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March 10, 2010 - Queens, New York
K–5 Poetry / 6–8 Feature Article / 2–5 Test-Prep with Real Books
Keynote Speaker: Georgia Heard

Georgia Heard received her M.F.A. in poetry writing from Columbia University. She is a founding member of the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project in New York City. Currently, she visits schools in the United States and around the world teaching writing and poetry.
Featured Workshops:
Poetry Unit of Study Grades K–1, 2–3 and 4–5

Poetry is a core genre study for students of all ages. It is both a form and a genre as seen in our collection of books where the writers use the form of poetry to write memoir, fiction, essay, nonfiction, and a host of other genres. A unit of study in poetry invites an exploration of language and expression and reinforces important writing skills such as word choice, organization or shape, and sentence fluency. Together we will go through the writing process, from immersion, to drafting and revising, to editing and publishing. During this daylong workshop, teachers will explore the teaching of poetry and discover how students will naturally delight in the writing of poetry as they observe the world around them with wonder and awe.
Feature Article Unit of Study Grades 6–8

Feature article is an exciting nonfiction genre that profiles people, analyzes events, explores trends, and covers in-depth stories. Feature articles appear in magazines, newspapers, newsletters, reference works, collections of writing, and on web sites. Students will be engaged in the writing of their own feature articles through the study of this genre.


Test-Prep Using Real Books Grades 2–5

This workshop will be devoted to looking at the small-group instructional supports that are needed in order for our whole-group lessons to be most effective. We will also look at what we still need to introduce to our students in the days before the exam approaches.
Presenters:
 
SARAH CORDOVA
Sarah Cordova is a literacy consultant and director of a professional development institute based on Long Island. She leads professional development seminars, working with elementary school teachers to develop and implement effective and engaging reading and writing practices into their classrooms. Sarah worked on Long Island for many years as a classroom teacher and staff developer, providing workshops for educators throughout her district. Sarah also teaches as an adjunct professor for both undergraduate and graduate students in the literacy department at Dowling College
 
 
ILENE COHN
Ilene holds a master’s degree in reading and is a licensed school administration supervisor. She received training at Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University and taught at the elementary level for 10 years using balanced literacy strategies. She has also worked as both a literacy coach and reading coordinator. Ilene is currently a national literacy consultant for public schools, specializing in the areas of reading and writing.
 
 
JACKIE REYLING
Jackie is a staff developer and literacy coach on Long Island as well as an instructor in the School of Education's Graduate Literacy Department at Dowling College. Prior to becoming a literacy staff developer, Jackie taught utilizing a reading/ writing workshop model for teaching literacy. Jackie was also co-director of the East End Writing Project, an affiliate of the National Writing Project. She has worked with teachers across Long Island providing demonstration, mentoring, and literacy curriculum writing.
 
 
NICOLE PEPE
Nicole Pepe is cofounder and lead presenter for NJ Teacher to Teacher, LLC, which provides high-quality professional development for educators throughout the tri-state area. Nicole has more than 7 years teaching experience in grades K-6, with a special interest in balanced literacy. In addition, she is a supervisor of Rutgers teaching interns and presents workshops for various organizations, such as the Center for Effective School Practices (CESP). She earned a bachelor of science in elementary education from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, and graduated with honors from Rutgers University with a master's in elementary education.
 
 
ROBIN COHEN
Robin is presently a literacy consultant in several school districts in the Northeast. She was formerly a reading specialist and staff developer in District 11 in the Bronx and at Liberty Elementary School (Nyack School district in Rockland County, NY). Robin was the 2005-2006 winner of the International Reading Association Exemplary Reading Award for New York State. She was the NY State Reading Teacher of the Year in 2002, and honored as an NCTE Educator of Excellence in 2001. Robin is also the originator of the Student-Run Bookstore project published in the American Educator and Parade magazines.
 
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