Presentations (just to share)

PRESENTATIONS

Nobody nods off during my presentations. I encourage audience participation, and I sprinkle my suggestions with a heavy dose of humor. To paraphrase one of my favorite quotes — "They may not remember what I say, but they'll never forget that they had fun." I give away one complimentary copy of From the Teacher's Desk and If They Don't Learn the Way You Teach, Teach the Way They Learn at the end of each presentation.

The Daily Five

Teachers throughout the country are heralding The Daily Five as a highly effective teaching practice that gets ALL kids reading — without worksheets, traditional centers, or a massive amount of bookkeeping. The program, developed by two California sisters/teachers, is designed to foster literacy independence — even with the little tikes. Attendees at this session will learn how the program works, and take a virtual tour of The Daily Café, an online assistance site for Daily Five teachers. And besides that — you'll have fun. Veteran first-grade teacher Jacquie McTaggart gives a fast-paced, high-energy presentation that you won't soon forget.

Learning Through Play

Twenty-five oral games: Kids love them because they're fun, and teachers love them because they're a painless way of teaching new skills and reinforcing old ones. If you're looking for enjoyable and innovative ways to practice rhyming, beginning and ending consonants, counting, numeral recognition, money, time telling, math facts, spelling, and early-writing skills, this session is for you.

Books That Make a Difference

All readers can identify books that made a difference in their lives. In this session Jacquie shares excerpts from dozens of recent releases that are turning "reading sucks" kids into "books rock" students. Jacquie's presentations are high energy, fast paced, and sprinkled with humor. One hour. (PK-8)

Extra-Curricular Reading

Extra-curricular activities are good for kids' emotional well-being and all-around development, but some students are not athletically gifted, musically inclined, or interested in drama. In this presentation Jacquie talks about beyond-the-school-day activities that give student readers a voice, and she shares a blueprint for implementing them. This session is for those who like to laugh as they learn and want to learn how to operate extra-curricular literature groups such as Mock Newbery and Mock Caldecott Committees, After-School Book Clubs, Brown Bag Luncheon Clubs, Battle of the Books Readers Groups, and Graphic Novel Clubs. One hour. (Grades 4-12)

Transforming the Reluctant Reader

This presentation includes booklists, Web sites, and dozens of put-into-practice-tomorrow tactics that help turn reluctant readers into "books rock" students. This is my most popular presentation, but it is best suited for a two to three hour workshop. It can be split into two, one-hour presentations as listed below. (Grades K-12)

Catch 'em Before They Fall

Strategies, books and Web sites that enable the struggling, motivate the reluctant, and enrich primary level students. Attendees learn how to make and use chair bags, weekly reading logs, display books for maximum readership, and much more. One hour. (Grades K-3)

Enable, Motivate, Enrich

This session includes strategies, materials, books, methods, and Websites that motivate intermediate, middle, and high school learners — with heavy emphasis on practices and materials that appeal to those hard-to-crack reluctant male readers. One hour. (Grades 3-12)

If You Can't Beat 'em — Join 'em

Sixty high quality Web sites that allow kids to explore and have fun — and LEARN. All sites require reading, demand critical thinking, and have high kid-appeal. Listed by category and grade level. (Grades K-12)

The Mouse Trap

Many of today's students write reports by clicking the mouse. A lot of them don't even read what they copy and paste. What's the solution? Cut the little varmints off at the pass by giving CREATIVE writing assignments. In this presentation we discuss twelve traditional writing assignments that invite cutting and pasting, and offer a creative alternative for each. (Grades 4-12)

Going Graphic

In this presentation we discuss concrete ideas for using comics and graphic novels to supplement (not supplant) the literacy program. Attendees learn how to use comic formatted books to encourage reading and enhance student writing. Handout lists Web sites where educators can find recommended and blackballed titles, and comic book formatted units. (Grades 4-12)

Get Ready, Set, Click

A lot of kids avoid reading and detest writing, but almost all of them embrace the computer. What's the answer? Play to their passion. In this presentation I describe how some teachers are using the computer, video games, and the Internet to engage readers and motivate writers. Handout includes a list of Blue Ribbon Web sites and video games that do more than entertain. Several are springboards for writing activities. (Grades 4-12)

The Write Way

If kids like what they do, they want to do more of it. This presentation is jam-packed with ready-to-use-tomorrow teaching strategies that make kids want to write. Learn which Web sites, practices, and activities turn "I hate to write" kids into "writing rocks" students. This can be a two-hour (+) workshop presentation for K-12, or divided into two one-hour sessions for K-3 and 3-12