Workshop Leaders & Topics
Patty Engle has been in education for fifteen years where she served as a classroom teacher in
grades 3-7, as well as a literacy coach for grades K-6. She has been a literacy and technology
integration consultant for the past twelve years at the district, state, and national level.
Why Write?
The learning that can be attained through a student created Writer’s Notebook can be incredible!
In this session you will learn writing strategies for implementation, modeling, providing choice,
developing interactive response opportunities, and encouraging students to write, write, write!
Focus: 4-6
Delicious Networking: Using Social Bookmarking to Expand Your Professional Network
Social bookmarking opens the door to the next generation of organizing information and web
resources with this powerful new Web2.0 tool. Categorize your existing bookmarks and make
them available for your teammates, as well as other educators who are interested in similar
information. Why stop at collaborating with just the teachers in your department or grade level…
when you can pool resources with teachers across the world?
Focus: K-6
Using Blogs and Forums to Enhance Classroom Instruction
Blogs and forums provide excellent opportunities for students to read, write, collaborate, and
discuss. Find out, through the sharing of actual student experiences, how to motivate even your
most difficult to reach students and get them actively engaged in dialogue using critical thinking
skills. In this session you will learn how these highly motivating tools can powerfully impact
student centered learning and stretch your classroom walls beyond its traditional "brick and
mortar" boundaries.
Focus: 4-6
P.R.O.B.E. the Topic!
Expository text can be one of the toughest to teach because the volume and complexity can be
overwhelming for students. Hook students into expository reading and writing by giving them
the freedom to choose their own topics. Equip them with the tools and framework needed for
research and writing using the standard writing process.
Focus: 4-6
Reading, Writing, and Wow!
In this workshop you will learn of strategies, trade book tie-ins, and Six Traits mini-lessons to
power pack your writing instruction. Focus will be on lessons to develop and expand writing
fundamentals, expository reading and writing connections, trade books to teach trait-based
writing, and integrated thematic literature ties.
Focus: 4-6
