Fans of Katie Wood Ray!

As I read your responses to Katie tonight, I couldn't post this information fast enough for you! To those of you who have never heard Katie speak, I strongly encourage you to take a look at the information below and consider attending. Not that you haven't given up enough of your summer, but this is an opportunity to see/hear Katie for FREE--food included!! ;) This mini-institute is what Christy and I were referring to when we were looking at our last class date.

There is still time to sign up if you're interested--you have until July 24th. However, due to the fact that it is free and provided by the state, I wouldn't wait to sign up if I were you! I know I plan to be there! In order to sign up (it can be a little confusing), you have to create an account using the link to Miko Group below. Once you create an account, you will receive an email giving you a link to all of the institutes they sponsor across the country. Scroll down until you see this one, and click to register. You will then receive a confirmation email letting you know you are registered!

Hope to see some of you there!

South Carolina Reading First Early Childhood Institute II

Promising Practices in Early Literacy

August 3–4, 2010

South Carolina Reading First (SCRF)’s second summer institute will be August 3–4, 2010, and is for educators interested in early childhood instruction and practices. Katie Wood Ray and Matt Glover will be the keynote speakers and the facilitators both days. Registration for this institute will begin daily at 8:30 a.m. with the keynote address starting at 9:30 a.m. The conference will end at 4:00 p.m. each day. Lunch will be provided to all attending. Recertification credit will be available to participants.

The conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency Greenville. The hotel is located at 220 North Main Street, Greenville, SC 29601. The phone number for reservations is 1–888–421–1442. Please specify the conference name to secure state rates when making reservations for staying overnight. Reservations must be made by July 24, 2010, to receive state rates.

There is no registration fee for the institute. However, registration for the conference is required. Please register on-line with MIKO at http://www.mikogroup.com/events/.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS AND DAILY FACILITATORS

Katie Wood Ray—After leaving Western Carolina University where she was an Associate Professor of language arts education for eight years, Dr. Katie Wood Ray is now a full time writer and researcher of the teaching of writing. With a particular focus on the study of writing craft, she leads teacher workshops and summer institutes related to the teaching of writing. Her professional background includes both elementary and middle school teaching experience and two years as a staff developer at The Reading and Writing Project, Teachers College, Columbia University. She has published numerous articles and books, and is the former co-editor of the journal Primary Voices K–6, a publication of the National Council of Teachers of English. Some of her more recent published works include About the Authors: Writing Workshop with Our Youngest Writers, Study Driven: A Framework for Planning Units of Study in the Writing Workshop, and Already Ready: Nurturing Writing in Preschool and Kindergarten.

Matt Glover—Matt is a full time educational consultant and author. He is the coauthor (with Katie Wood Ray) of Already Ready: Nurturing Writers in Preschool and Kindergarten (2008) and the author of Engaging Young Writers, Preschool—Grade 1 (2009). Matt is a frequent presenter at conferences and in school districts on topics related to nurturing young writers and supporting children’s intellectual growth and development. Matt has been an educator for over 20 years as the principal and instructional leader of Creekside Early Childhood School, a school of 900 preschool, kindergarten, and first grade students. Before becoming a principal, Matt taught first grade.