The 2026 Nurturing Writers and Readers are designed to support teachers in the pillars of effective writing and reading instruction. We welcome teachers who are new to a school and want to familiarize themselves with school practices. We also look forward to thinking with teachers who want to review, refresh, and deepen their understanding of the principles, foundations, and practices of student-centered teaching within a comprehensive approach to literacy instruction based in research and best practices and in consideration of children’s engagement and learning dispositions.
Because the days before school and the early weeks of the new academic year are busy with orientations, school-wide professional learning, and acclimating to new settings, it can be difficult for schools to focus specifically on supporting teachers’ literacy instruction. Our 2025 Summer Courses are timed to provide a July jump start so participants can be comfortable, confident, and capable teachers of writing and reading right from the beginning of they year.
The courses are built on several pillars of effective instruction, including:
- Parallel Relationship- Writing Composition and Conventions and Reading Comprehension and Decoding have a parallel rather than a prerequisite relationship and can be supported simultaneously.
- Engagement and Choice- To become a better reader and writer, students must be
engaged learners. Providing choice of topic, genre and task has a significantly positive impact on children’s engagement. - Differentiation- While whole group instruction is important, it’s not enough. In order to
meet individual students’ needs we must leverage the power of customized conferences and small group instruction. - Teacher Decision Making- Teachers are the only ones who can make tailored and student-centered decisions day by day across a reading or writing unit. Our job as teachers is to translate programs, resources, curriculum, and standards into daily action in a classroom.
The Summer Sessions offer a combination of live courses and access to the recordings. The live sessions enable participants to ask questions and allow us to customize each session to the needs of the participants who are present. Even though courses are provided live in different time zones, participants also have the option to view recording at a time that’s convenient to them.
In addition:
- Teachers can attend as many sessions as they want and repeat sessions if desired.
- Teachers can attend sessions for any grade level.
- Teachers will have have on-going access to recordings of each course.
- Teachers will have opportunities to connect with Matt and Kathy for customized support after most of the live sessions.
- Teachers will have access to relevant resources and materials.
- Session content will be useful for and inclusive of classroom teachers, literacy
specialists, learning support teachers, EAL educators, and school administrators.
Writing Course: How Do I Begin? A Guide to an Implementing An Engaging and Inspiring Writing Workshop This course feature two sessions. Session 1 will focus on a day of teaching writing, including using mentor texts, choice, mini lessons, conferring and small group instruction. Session 2 will focus on preparing to make responsive decisions day by day across a writing unit. The sessions will be specific to K-2 or 3-6, although participants can attend any and all sessions.
Reading Course: How Do I Begin: A Guide to Implementing An Engaging and Inspiring Reading Instruction This course features two sessions – Session 1 will focus on creating robust learning opportunities that enable children to develop into engaged, strong, and intentional readers. Session 2 will build on the work in Session 1 by bringing us closer to what research and best practices suggest for differentiating instruction and supporting readers across the vast continuum.
Early Childhood Course: Support, Nudge, and Extend Young Children’s Literacies, Identities, and Independence These sessions are designed for educators in early childhood classrooms (Prek, EY, EC) who are looking for developmentally appropriate, joyful and effective ways to support young children’s literacies, and identities as writers and readers.
Click here or on the course title for additional course information.
Statement of Intentions
We strive to help educators calibrate their teaching and create learning environments that are responsive to what children need and appreciative of what they know and who they are.
We aim to help teachers create school days and school years that are inclusive, equitable, ambitious, and joyful for all children.
We continue to integrate what we’ve been learning as we work hard to become anti-racist, anti-biased educators.
We reject “How do we help children catch up from all the learning loss?” framing in our work with teachers and children. Instead, we are guided by these questions:
- How do we value and meet children where they are?
- How do we create conditions and environments that are inclusive and equitable for all learners?
- How do we plan instruction so that all children thrive as writers, readers, thinkers, and learners?
These are big questions, and we look forward to thinking about them with all of you.
Please see the course descriptions, pricing, dates and registration pages for more information.