K-2 Trail Guide - The Reading & Writing Project

About Our PresentersMelanie Brown is an upper grade TCRWP staff developer. She played a central role in the research that informed the seriesUnits of Study for Teaching Reading: A Curriculum for the Reading Workshop.Lucy Calkins is Founding Director of the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project and of the Reading and WritingProject LLC, as well as the Robinson Professor in Children's Literature at Teachers College where she co-directs the LiteracySpecialist program. She is the author of many books on the teaching of reading and writing, including her trademark Units ofStudy books supporting K-2 and 3-5 writing and 3-5 reading. Her foundational texts also include The Art of Teaching Readingand The Art of Teaching Writing. Her other publications include One-to-One: The Art of Conferring with Young Writers, A Principal'sGuide to Leadership in the Teaching of Writing (co-authored with Laurie Pessah) and Raising Lifelong Learners: A Parent’s Guide. Sheis also the series editor of the Workshop Help Desk. This past year, Lucy led a specialty course on developing performanceassessment tools aligned to the Common Core State Standards.Nicole Carfiro has worked deeply to support high needs learners, teaching at PS 18 in the Bronx. She has also served as aninclusion teacher. Nicole provides upper grade staff development in Deer Park, TX and Prospect, CT.Mary Ann Colbert, a former Reading Recovery teacher and director of literacy for a Bronx district, brings her knowledge ofprimary reading to the Project. She is a co-author of a book for parents entitled, Helping Your Children with Reading and Writingat Home. This year she will lead a specialty course on “Becoming Experts in Components of Reading Such As InteractiveWriting and Shared Reading.”Kathy Collins, author of Growing Readers and Reading for Real: Teach Students to Read with Power, Intention, and Joy in K-3Classrooms, was a leader of the RWP’s K-2 reading work for several years. Kathy is a frequent guest speaker at the RWP andat national conferences.Rebecca Cronin is a primary staff developer whose latest projects center on developing reading and writing of fairytales inK-2 classrooms. Rebecca supports teachers across NYC and New Jersey, as well as in Deer Park, TX, Tiburon, CA, andGotesburg, Sweden.Alexis Czeterko received her masters from Teachers College. Before joining the Project as a full time Staff Developer,Alexis taught 5th grade in Westchester, NY and was a Dual Language teacher in Queens.Tiffany Davis–Nealy, an upper grade staff developer, was the recipient of the Outstanding Educator Award from theManhattan Chamber of Commerce. She has a special interest in supporting parents. In addition to her work in New YorkCity schools and across the country, Tiffany recently worked with schools in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.Elizabeth Dunford received her MA in Literacy from Teachers College, Columbia University and served as a primary andspecial education teacher at PS 58 in Brooklyn before becoming a full-time Staff Developer. In addition to her work withNew York City schools, she leads staff development in Georgia, Florida, and Illinois.Mary Ehrenworth is a frequent keynote speaker both at local and national conferences. She is the author of Looking to Writeand co-author of The Power of Grammar. She is also co-author of two of the books in Units of Study for Teaching Reading: ACurriculum for the Reading Workshop, Grades 3-5 – Tackling Complex Texts and Constructing Curriculum. At the TCRWP, Mary servesas Deputy Director for Middle Schools. In this capacity, she oversees the Project’s work with middle school teachers,coaches, and principals, and is part of the leadership team working with Assessment Pro.Chantal Francois is an upper grades and middle school staff developer. She is a doctoral student at the Harvard GraduateSchool of Education and her research interests include urban schooling, adolescent literacy, and the intersection of literacyand identity. Chantal formerly taught in New York City public middle and high schools. She is co-author of Catching Up onConventions: Grammar Lessons for Middle School Writers.Shana Frazin taught both primary and upper grades in Los Angeles, and was a faculty member at Pacific Oaks College inCalifornia before coming to the Project as an upper grade staff developer. She has expertise in math as well as in literacy, anda special love for children’s literature.Brooke Geller is a lead staff developer, and she mentors staff developers. Brooke leads advanced sections at summerinstitutes, in addition to specialty and coach groups. Brooke supports schools in New Jersey, California, North Carolina, andthe Netherlands.18