Laura Robb
Shared students’ reflections regarding reading and their surprises at actually liking it.
Discussed how assessment informs instruction and how to plan for a differentiated unit of study around a genre and an issue. In addition to seeing the benefits of establishing routines before starting a differentiated unit. Demonstrated how the read aloud becomes the common teaching text when students read texts at their instructional levels. Teachers then read different biographies and experience how issues and inferential reading strategies develop students’ high level thinking. Writing about reading was integrated into her workshop to show how writing helps students clarify their understandings.
Kylene Beers
Discussed The Perfect Storm: A Report (Overview can be found on the website below)
http://www.ets.org/Media/Education_Topics/pdf/AmericasPerfectStorm.pdf
- In addition to the following three forces in America's Perfect Storm + Beers adds Globalization
· substantial disparities in skill levels (reading and math)
· seismic economic changes (widening wage gaps)
· sweeping demographic shifts (less education, lower skills) - Shift Happens – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljbI-363A2Q Created by Karl Fisch, and modified by Scott McLeod; Globalization and The Information Age.
- Karl Fisch’s blog: http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/
- Thomas Friedman’s The World is Flat
- Have you heard of (if not, I am sure your students have):
- Diggs
- MMORPG
- Clustrmap
- Skype
- Mashups
- Teachertube
- Youtube
- Wikis
- Delicious
- My space
- Podcasts
- Blogs
- Flickr
Doug Fisher
Discussed much of what can be found in:
Fisher, D., & Ivey, G. (in press). Evaluating the interventions for struggling adolescent readers. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy
Additional information can be found in:
Abstract from Fisher, D., & Ivey, G. (2006, November). Evaluating the Interventions for Struggling Adolescent Readers. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 50(3), 180–189. doi: 10.1598/JAAL.50.3.2
See http://www.ncte.org/profdev/onsite/consultants/fisher/publications/125055.htm for additional Professional Journal Articles by Fisher
Neal Shusterman
Has penned more that 20 books! - http://www.storyman.com/
Discussed those ‘teacher inspired’ moments in his education that led to his development as a writer and storyteller.
Other speakers including brief biography taken from conference program:
Janet Allen
Visit her website for more information: http://www.janetallen.org/
Allen is an international consultant recognized for her literacy work with at-risk students. She is the author of numerous professional books.
Jeff Anderson
Jeff has taught writing and reading for over 18 years. Jeff’s passion is motivating and developing struggling writers. Sharing strategies to create positive attitudes and confidence in young writers are central goals of his staff development and writing.
Jane Kiester
Jane is the author of the popular Caught'ya books: Caught'ya! Grammar with a Giggle; Caught'ya Again! More Grammar with a Giggle; The Chortling Bard! Grammar with a Giggle for High School; Giggles in the Middle: Caught'ya! Grammar with a Giggle for Middle School; Eggbert, the Ball, Bounces by Himself: Caught'ya! Grammar with a Giggle for First Grade; Putrescent Petra Finds Friends: Caught'ya! Grammar with a Giggle for Second Grade; and Juan and Marie Join the Class: Caught'ya! Grammar with a Giggle for Third Grade (these last three were formerly Elementary, My Dear! Caught'ya! Grammar with a Giggle for Grades 1, 2, and 3), all published by Maupin House.
Other thoughts & program sessions:
Differentiated Reading... Hip-Hopping Through Literature: A cultural responsive approach for teaching reading to the black adolescent male... Infusing technology in the English class (a tip) Do not shy away from assigning or exploring technologically enhanced assignments because you lack experience or expertise with the medium. Online tutorials are great tools for learning, step-by-step, how to use programs such as Movie Maker, Word’s Publisher or WebPage Wizard, etc. (All Smiles) Using Art to get to the heart – of any subject -- The session used historical portraits to introduce art in the curriculum and how to use it to inspire student writing. You can also use bargain books from area bookstores that showcase artists’ works, calendars, postcards, note cards, a collection of greeting cards, etc. along with questions to engage students. For example, have students free associate with the photo(s) chosen, have them list feeling words, color words, etc. related to their photo(s), from this list have students select one word that summarizes the art and then have them compose a poem, any form they like. ... Writing on wheels - Teachers from Space Coast High and Merritt Island High are planning a trip to the world’s longest yard sale and writing about their experiences along the way. The week long trip will land you in Tennessee and the cost is minimal. Think of the National Writing Project (NWP) on wheels.
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