Student Engagement

Wendy Terro is a principal in the Toronto District School Board with experience as a mathematics coach, student work study teacher, and classroom educator. She is passionate about inquiry learning, assessment, equity, and amplifying student voice and choice.

Joan Reimer is a retired educator and former education officer at the Ontario Ministry of Education. With experience from K–12 classrooms to teacher education, most of her career was spent in Ontario, but she also taught in Manitoba, the Northwest Territories, and Malawi, Africa.

James Simons is an educator, writer, and coach passionate about meaningful learning and leadership. He partners with schools to support instructional growth, curriculum design, and educator development. His work appears in Inside Higher Ed and Edutopia.

Maureen Chapman is a lifelong educator with over 15 years of experience in the field. As a curriculum director, she managed professional development, curriculum, resources, student data, coaching, new teacher induction, accountability, and career education initiatives.

Mary K. Gove, PhD, is professor emeritus at Cleveland State University and specializes in promoting a balanced approach to literacy education. Dr. Gove formerly taught grades K–6 and worked in an urban district as a full-time professional developer.

Jen Cullerton Johnson is an award-winning children’s author, educator, and environmental advocate. With nearly two decades of teaching experience, she’s worked with incarcerated youth and urban classrooms; taught abroad in Japan, Ecuador, and Argentina; and led nature-writing workshops in outdoor settings.

Shift students’ mindsets from one of compliance, apathy, and victimization to one of hope by helping them become the hero of their own story. Give learners purpose, ownership, and the courage to try so that they develop a strong sense of self-efficacy and motivation.

Deborah Watters is a retired educator who worked for the Wellington Catholic District School Board in Ontario, Canada, for 35 years. During her time of service, she was a K–4 classroom teacher, early literacy teacher, and program coordinator.

In this high-impact webinar, K–12 educators will learn why working memory is critical for reading comprehension and discover practical strategies (AKA: Working Memory Workarounds) to make reading more accessible for all learners. You’ll leave with three classroom-ready tools that reduce cognitive load, support deeper thinking, and foster independent comprehension habits.

Miriam Plotinsky is an instructional specialist with Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland, where she has taught and led for 25 years. She is widely recognized for providing practical, immediately applicable professional learning for teachers and school administrators.