Email: jmeducationpd@gmail.com
Guiding You to the Next Step-
Helping you continue on a path of learning!
Guiding You to the Next Step-
Helping you continue on a path of learning!
Summer of Learning and Sharing!
Literacy on the Concho 2023
I am excited to announce that I am presenting two sessions for Region 15's Literacy on the Concho Conference in San Angelo on July 12, 2023. There are other fabulous presenters including Melanie Mayer and Dr. Shona Rose, and Gerry Brooks will be our keynote speaker!
Literacy on the Concho 2023
Meeting Gerry Brooks and presenting two sessions for Region 15's Literacy on the Concho this past summer were definitely some of my highlights. Gerry and I also figured out that we share a mutual friend---small world indeed!
Is your district interested in hosting a workshop?
Hosting one of my workshops can offer many benefits. If your campus or school district would like to host one of my workshop events, your teachers and administrators can attend for free if there is a minimum registration reached from other participating schools.
Please reach out and let's discuss the possibilities of arranging STAAR Reading and Writing support workshops in your area! Let's learn and grow together--
More Upcoming Workshops!
Teach Rhymes with Beach Conference
Join us in Port Aransas for Melanie Mayer's "Teach Rhymes with Beach" conference on October 19-21, 2025. Gretchen Bernabei and her team will be presenting and so will I!
Looking for RLA professional development?
My calendar is beginning to fill up, but please reach out to see if there is a time that I could serve your instructional needs.
A resilience developed through dedication and hard work:
Growth Mindset
My belief is that a teacher who possesses a growth mindset can ultimately affect every student who enters his/her class to become the best version of themselves. This includes personal and academic growth.
Workshops and Trainings
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Reading Lenses with Informative and Argumentative Texts
Participants will learn how to determine reading lenses based on the corresponding TEKS and then apply them to informational and argumentative texts. Ultimately, teachers will learn how to teach their students to not only think critically on the STAAR level, but to write their own questions like a STAAR test creator. Using the TEKS and STAAR stem questions, students will create a vast menu of choices in reading analysis.
Inference Ingenuity
With the short and extended constructed responses coming our way, students need strategies to connect and infuse compositions with analysis, inferences, and text evidence. This workshop will offer hands-on activities that will support teachers as they build as many instructional "bridges" as possible to guide students toward composing successful informational responses. Participants in this session will experience the instructional methods through the eyes of the teacher and the student. Let's go toe-to-toe with STAAR 2.0!!!
Rejuvenating the Reader Response
Engaging students in analytical reading is definitely a challenge; however, adding the writing process can seem overwhelming. This session will infuse reading with enriching writing strategies that will not only engage your students but guide them through revision of their written responses. Teachers will leave with ready-to-go STAAR 2.0 writing lessons that will make an impact on instruction.
Unit Development: Reaching Rigor Through Planning
Unit planning is enhanced when teachers have a system of steps to guide instructional greatness! This workshop will be customized to fit each participant's needs as teachers will bring their TEKS, curriculum guides, and resources. So, if you are ready to roll up your sleeves and get down to business, this training provides the skills and processes necessary to create learning experiences that will help you and your students to thrive.
Hands-On Reading and Writing
Get ready to fill your instructional toolboxes with engaging strategies that will help your students crystalize their learning! Participants will have multiple opportunities to experience reading and writing with "creative rigor" that will support STAAR literacy skills.
Reading Lenses: To the STAARs and Beyond
Participants will experience a strategy that truly gives purpose to reading and enables readers to analyze on rigorous levels. Multiple genres will be explored along with making connections through writing. Ultimately, participants will learn how to teach their students to write STAAR-level questions.
Reading Lenses 101
Participants will learn how to determine reading lenses based on the TEKS that should be taught and then apply them to engaging selections. Ultimately, teachers will learn how to teach their students to not only think on the STAAR level, but to write their own questions like a STAAR test creator.
Reading and Writing Reunited…And It Feels So Good!
Participants will combine the reading lenses strategy with a reader response activity. From there, revision of writer’s craft will lead to a longer composition. This is truly “sucking the marrow” from reading and writing instruction.
Authentic Writing—Lessons that Last!
One of the struggles that most students face in their compositions stems from “development of ideas.” This 3-hour session will help teachers build their students’ background knowledge through activities such as the MLK Body Biography.
Through the Clouds (HOTS with Bloom’s and Costa’s)
Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) will be addressed through Bloom’s and Costa’s levels of questioning. This workshop can be cross-curricular as well.
Visual Writing Rubrics
Before teachers or students can effectively address STAAR prompts and compositions, analysis of the rubrics must occur. This 3-hour session will give teachers and students memorable, effective tools that will boost essay success through a visual interpretation of rubrics. This session can be cross-curricular as well.
PAWS (Producing Awesome Writing Skills) Camp
This session puts together some of the biggest-bang-for-your-buck writing strategies that I have ever experienced. All elements of the STAAR rubric will be explored with engaging activities.
Presentation History and Achievements
