In this episode, you will hear from two literacy experts who have worked with a number of districts to support them in best practices in reading and writing.

Coley Conter and Katy Wischow are a pleasure to speak with and I you will gain so much from hearing what they share with us!

Our discussion begins with Katy and Coley's favorite part about teaching writing and moves on to discuss:

-tapping into "out of school" writing

-children's writing communities

-strategies for getting writers started

Books mentioned in this episode: How to Tell a Story by The Moth

Guests

Coley Conter: Coley Conter brings deep experience as a curriculum writer, lead teacher, and literacy innovator to her work at TC Advancing Literacy. She’s been a contributor to new editions of Units of Study in Writing and an instructor in the Writing Program at Rutgers University. Her educational experience spans grades 3-12. Coley is passionate about cultivating brave classroom communities and increasing interdisciplinary literacy in schools, both of which she continues to explore as a student in the Literacy Specialist program.

Katy Wischow: Katy Wischow has been a staff developer, supporting schools and teachers around the world, since 2013. She currently works for the Reading & Writing Project at Mossflower. Before that, she found her way to workshop teaching, seeing how it transformed her students' work in her Newark, NJ middle school classroom. Her students' response led Katy to enroll in the Literacy Specialist Program at Teachers College, where she earned her M.A. Katy is the co-author of the professional book Unlocking the Power of Classroom Talk, co-written several Units of Study for middle school, and the Ida & Jake series in the Jump Rope Readers decodable book collection. She is passionate (and super nerdy!) about curriculum, writing instruction, and all things literacy!

About Melissa:

Melissa is an enthusiastic educator and continuous learner with over 19 years' experience in education.  Her passion and expertise is transforming writing programs so that teachers are confident in writing instruction and student writers thrive! She strongly believes teachers are the key to effective instruction and their writers are their best resources.

Melissa knows that too often, explicit writing instruction is pushed aside in elementary education, and she feels it is her calling to help schools make it front and center, providing teachers with the knowledge and support necessary to implement effective and engaging writing instruction. 

Teaching to Transform, LLC was founded by Melissa in 2018 and partners with school districts to provide professional development in writing instruction.

If you would like to learn more or refer Melissa to your district, check out her website below!

Website and Blog Read the latest blog posts and find out more about services provided by Melissa

Instagram Follow Melissa for tips and support with writing instruction!

YouTube Find out more about teaching writing as you watch webinars and model lessons taught by Melissa

LinkedIn Connect with Melissa!