When speaking at an event and working with educators, Lorraine prioritizes relevance and practicality in her materials and approaches to professional learning. Lorraine understands well the complexity of being a teacher and a leader. She designs professional learning experiences enabling teachers and leaders to immediately apply new knowledge and strategies in the classroom and school. She strives to be a resource, a thinking partner, and a helpful colleague. Lorraine prioritizes her relationships with those that she works to create safe and supportive spaces to do the best work possible for kids (and to share joy while doing it!).

Lorraine will work to customize speaking engagements and professional development plans to the interests and needs of the teams she works with. Below are sample topics:

New Literacies:

• Integrating future-ready skills in English and/or literacy curriculum and instruction

• Artificial Intelligence in the classroom - Exploring the influence of A.I. on literacy practices and teacher planning

• Designing literacy experiences that are reflective of student identities

• Competency-based instruction

• Research-process oriented learning

• Digital literacy practices

Reading:

• Developing school-wide or classroom literacy culture with an emphasis on reading

• Creating a culture of and commitment to reading in school and at home

• Routines and structures for independent reading; fostering independence in reading

• Empowering students through classroom book clubs

• Supporting older readers who need phonics instruction

• Developing high engagement in reading

• Content-area reading strategies

• Supporting teachers and administrators as readers

Writing:

• Essential components to writing instruction

• Articulating writing practices across grade levels

• Developing high engagement in writing

• Supporting teachers and administrators as writers

Instructional Literacy Practices:

• Assessment and evaluation of reading and writing

• How to use student work to set goals and plan for instruction

• Forming workshop structures and practices in elementary and secondary classrooms

• Teachers as facilitators and coaches in secondary reading and writing classrooms

• Supporting English Language Learners with literacy and language development