Embracing Literacy 2025 Events

Introduction:
Ready to take your students' reading skills to the next level while also building student independence? Fluency and comprehension are critical components of successful reading instruction, and in this session, we will explore two evidence-based strategies—partner reading and paragraph shrinking—that support both skills. Participants will leave with clear, actionable routines for implementing these strategies to foster student independence, increase fluency and improve comprehension.  Applicable as a whole-class strategy in grades 1-5 and intervention technique in 6-12. 

Explore methods to:

• Develop a clear and actionable literacy vision that serves as a launching point for impactful instructional coaching.
• Prioritize coaching support using strategies that differentiate based on teacher and student needs.
• Plan coaching activities and time with intention by leveraging tools that promote purposeful and efficient scheduling.
• Partner effectively with administration to create a cohesive, aligned approach that integrates coaching with school-wide goals.

Credit Reflection Questions: Applying Learning to Practice

• What new insights did you gain from the presentation, and how did they connect to your existing knowledge or experience?
• In what ways did the presentation deepen or enhance your understanding of the topic?
• How do you plan to apply what you learned in your work? Who will benefit from it, and what changes or improvements do you expect to see?

Introduction:
Literacy coaching plays a crucial role in driving student achievement, and effective coaching requires a thoughtful, relationship-driven approach. In this interactive session, participants will explore the essential elements of successful literacy coaching: setting clear goals, building strong partnerships, and implementing differentiated coaching cycles that lead to meaningful teacher growth and improved literacy outcomes for students. Participants will leave empowered with practical strategies to elevate their coaching in order to better support teachers and drive literacy success for all students.

Explore methods to:

• Develop a clear and actionable literacy vision that serves as a launching point for impactful instructional coaching.
• Prioritize coaching support using strategies that differentiate based on teacher and student needs.
• Plan coaching activities and time with intention by leveraging tools that promote purposeful and efficient scheduling.
• Partner effectively with administration to create a cohesive, aligned approach that integrates coaching with school-wide goals.

Credit Reflection Questions: Applying Learning to Practice

• What new insights did you gain from the presentation, and how did they connect to your existing knowledge or experience?
• In what ways did the presentation deepen or enhance your understanding of the topic?
• How do you plan to apply what you learned in your work? Who will benefit from it, and what changes or improvements do you expect to see?

Session Description:Grab your lunch—or your coffee—and settle in for a down-to-earth, real-talk session with Anna Geiger, author of Reaching All Readers and founder of The Measured Mom.This isn’t a sit-and-get. It’s a chance to connect as educators who care deeply about doing what’s best for kids, especially as we continue shifting from balanced literacy to research-aligned instruction. Anna will share her personal journey, insights from her book, and invite honest reflection about what it means to reach every reader with both grace and evidence-based practice.

Together, we’ll explore:

• What happens when you realize what you used to teach… wasn’t right?
  
  
• How can we grow without guilt—and move forward with purpose?
  
  
• What does “reaching all readers” really look like in real classrooms?
  
  

Come ready to learn, reflect, and leave with ideas (and inspiration) to bring back to your school or team. It’s professional learning with heart—and a side of caffeine.

Introduction:
When it comes to early literacy, we focus a lot of our time, energy, and resources on professional learning and coaching teachers, and our teachers deserve it!  However, we don't always consider the professional growth needs of our school leaders, who are key players in student literacy learning.  In this session, participants will learn the key instructional leadership practices necessary for district leaders, principals/assistant principals, and coaches to effectively support teachers in delivering research-based early literacy instruction driven by high-quality instructional materials.  Participants will hear video testimonials from school leaders who have participated in targeted early literacy leadership training, gain helpful tools & resources for literacy leadership (including free professional learning modules focused on the science of reading), and reflect on their literacy leadership practices.  The session will be presented by SchoolKit, a national professional learning partner organization that has worked with 10+ states and over 80 districts to help them increase the quality of literacy instruction.

Objectives:
Understand and reflect on specific instructional leadership moves that leaders can make to strengthen early literacy instruction. 

Credit Reflection Questions: Applying Learning to Practice

• What new insights did you gain from the presentation, and how did they connect to your existing knowledge or experience?
• In what ways did the presentation deepen or enhance your understanding of the topic?
• How do you plan to apply what you learned in your work? Who will benefit from it, and what changes or improvements do you expect to see?

Introduction:
Districts nationwide are adopting new HQIM to support literacy outcomes. However, many educators are still growing their content knowledge of the reading science that provides the rationale for these changes.  This session provides a case-study of a district that sought to enhance teacher literacy content knowledge prior to the curriculum adoption process.  This session unpacks the resulting structures,  professional learning experiences, and growth in teacher knowledge, skills, and dispositions in order to support Wyoming leaders as they consider their own context. 

Objectives:
1. Understand the context, organizational structures, and professional learning experiences that were designed to support outcomes in teachers literacy knowledge and instructional practice. 
2. Articulate the lessons learned from building teachers content knowledge prior to an HQIM adoption, including what worked and what might be adapted for continuous improvement. 
3. Apply this learning to their own context in order to determine teacher content knowledge and readiness for this work. 

Credit Reflection Questions: Applying Learning to Practice

• What new insights did you gain from the presentation, and how did they connect to your existing knowledge or experience?
• In what ways did the presentation deepen or enhance your understanding of the topic?
• How do you plan to apply what you learned in your work? Who will benefit from it, and what changes or improvements do you expect to see?