Leading Literacy

Welcome back to another episode of Leading Literacy. We're excited to talk with Dr. Marisa Ramirez Stukey, Chief Academic Officer at The Reading League. Marisa has a wealth of educational experience as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, professor in higher education and as a national consultant. Our conversation centers on moving to the next phase of understanding the science of reading research and structured literacy through exploring and applying the science of learning to all aspects of the school experience. Hope you enjoy this fun and thought-provoking conversation with Dr. Marisa Ramirez Stukey.

Be sure to visit LACOE's Reading Language Arts page to learn more about our professional learning offerings and resources.

Hello there, literacy friends! We're so glad that you're here with us for this episode of Leading Literacy because we have an amazing guest. Joining us is Suzanne Lang, the best-selling author of the "Grumpy Monkey" series along with other beloved picture books. We'll chat with Suzanne about her journey as an author, the inspiration behind her character, especially our favorite, Jim Panzee, and the teamwork that's involved in making it all work. It's a fun conversation and we can't wait to share it with you all.

To learn more about LACOE's upcoming professional learning opportunities and resources, visit LACOE's Reading/Language Arts page for direct links.

Hello, literacy friends! We had the amazing opportunity to chat with the amazing Kristen Wynn with AIM Institute of Literacy and Research. Kristen has served in education for more than 20 years. You may have heard of her from her role as the former state literacy director for the Mississippi Department of Education. Kristen was instrumental in the literacy success in Mississippi and has a wealth of knowledge in literacy pedagogy, practice and leadership. She shares her journey, lessons learned, and what she's working on now. We know you're going to enjoy this fabulous conversation with our friend and colleague, Kristen Wynn.

If you're interested in learning more about Kristin Wynn and the incredible work she's doing over at AIM Institute for Learning and Research, and give them a follow on social media.

In this episode of Leading Literacy, we have an awesome conversation with Dr. Altheria Caldera on the intersection of literacy and equity. Dr. Caldera is an educator, a researcher and equity consultant. She's also a brand-new author and her work is just incredible. She's just released her new book, Reimagining Educational Justice in the Face of Opposition and we're delighted to talk to her about that and all things literacy equity. So settle in for this inspiring episode with our friend and literacy warrior, Dr. Altheria Caldera.

To learn more about Dr. Caldera and her work visit her website, www.drcaldera.com. You can find her new book, on the publisher's website as well as on Amazon.

Leading Literacy is thrilled to welcome Instagram and TikTok sensation, Jake Daggett. Jake is the current literacy director in a Milwaukee school who rose to internet fame for his passionate literacy work and engaging learning routines. Today, you'll hear more about his journey and work and what he's doing to support educators in one of the neediest areas in the country. Enjoy this fun episode with our pal, Jake Daggett.

Be sure to check out Jake's Instagram, Jake Daggett, as well as his website www.engagewithjake.com.

In this episode of Leading Literacy, we had a chance to chat with Janee Butler, the Director of Program Design & Implementation at The Center for Literacy and Learning. Janee shares her expertise on what it takes to build strong literacy systems, including effective sight word instruction, the importance of vertical instructional alignment across all grade levels, and much more!

If you're interested in accessing Janee's article that she co-authored with Dr. Katie Pace Miles and Denise Eide titled, The Regularity of High-Frequency Words (Sight Words): Teacher Phonetic Knowledge is Key, you can reach out directly to Janee via The Center for Literacy & Learning website. Want to hear more about what the Center for Literacy & Learning has to offer? If so, check out Leading Literacy's past episode, number 22, with DeJunne Clark Jackson.

Today's guest on Leading Literacy is someone who truly embodies the power of education and the importance of a hero's journey. Dr. Joyce Jamerson is a nationally recognized literacy leader who has spent decades uplifting students, supporting educators, and strengthening communities. From her experience as a classroom teacher, to a college educator, Dr. Jamerson's work is fueled by purpose, passion, and joy. Let's jump right into this fun and inspiring conversation with Dr. Joyce Jamerson.

Thanks for listening to this episode of Leading Literacy from the Los Angeles County Office of Education. To learn more about upcoming LACOE professional learning offerings, head over to the Reading/Language Arts page HERE.

On this episode of Leading Literacy, we're joined by the incredible Kari Kurto. She's the National Science of Reading Project Director at The Reading League, and honestly, just an all-around amazing human. Her passion and energy for this work is palpable. You're going to love hearing about The Reading League's Compass resource tool — it's packed with resources for all kinds of different stakeholders. So, sit back and enjoy this conversation with our friend and colleague, Kari Kurto.

Want more? Join The Reading League California chapter to find out more about state-specific events, literacy-related legislation, and continue to build your knowledge with other like-minded educators. To learn more about LACOE's upcoming professional learning opportunities and resources, visit LACOE's Reading/Language Arts page for direct links.

We spend a lot of time on Leading Literacy talking about reading, and for this episode we are going to switch things up and focus in on writing. We're fortunate to have Joan Sedita, author of The Writing Rope here with us to talk about her book and some of her other amazing projects, like Keys to Literacy, as well as what she's learned from 50 years as an educator! Enjoy this fun conversation with the incredible Joan Sedita.

To learn more about our upcoming book study on Joan Sedita's book, The Writing Rope, and our other professional learning opportunities and resources, visit LACOE's Reading/Language Arts page for direct links.

​​Hello Leading Literacy friends! As you know, Institutes of High Ed. play an important role in making the instructional shift from balanced to structured literacy with educators. On today's episode, we talk with Nancy Walker and Shana Matamala from LaFetra College of Education at the University of La Verne, the only A-rated teacher education program for literacy in the state. This conversation is so important, and we know you'll find it interesting to see how ULV made the switch from balanced to structured literacy within their own ranks to help teachers be better prepared in the field. Enjoy this golden episode!