Elevate Nashville 2023 - Conference Brochure

Who We Are

ELEVATE is the premiere professional development for primary Pre-K - 2nd Grade Educators. Our Selection of highly accomplished national speakers, are either currently teachers, administrators, specialists, coaches or consultants working in schools.

All ELEVATE, conference sessions are based on research and/or evidence-based content and practices and guaranteed to be presented in a way that engages attendees in hands-on activities and models instructional best-practices.

Founded in Research

Next Day Implementation

Every session you attend will provide you with lesson ideas and activity resources that you can take back to your classroom and use immediately!

Vetted Speakers

At ELEVATE, we set the bar high! All presenters are required to support their presentation content with current research, model bestpractice instructional methods, incorporate active-engagement strategies within their sessions, and provide complementary lesson plans/activities for attendees to take back and use immediately in their classrooms.

elevate verb

vāt

The definition says it all….and at ELEVATE, that’s what we are all about: Supporting and uplifting early childhood and elementary educators in their quest to improve instruction for the students they serve.

This conference was designed with the core objective of supporting educators who work selflessly in the classroom each day, giving their all. The ELEVATE team consists of highly experienced and awardwinning educators who are currently teaching in the classroom or actively serving in schools.

We SEE you.

We know your struggles. We APPRECIATE you.

ELEVATE is here to support YOU. Our conferences will provide you with the absolute best professional development sessions offered for Pre-k to 2nd grade educators. Every ELEVATE conference will include multiple sessions on all core academic strands (including reading, writing, math, science, & social studies), as well as administrative, SEL, school culture, classroom management, and culturally responsive teaching workshops.

And what’s more important is that our support doesn’t stop there! ELEVATE is much more than a conference you attend. After joining us for an in-person professional development experience, you are invited into our ELEVATE community. This is a place where educators across the country digitally come together to provide continued support and encouragement for one another. Think of it as a socialmedia-based PLC. Post your questions. Request support. Share your challenges. We’ll be right there to provide long-term support. We’ve got you!

Ready to ELEVATE your classroom?

JOIN US IN NASHVILLE!

Please note that the host hotel (Embassy Suites) has already sold out of rooms for the dates of our event. The good news is that there are other hotels that are within walking distance of the host hotel. You can find information on these on the next page.

BOOK YOUR HOTEL ASAP

Our host hotel (Embassy Suites) has already sold out of rooms for the dates of our event. The good news is that there are other hotels that are within walking distance of the host hotel.

We are working with neighboring hotels (that are walking distance) to secure rooms at a discounted rate. Once we have the links for those, we will post them here, so check back to see our most current availability.

DISCOUNTED ROOMS NEARBY

Holiday Inn

$159/night

https://bit.ly/HolidayInnElevateNashville

Courtyard by Marriott

$199/night

https://bit.ly/CourtyardElevateNashville

Residence Inn by Marriott

$194/night

https://bit.ly/ResidenceInnElevateNashville

am -

am

Morning Keynote & Book

Signing w/Ron Clark

with Ron Clark

pm Lunch on Your Own

Sessions

Closing Keynote by Mr. Greg!

Keynotes

The Aliens Is Coming!

With Ron Clark | Keynote

During this keynote focused on the state of education in the world, Ron Clark informs the audience about data trends, test score results and an analysis of his journeys to classrooms and school districts in all 50 states. "The Aliens is Coming," is focused on the challenges we are facing in the American education system, but Ron delivers it in a way that is uplifting, inspiring and filled with hilarity! Educators will leave with concrete examples of how they can improve their teaching methods and their schools, but they will also leave feeling hope and a promise for a new tomorrow.

Be Your Best Personal & Professional Self

With Gerry Brooks | Keynote

Gerry will focus on personal climate and culture. He will challenge you to be the best you can be in all aspects of your life as we deal with parents, students, & children. His message will include humorous situations and practical ideas for improving our own personal common culture.

Keynotes

#HappyClassrooms

By Greg Smedley-Warren | Keynote

An inspirational message about the lessons our students teach us each day in the classroom. In this uplifting message, Mr. Greg will share stories from his classroom and the lessons he has learned and how they can be implemented in other classrooms. The #happyclassrooms is a way for teachers around the world to share positive experiences from their own classrooms. Mr. Greg will describe in detail the mission of this hashtag and how it relates to your teacher’s attitudes toward education and their classroom.

Conference Sessions

The following breakout sessions are available at ELEVATE Nashville! You get to choose the session that you would like to attend!

Centers Made Simple

By Greg Smedley-Warren | Cross Curricular

Get familiar with standards-based and differentiated math and literacy centers and explore ways to effectively manage your math or literacy centers. Plus discover how center wheels and tubs help make managing and rotating centers simple for you and your students through the use of choice and voice.

Transforming the Dramatic Play Center

By Jackie Kops | Play Based

Learning

Learn how to transform the dramatic play center into different places and let students take the lead in their learning! Change it into an Ice Cream Shop, Pumpkin Patch, Campsite, Auto Shop, or a place related to your learning theme! Learn quick and easy ways to embed literacy, math, STEM, and science into their play for many themes that you can implement tomorrow! Plus, fun ways you can sneak fine motor into their play! Plan out one dramatic play transformation together.

Conference Sessions

The following breakout sessions are available at ELEVATE Nashville! You get to choose the session that you would like to attend!

Speech to Print

By Holly Ehle | Science of Reading

Join Holly as she shares what educational neuroscientists now know about how the brain functions when children learn to read and write and why it's essential for primary teachers to provide instruction that has children working from speech to print. You will leave this session with a clear understanding of why, as educators, we need to shift our instructional methods to better align with the science of reading and reconsider some of the activities we've done in the past. This session will also be jampacked with engaging activity ideas to take back to your classroom and use with your students immediately!

Pave the Way for Scientific Literacy

By Katie Mense | Science

Kids are naturally curious about the world around them. Tap into that curiosity by blending Science into your everyday instruction. In this session, Katie will show you lots of fun, hands-on ways to engage your little scientist and build their scientific understanding through authentic exploration.

Conference Sessions

The following breakout sessions are available at ELEVATE Nashville! You get to choose the session that you would like to attend!

By Adam Dovico | School Culture

Building student voice and critical thinking is a skill we all want to see in our classrooms. Join Adam as he shows you how to develop a studentcentered classroom through discourse, debate, critical thinking, and speaking and listening. Participants will get to view authentic videos of these practices in action and then take an active part in practicing the foundational skills and set-up for how to immediately bring these practices back to their classroom.

When Kids Lead: Developing Student Voice Be Mindful! Let’s Talk It Out

By LeAnna Wolkis-Goldstein | SEL

Come explore ways children stimulate their social emotional learning by using a set of Self Soothing Tools which support positive interactions & ensure focused attention. See how to create an environment where students feel safe engaging in conversations that advance their communication skills. You will then find children being empowered to stand on their “Box Of Courage” by using calming techniques that expand their ability to be mindful. Let LeAnna show you how to ELEVATE your classroom with its own set of SEL Super Powers!

Conference Sessions

The following breakout sessions are available at ELEVATE Nashville! You get to choose the session that you would like to attend!

From Ideas to Impact: Purposeful Literacy Centers

By Angela Griffith | Classroom Management

Literacy centers are purposeful learning environments within the classroom designed to support students in developing reading and writing skills. Join Angela as she shares all of her tips & tricks for creating, implementing, and managing purposeful literacy centers so that your students can learn and thrive!

Rebellious Read Alouds

By Vera Ahiyya | D.E.I.A.

During our session, we will work on the ways educators can encourage classroom conversations about important and culturally relevant topics using daily read-alouds as an entry point. Presenting a broad range of read-aloud lessons around current, diverse picture books that can ignite deep conversations and learning about self, others, and the world, this wise and joyful guide prepares educators to tackle "hushed topics" with young children.

Conference Sessions

The following breakout sessions are available at ELEVATE Nashville! You get to choose the session that you would like to attend!

#TeacherHacks - Top Tips

By Hillary Statum | Classroom Management

Discover the ah-ha moments of classroom teachers just like you! This session is jam-packed with top teacher tips from effective parent communication tools to classroom management techniques that work. First year teachers and veteran teachers alike will benefit from a wide variety of tips ranging from what to do with early finishers to how to run centers like a pro. Return to your classroom with a renewed sense of energy and a toolkit full of classroom tested and approved strategies!

Manage Their Mischief

By Katie Knight | Classroom Management

Teachers need real-world and easy to implement classroom management strategies. Come laugh and learn as Katie Knight breaks it down and gives solutions for creating a happy, self-managing, and emotionally safe classroom.

Conference Sessions

The following breakout sessions are available at ELEVATE Nashville! You get to choose the session that you would like to attend!

By Jake Daggett | ELA

Are you looking for ways to amp up your phonics lessons? No matter the curriculum, join Jake as we explore ways to add kinesthetic and mulitsensory strategies to phonics instruction. Whether you are teaching in small group or whole group, these strategies and practices will help you get the most out of your instructional time as well as increase your engagement from students. Plus, we will have fun moving and grooving!

Kinesthetic and Mulitsensory Movement in Phonics From Nonsense to Number Sense

By Keri Brown | Math

Let's talk about why math matters for our primary students. We will cover how we can take a child from zero awareness to full blown number sense mastery. This session is also packed with ideas and activities to take back into the classroom to implement.

Conference Sessions

The following breakout sessions are available at ELEVATE Nashville! You get to choose the session that you would like to attend!

Student Led Learning: Genius Hour & Project Based Learning in Action

By Kayla Dornfeld | Cross-Curricular

Have you been hearing about Genius Hour, passion projects, Project Based Learning, or Google’s 20% time in classrooms? Are you unsure how to justify this type of student-led learning or implement it? Kayla presents the research behind allowing students time during their week to study what they are passionate about and solve real world problems. From brainstorming topics to creating meaningful, student-driven presentations, learn how to create a classroom where student passions come alive.

It Starts with a Great Book!

By Deedee Wills | ELA

How do you teach emergent readers to become deep thinkers and engage in focused discussions? How do you scaffold them, support their attempts, and help them transfer their learning to new situations? It just doesn't happen...it happens with deliberate instruction. Join Deedee as she walks you through the process of planning an interactive read-aloud for deliberate instruction. It starts with a great book.

Conference Sessions

The following breakout sessions are available at ELEVATE Nashville! You get to choose the session that you would like to attend!

Sing, Play, Dance, and Read: Making Storytime Musical

By Katie Wonderly | Music

Picture books can serve many purposes in a classroom: mirrors to reflect students’ own experiences, windows to peek into the lives and experiences of others, and doors to enter new or imaginary worlds. In this session, Katie will be using children’s literature as a diving board into the world of music - a jumping off point to melodic and rhythmic concepts, musicians, and other musical activities.

Bilingualism, Building Brain Power!

By MaríaMercedes Champion | ELL

Learning another language is a difficult task that requires lots of support by families and educators. Lets answer some questions you may have about second language acquisition and the ways we can support our students and families learning another language.

Conference Sessions

The following breakout sessions are available at ELEVATE Nashville! You get to choose the session that you would like to attend!

Making Math Hands On!

By Mary Amoson | Math

Start using the very best high-quality, hands-on skill games and activities in your whole-groups and small-groups and with partners to promote cross-curricular learning in fun ways. You won’t believe how many examples Mary shares. And, get leveled learning activities to help with remediation, skill-building, and accelerated learning. This session also has hands on games to try and fall in LOVE with! (This session has hands on math games for attendees to play to learn with.)

Writing Through the Lens of The Science of Reading

By Deedee Wills | Writing

Learn the effective writing instructional practices that are backed by brain research. You will leave with practical ideas that are aligned with IDA's structured literacy approach. Psst! AND your students will love it.

Conference Sessions

The following breakout sessions are available at ELEVATE Nashville! You get to choose the session that you would like to attend!

Assess But Don’t Stress

By Mary Amoson | Data Driven Instruction

Does assessment and data collection drive you crazy? It won’t after you apply Mary’s tips and tricks for making it quick and fun. Explore how to organize your assessments without the stress while discovering engaging, interactive, and child-approved ideas for using data to drive your instruction.

Putting the SOR into Practice

By Holly Ehle | Science of Reading

Ready to take what you learned in the “Science of Reading: Speech to Print” session and put it into practice? Join Holly as she explains how you can use a Sound Wall in your classroom as a powerful resource to guide instruction and support your beginning readers and writers. Learn more about how to transition your “guided reading” groups into powerful learning circles that provide evidence-based, differentiated support for all students. Gain knowledge about how to plan classroom activities that promote orthographic mapping, including how to teach students irregularly spelled high-frequency words using the “heart word” method. Walk away from this session with a packet full of activities and resources that you can use in your classroom to bring the SOR to life in fun and engaging ways!

Conference Sessions

The following breakout sessions are available at ELEVATE Nashville! You get to choose the session that you would like to attend!

Learning How to Write Letters & Numbers with Tiny Treasures

By Jackie Kops | Fine Motor

Make learning letters and numbers FUN and hands-on using tiny treasures and non-traditional surfaces from your local dollar spot and dollar store! Join this session to learn tons of new strategies and activities for teaching letter and number formation using tiny treasures like mini-erasers, gems, seasonal table scatter, sensory bags, writing trays, and other fun non-traditional writing surfaces like foil.

Morning Makeover

By Katie Blue-Mense & Adam Dovico | Classroom Management

In classrooms across the country, students start their day with routines that include packets of work, problems of the day, and silent expectations. What if we rethought how we start our day? What if we gave students opportunities to create, build, solve, and explore in an engaging and meaningful way? Join Katie and Adam as they take you on a journey from morning work to morning choice! We will offer up tips, strategies, and resources, including our very own Morning Tubs, that will allow you to prepare for your students to have a great start to the day!

Conference Sessions

The following breakout sessions are available at ELEVATE Nashville! You get to choose the session that you would like to attend!

All DAY, Every Day FUN Meaningful Language Development Activities

By María Mercedes Champion | ELL Phonics

Phonological awareness is highly related to later success in reading and spelling. This session will teach FUN language development songs, transitions and activities to increase phonological awareness throughout your student's day.

CLICK

Bring

the World to Your Classroom!

By Kayla Dornfeld | Social Studies

Conference Sessions

The following breakout sessions are available at ELEVATE Nashville! You get to choose the session that you would like to attend!

By Hillary Statum | STEAM

Engage your students with easy-to-prep STEAM lessons! In this hands-on session, learn simple tips to incorporate STEAM projects into your ELA and Math instructional blocks using items you likely have on hand. See videos of students completing the projects effectively and try your hand at a challenge. Go home with new ideas, design templates, and confidence in your ability to use STEAM successfully!

Comprehension & Fluency Activities w/a Social Studies & Science Flair.

By Katie Knight | Social Studies & Science

The guided reading table is not the only place to build strong readers. Katie will explain her daily 7 minute whole-group strategies to build passionate readers with strong comprehension skills! You will be gifted the games your students will LOVE and with the materials needed to start easy and effective whole-group fluency practice.

Conference Sessions

The following breakout sessions are available at ELEVATE Nashville! You get to choose the session that you would like to attend!

Centers with Structured Literacy

By Jake Daggett | ELA

In this session, Jake will show you how to amp up your literacy centers to reflect the latest science on structured literacy and explicit phonics.

The First 30 Days of School

By Keri Brown | Classroom Management

With the new year in our sights, I like to plan for the next school year to keep the stress and workload of a new year to a minimum. Let's walk through my prepping time and what I focus on with my students in the first 30 days of school. Walk away with my to dos plus my checklist to help you teach routines and procedures in the first 30 days.

Known to many as "America's Educator," Ron Clark is the 2000 Disney American Teacher of the Year, a two-time New York Times Bestselling author, the subject of a television movie and the founder of the Ron Clark Academy. Ron is regularly featured on network and cable television (The Today Show, CNN and Oprah,) and was dubbed by Ms. Winfrey as her first "Phenomenal Man."

Ron Clark brings charisma, energy and devotion to the education profession. Ron pioneered innovative projects in rural North Carolina working with students in a low wealth area. His highly effective programs garnered national attention in 1995 and led to a White House invitation to be honored by the President of the United States.

Ron Clark's personality is marked by a sense of challenge and adventure. Upon watching a television piece chronicling low test scores and the lack of teachers in inner-city New York, Ron packed his car and moved to Harlem. After being warned by the principal that his class was the least disciplined group she had seen in years,

Ron prepared himself by visiting the home of each student before the first day of school. Ron Clark involved his students in projects in the city and state, and his "low achievers" soon began to excel; and by the end of the year, their scores were higher than the "gifted" classes in his district.

In 2003, Ron Clark released the New York Times Bestsellin 55" which includes his 55 expectations of students - as w young and old. Ron's second book, "The Excellent 11," was re and further captured the attention of parents, educators and students alike.

Obviously Ron Clark did not stop there. In 2006, he founded The Ron Clark Academy, an inner-city school serving students from across metro Atlanta. The nonprofit school is unique for its innovative teaching methods and curriculum based on high expectations, engaging strategies and a focus on relationships. Over 100,000 educators, teachers and administrators from around the world have visited the Academy to observe the innovative and "out-of-the-box" methods for achieving student success.

In the year 2006, The Ron Clark Story was released to critical acclaim. It was named as the Best TV Movie/Drama and was nominated for an Emmy, a Golden Globe and the Critics' Choice Award for Best Television Movie.

In 2011, Ron Clark released "The End of Molasses Classes: Getting Our Kids Unstuck--101 Extraordinary Solutions for Parents and Teachers." This New York Times Best Seller brought to light 101 innovative and classroom-tested ways for improving America's schools and leading our children to greatness.

In his most recent release, "Move Your Bus: An Extraordinary New Approach to Accelerating Success in Work and Life." This versatile best seller has attracted attention from both the world of business and education. Ron Clark applies his successful leadership principles to both worlds in this effective and accessible guidebook, perfect for anyone looking to inspire and motivate his or her team. Ron Clark currently teaches 5th and 6th grade, math and global studies, but in addition to his many duties as an educator, Ron Clark is a much sought after keynote speaker. During his presentations, he shares the uncanny adventures he and speaks of his experiences teaching in Harlem. eartwarming stories, he delivers a message relevant to of hope, dedication and the never-say-never attitude and dreams.

Howdy! I am Mr. Greg from The Ki for 16 years. I spent a year teachin now in my 13th year in Kindergarten. Kindergarten is my passion and my calling but honestly, that wasn’t how it started. When I was moved to Kindergarten (not voluntarily!) I called my mommy and cried. But on the first day, I fell in love and knew that Kindergarten is where I belonged. I have remained in Kindergarten ever since. I plan to never leave the classroom as the kids are what drive me to continue my growth as a teacher and person.

I received my bachelors degree from Indiana University and received my ELL certification from David Lipscomb University. At the beginning of my career I spent two summers teaching in Ecuador which only helped to fan the flames of my passion for teaching. In 2015 I was selected as Teacher Of The Year by my peers. I have a monthly broadcast on YouTube called Submission for Smorgie LIVE. I enjoy blogging, creating curriculum and resources for my classroom and conducting professional development sessions to help teachers around the world make their classrooms a more fun, effective and interactive place to teach.

When I’m not in the classroom, blogging and doing all things teach, I enjoy spending time with my family. I live in Nashville, Tennessee with my husband (known as The Mister on my blog), our 2 yr old daughter, Adelynn and our goldendoodle, Butters.

Gerry Brooks is a veteran educator in Lexington, Kentucky. His educational experience includes six years in the classroom, two years as an intervention specialist, and 12 years as an administrator.

He is a passionate public speaker whose focus is on encouraging and helping teachers improve their instructional abilities. He also has a desire to help administrators successfully lead their staff.

An encouraging speaker, he has spoken to educational groups all around the nation. His focus is on encouraging teachers to improve their instruction through personal climate and culture strategies. He desires to help administrators focus on how to lead all staff in a positive and constructive manner.

Koo Koo Kanga Roo was created by Bryan and Neil in 2008. They met four years prior as freshman at St. Mary’s University in Winona, MN. After being in a campus rock band for the first few years of college, the guys created Koo Koo as an experimental project for SMU’s annual battle of the bands. The idea centered around crowd participation, comedy and dance music, stretching the concept of a what a “band” could be.

The next few years saw Bryan and Neil touring throughout the midwest playing bars, basements and barbecues. Meanwhile they released their first few albums and music videos. In 2010 the band was chosen to support Orange County superhero rock band The Aquabats on their east coast tour. This turned into more support slots with Reel Big Fish and Yo Gabba Gabba Live. Meanwhile Koo Koo began creating “dance-a-long” videos (initially as something of a joke) for their songs in order to help demonstrate the moves that audiences would need to know at their shows. These videos were unexpectedly a hit with elementary school teachers, which led Koo Koo into the world of children’s music and becoming a “real” kids band.

In 2021 Bryan and Neil released their first non-concept album since 2013, partnering with Twin Cities producer extraordinaire Lazerbeak. “Slow Clap” presents a more hip-hop-centric sound with plenty of grooving bass lines and monstrous drums, while retaining the catchy, weirdo-energy fans expect from the band. More shows, videos, podcast episodes and antics are yet to come! We hope you’ll join in on the fun as we write the next chapter of Koo Koo Kanga Roo.

n in Alabama and is currently an educational ndergarten and first grade, but her heart is in K. She loves helping teachers navigate implementing tech and using classroom hacks to make their teaching easier.

Adam Dovico is an accomplished teacher, curriculum facilitator, principal, professor, speaker, and author. For the past two decades, he has taught students of all ages through his engaging and rigorous teaching style. He has also provided professional development for educators from around the world through his keynotes, workshops, and books. You can often find Adam standing on a table or chair dressed in one of his signature outrageous and amusing suits. He has been recognized by organizations such as the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund, Learning for Justice, and the Atlanta Falcons for his leadership and teaching, and he continues to work for greater equity in schools through his antiracist and culturally responsive pedagogy. You can learn more about Adam's teaching and leadership online at adamdovico.com, on social media @adamdovico, or in his books: Inside the Trenches, The Limitless School, and When Kids Lead.

Mary has enjo enthusiastically gy g g learners. She loves sharing the ideas, activities, and tools that have worked with her own kindergartners to help teachers like YOU. She is committed to instilling passion in teachers because she believes that passion is truly the secret to increasing learning and achievement. You can connect with Mary at SharingKindergarten.com or on social media @Sharing Kindergarten.

Jake is an Ohio native who began his teaching career in Milwaukee, WI in 2015. Having specialized in literacy and phonics instruction, Jake built a following on social media for his engaging and rhythmic phonics lessons. He is extremely passionate about structured literacy and inclusive classrooms. Jake is on his seventh year of teaching and currently teaches First Grade. On the side, Jake mentors college students at Marquette University as they work through their senior year courses in elementary literacy. He is thrilled to be back for a second year at ELEVATE!

erentiated instruction, and early literacy. She is currently working on her Ph.D. in Reading, Language, and Literacy with a specialization in Educational Neuroscience and loves helping teachers better understand exactly how the brain learns when beginning to read and write. In the classroom, her mission is to teach EVERY child to be a proficient reader and writer, including those with dyslexia and/or other learning challenges Outside of the classroom, her mission is to help teacher and practice in fun and engaging ways. Holly educators who work so hard in the classroom forged her connection with the Kindergarten

Deedee is an experienced teacher, literacy coach, educational consultant, and international presenter with a deep background in early childhood education with over 20 years of classroom experience. Her sessions are a great way to tap into her creative, fresh ideas for creating a classroom where every kindergartener has fun and succeeds.

d grade teacher, the 2019 North Dakota Teacher of A Educator of the Year! She's an author of two bestselling education books, and was most recently named the 2022 Empowered Woman of the Year by IAOTP. Kayla is a two-time (2017 and 2018) Global Hundred honoree, recognizing her as 1 of the top 100 innovative educators in the world The New York Times named her "one of the States". She's a TED Talker who has been f and as a Young Alumni Achievement A mater, the University of North Dakota.

Jackie is an enthusiastic curriculum writer and teacher trainer behind Pocket of Preschool who loves supporting educators of little learners. She is a former preschool teacher with over fourteen years of classroom teaching experience in both full-day and half-day settings. She is from Missouri where she earned a Masters and Bachelors in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from Maryville University. Her goal is to help you unleash your teaching superpowers! Jackie's passion is to inspire you with play-based activities, themed centers, and supports that nurture and challenge little learners in a caring classroom community.

y e author of 2 published books as well as the face pular blog for parents and teachers. Hilary holds a Master's Degree in Instructional Leadership and coordinates her school district's free parent English class. She enjoys being a F national educational events around the co individual school systems as an educational c standard can be taught in an engaging way best job in the world!

LeAnna Wolkis Goldstein is an energetic and passionate Kindergarten Teacher from Arizona with over 25 years of teaching experience. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University, a Master’s Degree from NAU, an Early Childhood Endorsement and achieved the rigorous advanced credentials of National Board Certification. While teaching in her award-winning classroom, The “Wolkis Wonderland,” she designs mini hands-on center based stations that are brought to life with novel realia. As a Nationally Recognized Presenter, LeAnna empowers educators to create cooperative learning environments utilizing music, movement & manipulatives that foster 100% student engagement.

n El Paso, Texas with her wonderful mother and amazing grandparents. Vera has taught Kindergarten and first grade for the last 16 years. Her online presence is dedicated to influencing other educators by spreading her vast knowledge and love of diverse children’s books. She is the author of Rebellious Read Alouds, a professional develop also the author of two picture books, You Have a

My name is María Mercedes Champion, an early childhood teacher and consultant educated in Colombia, Spain and the USA. With over 17 years in the classroom. I love creating songs, activities, and a playful rich language environment for my students. I am passionate about sharing what I have learned and created with other educators. By sharing my classroom experience through consultations and presentations at the local and national level, I believe I can help kids start out with a strong foundation through play and the love for their first language, so their academic future will flourish.

Katie Blue Mense is a children s author, a nationally recognized speaker, and an energetic Kindergarten teacher in Southern Illinois with more than 15 years of classroom experience. She has a passion for creating fun, hands-on lessons and activities designed to meet the needs of all students. As a student who struggled through school, she truly understands that every student has different needs and learning styles. Katie is a McKendree University graduate, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Education and later, a Master o is a boy mom and loves to spend time in the grea Grady, and Finn. She loves to share her ideas a and on social media!

Hey there! I’m Angela Griffith, the educator, author, and lifelong learner behind The Daily Alphabet. I’m here to help you create positive learning experiences in your classroom by bringing you research-based strategies and resources.

I know what it’s like to be overwhelmed with all of the latest teaching fads when all you need are resources and activities that keep your students engaged in learning. I’m passionate about literacy, and I love the entire ELA block, from whole and small group to centers and writing! I enjoy helping teachers to fall in love with their ELA block as well!

c teacher, making music with 600 of her favorite City. She graduated with her Bachelor's Degree in Vocal Music Education from Oklahoma City University and is a Kodály certified educator. She was named the 2020 Putnam City District Teacher of the Year and the 2021 Outstanding Young Music Educator for the Oklahoma Music Educators Association. Katie connects with educators and community members through social media under the username M W d M k M i (@mswonderlymakesmusic). She is known for i a young music educator, featuring favorite r lesson ideas, tech tips, and more. Katie belie place where creativity, community, and diversit

Katie Knight is a 1st grade classroom teacher with a plan! Katie loves to share her plans and ideas that help teachers become consistently happy and organized while helping their young students grow in maturity and as readers and writers! Katie speaks nationally at conferences, and you can find her on social media, Teachers Pay Teachers and her blog, under Teacher To The Core! Katie welcomes you in, and has you laughing, feeling energized, and leaves you equipped to take action that makes your teaching life easier!

Research Citations

MorningMakeoverbyAdamDovico&KatieMense

Bondy, E , & Ketts, S (2001) “Like Being at the Breakfast Table”: The Power of Classroom Morning Meeting Childhood Education, 77(3), 144-149

Lehr, C. A., Sinclair, M. F., & Christenson, S. L. (2004). Addressing student engagement and truancy prevention during the elementary school years: A replication study of the check & connect model. Journal of education for students placed at risk, 9(3), 279-301.

Taylor, M. E., & Boyer, W. (2020). Play-based learning: Evidence-based research to improve children’s learning experiences in the kindergarten classroom. Early Childhood Education Journal, 48, 127-133.

WhenKidsLead:DevelopingStudentVoicebyAdamDovico

Hess, L. (2010). Student Leadership Education in Elementary Classrooms. Online Submission.

Shosh, J. (2019). Democratizing knowledge of teaching and learning through student leadership projects. Educational Action Research, 27(3), 396-413.

Shosh, J. (2019). Democratizing knowledge of teaching and learning through student leadership projects. Educational Action Research, 27(3), 396-413.

Shosh, J. (2019). Democratizing knowledge of teaching and learning through student leadership projects. Educational Action Research, 27(3), 396-413.

Wallin, D (2003) Student leadership and democratic schools: A case study NASSP bulletin, 87(636), 55-78

FromIdeasToImpact:PurposefulLiteracyCentersbyAngelaGriffith

Lin, N. C., & Cheng, H. (2010). Effects of gradual release of responsibility model on language learning. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2(2), 1866–1870. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.03.1000.

McVee, M., Ortlieb, E., Reichenberg, J., & Pearson, P. D. (2019). The Gradual Release of Responsibility in Literacy Research and Practice. Literacy Research, Practice and Evaluation. Volume 10. In ERIC. Emerald Publishing Limited. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED617570

Ehri, L. C. (2014). Orthographic Mapping in the Acquisition of Sight Word Reading, Spelling Memory, and Vocabulary Learning Scientific Studies of Reading, 18(1), 5–21 https://doi org/10 1080/10888438 2013 819356

Meyer, B , Haywood, N , Sachdev, D , & Faraday, S (2008) Independent Learning Literature Review Research Report DCSF-RR051 Learning and Skills Network

https://www associationforpsychologyteachers com/uploads/4/5/6/6/4566919/independence learning lit review pdf

#teacherhacks-TopTipsbyHilaryStatum

Cutler, L. (2022) Patterns of Classroom Organization in Classrooms Where Children Exhibit Higher and Lower Language Gains, Early Education and Development, DOI: 10.1080/10409289.2022.2106766

Cheryan, S. (2014) Designing Classrooms to Maximize Student Achievement. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences

SimpleSteambyHilaryStatum

Honey, M., Pearson, G., & Schweingruber, A. (2014). STEM integration in K-12 education: Status, prospects, and an agenda for research. National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/18612

Bertrand, M. (2022) A pedagogical model for STEAM education Marja G. Bertrand et al., Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching and Learning

An, S. (2020), "The impact of STEAM integration on preservice teachers' disposition and knowledge", Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning, Vol. 13 No. 1, pp. 27-42. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIT-01-2020-0005

All ELEVATE conference sessions are based on research. It is one of our requirements to be a speaker for ELEVATE.

Research Citations

TransformingTheDramaticPlayCenterbyJackieKops

BODROVA, E , LEONG, D , & WILDER-SMITH, A D (2023) Beyond the Art Center: How Prop Making Merges Art and MakeBelieve Play NAEYC https://www naeyc org/resources/pubs/tyc/winter2023/beyond-the-art-center Brown, V. (2016). Drama as a valuable learning medium in early childhood. Arts Education Policy Review, 118(3), 164-171. https://doi.org/10.1080/10632913.2016.1244780

SALINAS-GONZÁLEZ, I., ARREGUÍN, M., & ALANÍS, I. (2018). Supporting Language: Culturally Rich Dramatic Play. NAEYC. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/tyc/dec2017/supporting-language-culturally-rich-dramatic-play

LearningHowToWriteLetters&NumbersWithTinyTreasuresbyJackieKops

Fine, M (2022) Follow the Line: A kindergarten Journey from Lines to Letters Young Children, 77(3)

Tortorelli, L S , Gerde, H K , Rohloff, R , & Bingham, G E (2021) Ready, set, write: Early learning standards for writing in the common core era Reading Research Quarterly, 57(2), 729-752

KinesteticandMulti-sensoryMovementinPhonicsbyJakeDaggett

Duke, Nell K., and Kelly B. Cartwright. “The Science of Reading Progresses: Communicating Advances beyond the Simple View of Reading.” Reading Research Quarterly, vol. 56, no. S1, 7 May 2021, https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.411.

Lengel, Traci, and Mike Kuczala. The Kinesthetic Classroom: Teaching and Learning through Movement. Google Books, Corwin Press, 26 Jan. 2010, books.google.com/books?

hl=en&lr=&id=HUA4zKBlsrsC&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=kinesthetic+movement+learning&ots=C3NDimz82F&sig=3M6ejUxq4OR8y2atQjW0sTcFNY#v=onepage&q=kinesthetic%20movement%20learning&f=false Accessed 28 Mar 2023

Shanahan, Timothy The National Reading Panel Report Practical Advice for Teachers ERIC, Learning Point Associates/North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, 1120 E Diehl Rd, 2005, eric ed gov/?id=ED489535

CentersWithStructuredLiteracybyJakeDaggett

Fisher, Douglas, and Nancy Frey. “Gradual Release of Responsibility Instructional Framework.” IRA E-Ssentials, 18 Oct. 2013, pp. 1–8, https://doi.org/10.1598/e-ssentials.8037. Accessed 27 Mar. 2023.

Pearson, P, and Lynn Shanahan. In the Beginning: The Historical and Conceptual Genesis of the Gradual Release of Responsibility 1 Subtext View Project Video Analysis, Positioning Theory View Project. 2022.

Truckenmiller, Andrea J, and Brennan W Chandler. “The Reading League Journal - January/February 2023 - Reader Registration Form ” Bt e-Ditionsbyfry com, The Reading League Journal, 1 Jan 23AD, bt e-ditionsbyfry com/publication/? m=65767&i=779747&view=articleBrowser&article id=4486720&id=24435&ver=html5 Accessed 27 Mar 2023

PaveTheWayForScientificLiteracybyKatieBlue-Mense

Bingham, G. E., Quinn, M. F., & Gerde, H. K. (2017). Examining early childhood teachers’ writing practices: Associations between pedagogical supports and children’s writing skills. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 39, 35-46. DeJarnette, N. (2012). America's children: Providing early exposure to STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) initiatives. Education, 133(1), 77-84.

Kermani, H., & Aldemir, J. (2015). Preparing children for success: integrating science, math, and technology in early childhood classroom. Early Child Development and Care, 185(9), 1504-1527.

Reutzel, D. R. (2015). Early literacy research: Findings primary‐grade teachers will want to know. The Reading Teacher, 69(1), 14-24

Tortorelli, L S , Gerde, H K , Rohloff, R , & Bingham, G E (2022) Ready, set, write: Early learning standards for writing in the Common Core era Reading Research Quarterly, 57(2), 729-752

All ELEVATE conference sessions are based on research. It is one of our requirements to be a speaker for ELEVATE.

Research Citations

All ELEVATE conference sessions are based on research. It is one of our requirements to be a speaker for ELEVATE.

Comprehension&FluencyActivitiesbyKatieKnight

Rasinski, T V (2003) The Fluent Reader: Oral Reading Strategies for Building Word Recognition, Fluency, and Comprehension In Google Books Scholastic Inc https://books google com/books?

hl=en&lr=&id=6LTSIaZYA4YC&oi=fnd&pg=PA4&dq=fluency+and+comprehension&ots=t4KKLhfUrw&sig=Yw8zRrvHiKb9s4pjRbYM4WgaVs#v=onepage&q=fluency%20and%20comprehension&f=false

Reutzel, D. R. (2009). Reading Fluency. ASHA Leader, 14(5), 10. https://doi.org/10.1044/leader.ftr1.14052009.10

Robertson, S. (2009). Connecting Reading Fluency and Oral Language for Student Success. The ASHA Leader, 14(5), 11–11. https://doi.org/10.1044/leader.ftr2.14052009.11

FromNonsenseToNumberSensebyKeriBrown

Shumway, J (410 C E ) Number Sense Routines: Building Numerical Literacy Every Day in Grades K-3 Stenhouse Publishers 480 Congress Street, Portland, Me

Adamuz-Povedano, N., Fernández-Ahumada, E., García-Pérez, M. T., & Montejo-Gámez, J. (2021). Developing Number Sense: An Approach to Initiate Algebraic Thinking in Primary Education. Mathematics, 9(5), 518. https://doi.org/10.3390/math9050518

TheFirst30DaysofSchoolbyKeriBrown

Anderson, D. M., Mcguire, F. A., & Cory, L. (2011). The first day: it happens only once. Teaching in Higher Education, 16(3), 293–303 https://doi org/10 1080/13562517 2010 546526 Livingston, N , & Kurkjian, C (2005) School Days The Reading Teacher, 59(1), 94–103

BeMindful!Let'sTalkItOutbyLeAnnaWolkis-Goldstein

Garey, J. (2023 B.C.E., March 17). Mindfulness in the Classroom. Child Mind Institute. https://childmind.org/article/mindfulness-in-the-classroom/#full article

Lee, R. L. T., Lane, S. J., Tang, A. C. Y., Leung, C., Louie, L. H. T., Browne, G., & Chan, S. W. C. (2020). Effects of an Unstructured Free Play and Mindfulness Intervention on Wellbeing in Kindergarten Students. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(15), 5382. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17155382

Ng, S C , & Bull, R (2018) Facilitating Social Emotional Learning in Kindergarten Classrooms: Situational Factors and Teachers’ Strategies International Journal of Early Childhood, 50(3), 335–352 https://doi org/10 1007/s13158-018-0225-9

Robinson, A A (2020) Mastering Mindfulness: Fostering a Mindfulness Culture in Children Children and Libraries, 18(1), 17

https://doi org/10 5860/cal 18 1 17

Weare, K. (2012, April). Evidence for the Impact of Mindfulness on Children and Young People. Mindfulnessinschools.org; Mindfulness In Schools Project.

http://www.mindfulnessineducation.com/uploads/5/6/3/9/5639790/evidence on mindfulness in schools.pdf

Weare, K. (2013). Developing mindfulness with children and young people: a review of the evidence and policy context. Journal of Children’s Services, 8(2), 141–153. https://doi.org/10.1108/jcs-12-2012-0014

Bilingualism,BuildingBrainPowerbyMariaMercedesChampion

E, Bialystok (2001) Bilingualism in development: Language, literacy, and cognition Cambridge University Press 4456

E Bialystok, FIM Craik, R Klein, M Viswanathan (2004) Bilingualism, aging, and cognitive control: evidence from the Simon task. Psychology and aging 19 (2), 290

L, Wei ( 2012). Conceptual and methodological issues in bilingualism and multilingualism research. The handbook of bilingualism and multilingualism

Research Citations

AlldayEveryDayMeaningfulLanguageDevelopmentActivitiesbyMariaMercedesChampion

BA, Blachman (2000) Phonological awareness psycnet apa org

DK, Dickinson, Julie E, Griffith (2011) How reading books fosters language development around the world Child Development Research, Volume 2012 | Article ID 602807

Suggate, S., Schaughency, E., McAnally, H. & Reese, E. (2018). From infancy to adolescence: The longitudinal links between vocabulary, early literacy skills, oral narrative, and reading comprehension. Cognitive Development. 47, p. 8295 14 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

AssessButDon'tStressbyMaryAmoson

Gezer, Tuba, et al “The Relationship between Formative Assessment and Summative Assessment in Primary Grade Mathematics Classrooms ” Lnternational Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, vol 13, no 5, June 2021, pp 673–85, doi:https://doi org/10 26822/iejee 2021 220

Leenknecht, Martijn, et al. “Formative Assessment as Practice: The Role of Students’ Motivation.” Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, vol. 46, no. 2, May 2020, pp. 1–20, doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2020.1765228.

Martin, Christie L., et al. “Examining Elementary School Teachers Perceptions of and Use of Formative Assessment in Mathematics.” Lnternational Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, vol. 14, no. 3, Jan. 2022, doi:https://doi.org/10.26822/iejee.2022.253.

MakingMathHands-onbyMaryAmoson

Coming Soon

RebelliousReadAloudsbyVeraAhiyya

Beers, K., & Probst, E. (2017). Disrupting thinking: Why how we read matters: Why how we read matters. Scholastic. Bishop, R. S. (1990). Mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors. Choosing and Using Books for the Classroom, 6(3). Chenoweth, R. (2019, September 5). Rudine Sims Bishop: “Mother” of multicultural children’s literature. Osu.Edu. https://ehe.osu.edu/news/listing/rudine-sims-bishop-diverse-childrensbooks/ Duursma, E., Augustyn, M., & Zuckerman, B. (2008). Reading aloud to children: The evidence. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 93(7), 554–557

Fountas, I C , & Pinnell, G S (1996) Guided reading: Good first teaching for all children Heinemann Gold, J , & Gibson, A (2001) Reading aloud to build comprehension Reading Rockets https://www readingrockets org/article/reading-aloud-build-comprehension (Originally published by Northwest Education)

Hammond, Z. L. (2015). Culturally responsive teaching and the brain: Promoting authentic engagement and rigor among culturally and linguistically diverse students. Corwin.

Kindle, K. J. (2009). Vocabulary development during read-alouds: Primary practices. The Reading Teacher, 63(3), 202–211. Learning for Justice. (2021). Social justice standards. https://www.learningforjustice.org/frameworks/social-justicestandards

Neumann, S. B., Copple, C., & Bredekamp, S.(2000). Learning to read and write: Developmentally appropriate practices for young children National Association for the Education of Young Children

Newton, E , Padak, N D , & Rasinski, T V (2008) Evidence-based instruction in reading: A professional development guide to vocabulary Pearson Education

Rice University. (n.d.). Diversity defined. https://canvas.rice.edu/courses/252/pages/diversity-defined

All ELEVATE conference sessions are based on research. It is one of our requirements to be a speaker for ELEVATE.

Research Citations

All ELEVATE conference sessions are based on research. It is one of our requirements to be a speaker for ELEVATE.

Sing,Play,Dance,andRead:MakingStorytimeMusicalbyKatieWonderly

Smith, J A (2000) Singing and Songwriting Support Early Literacy Instruction The Reading Teacher, 53(8), 646–649

http://www jstor org/stable/20204857

Montgomery, A. (2012). Bridging the Advocacy Gap with Song-based Picture Books. The Canadian Music Educator, 54(2), 41-44. https://www.proquest.com/docview/1283764798

McEwing, H. E. (2011). Music, Movement, and Early Literacy: A Best Practices Primer for "Gotta Move!". Children & Libraries, 9(2), 29-35. https://www.proquest.com/docview/884340836

Student-LedLearningbyKaylaDornfeld

Andi Mcnair (2019) A meaningful mess : a teacher’s guide to student-driven classrooms, authentic learning, student empowerment, and keeping it all together without losing your mind Prufrock Press Inc

McNair, A (2021) Genius Hour Routledge

Stone, W. (2021). STEM Content vs. a Sense of Wonder and Joy of Learning: It Shouldn’t Have to Be a Choice. International Journal of the Whole Child, 6(2), p55-63. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1328378.pdf

West, J. M., & Roberts, K. L. (2016). Caught Up in Curiosity: Genius Hour in the Kindergarten Classroom. The Reading Teacher, 70(2), 227–232. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1497

BringTheWorldToYourClassroombyKaylaDornfeld

Delacruz, S (2018) Building Digital Literacy Bridges: Connecting Cultures and Promoting Global Citizenship in Elementary Classrooms through School-Based Virtual Field Trips TechTrends, 63(4) https://doi org/10 1007/s11528-018-0350-1

Garcia, M B , Nadelson, L , & Yeh, A (2023) “We’re Going on a Virtual Trip!”: A Switching- Replications Experiment of 360Degree Videos as a Physical Field Trip Alternative in Primary Education Nternational Journal of Child Care and Education Policy, 17, 179–195.

Han, I. (2021). Immersive Virtual Field Trips and Elementary Students’ Perceptions. British Journal of Educational Technology, 52(1), 179–195. https://bera-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjet.12946

PuttingtheScienceofReadingintoPracticebyHollyEhle

Ball, E W , & Blachman, B A (1991) Does phoneme awareness training in kindergarten make a difference in early word recognition and developmental spelling? Reading Research Quarterly, 26, 49–66 doi:10 1598/RRQ 26 1 3

Foorman, B R , Francis, D , Fletcher, J K , Schatschneider, C , & Mehta, P (1998) The role of instruction in learning to reading: preventing reading failure in at-risk children Journal of Educational Psychology, 90, 37–55 doi:10 1037/00220663.90.1.37.

Torgesen, J. K., Morgan, S. T., & Davis, C. (1992). Effects of two types of phonological awareness training on word learning in kindergarten children. Journal of Educational Psychology, 84, 364–370. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.84.3.364.

Ehri, L. C. (2000). Learning to read and learning to spell: Two sides of a coin. Topics in Language Disorders, 20, 19–36. Lonigan, C., Schatschneider, C., & Westberg, L. (2008). Identification of children’s skills and abilities linked to later outcomes in reading, writing, and spelling. In Developing early literacy: Report of the National Early Literacy Panel (pp. 55–106). Washington, DC: National Institute for Literacy.

Treiman, R (1998) Why spelling? The benefits of incorporating spelling into beginning reading instruction In J L Metsala & L C Ehri (Eds ), Word recognition in beginning literacy (pp 289–313) Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum

Treiman, R , Tincoff, R , Rodriguez, K , Mouzaki, A , & Francis, D J (1998) The foundations of literacy: Learning the sounds of letters. Child Development, 69, 1524–1540.

Wagner, R. K., & Torgesen, J. K. (1987). The nature of phonological processing and its causal role in the acquisition of reading skills. Psychological Bulletin, 30, 73–87.

Research Citations

All ELEVATE conference sessions are based on research. It is one of our requirements to be a speaker for ELEVATE.

SORSpeechtoPrintbyHollyEhle

Frost, S J , Landi, N , Mencl, W E , Sandak, R , Fulbright, R K , Tejada, E T , Jacobsen, L , Grigorenko, E L , Constable, R T , & Pugh, K R (2009) Phonological awareness predicts activation patterns for print and speech Annals of Dyslexia, 59(1), 78–97. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11881-009-0024-y

ItStartsWithAGreatBook!byDeedeeWills

Fisher, D & Frey, N. (2014). Speaking and Listening in Content Area Learning. The Reading Teacher, 68(1), 64–69 doi: 10.1002/trtr.1296

Hogan, T. P., Adlof, S. M., & Alonzo, C. N. (2014). On the importance of listening comprehension. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 16(3), 199–207 https://doi org/10 3109/17549507 2014 904441

WritingThroughTheLensbyDeedeeWills

Santangelo, T., & Graham, S. (2015). A Comprehensive Meta-analysis of Handwriting Instruction. Educational Psychology Review, 28(2), 225–265. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-015-9335-1

Ahmed, Y., Kent, S., Cirino, P. T., & Keller-Margulis, M. (2021). The Not-So-Simple View of Writing in Struggling Readers/Writers. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/10573569.2021.1948374

Graham, S., Macarthur, C. A., & Fitzgerald, J. (2019). Best practices in writing instruction (third edition). The Guilford Press.

Meet our Team!