Conference for Ohio Middle Grade Teachers

11/23/2012

Katie will be presenting at the Conference for Ohio Middle Grade Teachers, Nov 27, 2012 in Columbus, OH.

Click Here for Handouts

Meeting Jeff Scheur of

11/18/2012

I met Jeff Scheur, former Chicago Public School English teacher, now entrepreneur. He started . This web 2.0 based platform teaches students about grammar and language through rich, contextually based exercise. I love this tool because it embraces the work in the teaching of grammar and that students develop language skills most effectively when it is taught contextually. Currently there is a free use area for teachers as well as a subscription for a more robust experience. Here’s some more information about, what I think, is one of the best grammar instructional tools available.

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Close Reading and the Common Core

11/18/2012

I will be presenting with my good friend and colleague, Eileen Murphy today at 11:30: Close Reading and the Common Core

Join National Louis University professor Katie McKnight and NCTE author, Eileen Murphy in examining the close reading demands of the 6-12 Common Core Literacy Standards. Learn ways to engage students in sophisticated close reading skills using texts across genres from poetry to non-fiction, including historical and scientific argument by using a variety of modalities to explore enduring questions.

You can also visit us at the CERCA (an amazing FREE online resource for teachers thinkcerca.com booth #735.

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The Element:
How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything

11/16/2012

Thoughts on Sir Kenneth Robinson’s Keynote at
National Council of Teachers of English
Friday, November 16, 2012

I have always been a fan of Sir Kenneth Robinson’s work. In a time where standardized education has become suffocating, creativity, like hope left in Pandora’s box, must be set free.

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More buzz from NCTE

11/16/2012

Do you want more support for your work as a teacher? See teachersspeakup.com.

It's time for teachers to let politicians know what we think about their reforms. WE know what's best for kids!

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Literature as a 21st Century Skill with Kylene Beers and Robert Probst

11/15/2012

I am a huge fan of Beers and Probst so I was eager to hear them speak at the Secondary Section Get Together this afternoon. Their work is foundational to how we think about literacy instruction and inspired by my idol, Louise Rosenblatt. Together they assert that literature is a vehicle for us to think and be critical of our beliefs in order to develop an even greater understanding of our world.

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My Thoughts and Take-Aways from My First Session at NCTE

11/15/2012

I attended Literature Lover’s Lament: Learning to Love Non-Fiction. Connecting Real-World Texts to the Common Core Standards this afternoon.

“The teaching of literacy is a shared responsibility.” Carol Jago’s statement is one that I have heard many times before and she’s right. If our students are going to meet the expectations of the CCSS literacy standards, all content teachers must be involved. So what does this mean for middle school and high school teachers? Here are some thoughts:

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NCTE - Las Vegas 2012

11/15/2012

I will be in Las Vegas this weekend for the National Council of Teacher's of English Conference! Come visit me at the Jossey-Bass booth on (J-B Booth 401) on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 11:30.

I will also be presenting "Close Reading and the Common Core" with Eileen Murphy on Sunday the 18th from 11:30 AM - 12:45 PM. On Monday the 19th from 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM, I will present on "The New Three R's of Literacy Learning: Rigor, Relevance, Response."

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We Learn Best in Pictures

11/13/2012

For today’s classroom, nothing is more essential to successful teaching and learning than strategy-based instruction. It is through the use of specific teaching strategies and learning tools that students can be more successful learners. Graphic organizers are teaching and learning tools; when they’re integrated into classroom experiences, students are better able to understand new material. Brain and learning research documents the reality that we actually learn through pictures and graphic representations. Creating a strong visual picture, graphic organizers support students by enabling them to literally see connections and relationships between facts, information, and terms.

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Victims No More:
Parents Begin to Rebel Against Standardized Testing

11/8/2012

We know that the overuse/misuse of standardized testing marginalizes the teaching profession – it belittles the teachers and the students they teach. In many school districts across the country, teachers are largely powerless to fight back against irresponsible assessment. There’s a wealth of evidence that states tying teacher evaluation to student test performance does not improve teaching or learning. But educators alone can’t prevent standardized testing abuse. No, if we are ever going to change the current misuse of standardized testing, we parents have to take a stand. After all, we are not just parents, we’re taxpayers and voters. When we assume those roles, the politicians and policy makers are more likely to listen to us. And I have no doubt that if we parents took a stand against excessive testing, that the politically misdirected, punitive language towards teachers would end.

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Embedding Technology in ELA Curriculum
CESA 7

11/7/2012

Embedding Technology in ELA Curriculum Grades 6-12
CESA 7
Green Bay, WI
Thursday, November 8, 2012

Click here for handouts.

Handouts: Hickory Bend School District

11/5/2012

Katie McKnight will be presenting at Hickory Bend School District on November 6, 2012.

Click here for handouts.

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