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October 24, 2008 - Brooklyn, New York
Personal Narrative Unit of Study / Testing Fundamentals
Keynote Speaker:
Vera B. Williams

Vera B. Williams, born in 1927, didn’t illustrate her first picture book until 1975. But her path towards an artistic career began much earlier when she was growing up in New York City in the 1930s and 40s. She later graduated from New York City’s High School of Music and Art and then graduated from the Black Mountain School in North Carolina with a degree in graphic arts. Williams’ life experiences, love of children, and social conscience shine through her fine collection of books for young readers.
Featured Workshops:
Personal Narrative Unit of Study Grades K–1, 2–3 and 4–5

Studying personal narratives and memoirs will inspire your students to become storytellers, to think about the moments, the people, and the places that mean so much to them. It is a genre study that will bring out each students’ unique voice.

Each registered attendee will receive a Complete Complete Personal Narrative or Memoir Unit of Study that you will be able to implement in your classroom. Each Unit includes:
  • 10 touchstone texts
  • 20 or more corresponding mini-lessons that take your students
    through each stage of the writing process, from immersion to
    generating ideas, revision, editing, publishing, and assessment!
  • 10 book labels
  • 1 storage bin
  • 1 binder
  • 1 Teacher’s Guide
Test-Prep Using Real Books Grades 3–5

In this workshop participants will learn how to link essential reading strategies with the essential skills required of students in high-stakes testing situations and to deliver the instruction within a Reading Workshop framework.

Each registered attendee will receive a Whole-Group Instruction Lesson Set that you will be able to implement in your classroom. Each Unit includes:
  • 9 touchstone texts
  • 15 whole-group lessons, each focusing on a particular skill or strategy and connected directly to the 9 touchstone texts
  • 9 book labels
  • 1 storage bin
Presenters:
 
RORY COHEN
Rory taught in New York City Public Schools and in Long Island before becoming a staff developer at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University. While at the project, Rory mentored elementary teachers across the state, providing demonstration teaching and reading and writing curriculum planning. Rory is now a nationally recognized literacy consultant who specializes in primary reading and writing and an Educational Co-Director at Schoolwide, Inc.
 
 
DARLENE FARRACE-PROTT
Darlene holds a certification in Elementary Education and has more than 14 years classroom experience. She received a BA from Kean University in New Jersey, and is currently completing course work towards a master’s degree in Educational Administration. Darlene is a cofounder of NJ Teacher 2 Teacher, LLC, which was established in 2003 to provide teachers with high quality professional development. Her vocation as a staff developer includes traveling to many districts presenting workshops in Language Arts and Mathematics. Darlene is excited to share her experience, ideas, and strategies with other professionals in the field of education.
 
 
MICHELLE WOLF
Michelle is a lead writer and developer of the Writing Fundamentals Units of Study. She has worked on Long Island and in New York City as a teacher, staff developer, and literacy consultant. While with the New York City public schools, she served as a district mentor providing workshops for teachers and principals. Michelle has a vast knowledge of children's literature and has been instrumental in the development of the Schoolwide, Inc. catalog.
 
 
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.
 
If you have any questions, please call us at 1.800.261.9964