Instruction

Dr. Karen Johannesen Brock has been an educator and educational presenter for more than three decades. She has assisted more than 100 schools (K–12) and districts with implementing school improvement plans. Her work with schools and districts focuses on instructional coaching and design as well as professional learning plans, school-improvement plans, English learners and multilingual students, and literacy.

Instructional leaders (e.g., coaches, principals, and teacher leaders) work with teachers to improve educational outcomes for their students. This role can be overwhelming, especially when students and teachers have lost a full year of academic instruction.

With so much focus on students’ foundational skills, we cannot afford to overlook the unconstrained components of language comprehension. In this webinar, author Molly Ness highlights the research showing the cognitive, linguistic, socioemotional - and even physiological - benefits of read alouds. Despite their solid research basis, 50-70% of teachers do not plan read alouds in advance! This webinar overviews a planning protocol for effective read alouds in Pre-K - Grade 8 in literacy blocks and content-area classrooms.

Orinthia Harris, PhD, has extensive experience in classroom and extracurricular settings. She is the founder of STEMearly LLC, an organization dedicated to reigniting teaching passions so educators and students can thrive.

Jillayne Flanders the executive director of the Center for Educational Improvement, a nonprofit organization focused on supporting mindful and compassionate schools with heart-centered, trauma-informed practices. She has taught graduate classes at Westfield State University, supervised student teachers at Mount Holyoke College, and lectured at Boston University, Springfield College, Boston College, and Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Randy Ross has over 50 years of experience as a writer, teacher, administrator, coach, and facilitator of dialogue and professional learning. She has worked with community, school, district, and state education leaders for nearly 30 years.

Nathaniel Hansford has taught every grade from preK to 12 in many interesting and diverse locations—from South Korea to the subarctic of Quebec. He specializes in using meta-analysis research to help teachers implement proven methodologies.

Attendees will learn practical ways to involve multiple stakeholders in developing a productive and celebratory reading culture in schools and classrooms.

Patrick L. Sullivan, PhD, is an associate professor of mathematics at Missouri State University. He is a former principal, mathematics teacher, and a mathematics department head.

Erin is a high school and continuing education teacher, curriculum writer, video producer, co-founder of PBL Path, and national project-based learning consultant and coach. Erin finds great meaning in guiding leaders’ and teachers’ identity and equity journeys, building assessment tools side by side with educators and students, and connecting project ideas to community partners.