher in America who has had such a wide and positive influence on the teaching of English to under-served students in American secondary schools.”

More information about Christensen’s award can be found on the NCTE website.

Too learn more about the Oregon Writing Project or to enroll in an upcoming course, visit OWP’s website.