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Leaders of Literacy Podcasts2020-09-18T14:05:03-04:00

Welcome to our Podcast

School Readiness episodes focus on the research, resources, and programs that highlight the importance of ensuring that children have access to the best available resources prior to entering school and

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Attendance episodes focus on research, resources, and programs that work towards reducing chronic absenteeism in the early grades in order to establish good attendance habits and combat chronic absence. 

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Extended learning episodes focus on research, resources, and programs to support students when they are not in school.  The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading emphasizes the need for summer programming

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High-Quality Instruction episodes focus on providing teachers with research-based professional learning and resources on high-quality, standards-aligned instructional materials, best teaching practices, and learning environments that will lead to student

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Meet the Team

Becky Lewis

Early Literacy Specialist

Becky has 10 years of classroom experience as a general classroom teacher and Literacy Specialist working with students in grades K-12. She spent the majority of that time in an elementary setting, where she obtained her National Board Teaching Certification in Early and Middle Childhood Literacy. This is Becky’s 2nd year working on the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. Her love of literacy, learning, and children motivates her to continue to develop her knowledge of early literacy development and pass that knowledge on in order to provide all WV children with the best educational experiences possible.

Maggie Luma

WV Campaign for Grade-Level Reading State Lead

Maggie is an employee of the West Virginia Department of Education where she is the State Lead for the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading as well as the Literacy Coordinator in the Office of Special Education and Student Support. Prior to her role at the department, she was an Early Literacy Specialist working on the Campaign. Maggie’s passions include writing, reading, and talking to anyone who will listen about writing and reading! Although her first few years of teaching began in two other states, she is happy to call Huntington, WV home for the past seven years.

Brittany Fike

Early Literacy Specialist

Brittany has experience working in the classroom with students from preschool to fifth grade. Her background in Elementary and Early-Childhood Education, as well as Special Education and Autism has led to her passion for helping those in the education community provide the best opportunities possible for all children. This is her first year working on the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. She is excited to use her background and experience to help strengthen the learning opportunities for all children in our state.

Christy Schwartz

Early Literacy Specialist

Christy has 10 years of educational experience and holds Bachelor’s degrees in Printing Management and Elementary Education as well as a Master’s degree in Special Education-Gifted. As a teacher, she was honored to serve on several state leadership teams and the WV Commission for Professional Teaching Standards, but her most cherished successes included 86% of her 2015 students and 72% of her 2016 students achieving proficiency on the WV General Summative Assessment.  Growing up in rural WV, Christy’s favorite childhood moment was when the Bookmobile arrived up the hollow, and she is excited to be in her 4th year on the Campaign to share the joy of literacy with the next generation.

Brandie Turner

Early Literacy Specialist

Brandie has 11 years of experience in the classroom working with preschool special education, gifted education, and teaching kindergarten, 2nd, 3rd, and 6th grade regular education. This is Brandie’s 3rd year working on the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. Along with her experience and expertise, her passion for education and training drives her desire to help educational organizations and systems be the best they can be.

Samantha Statler

Early Literacy Specialist

Samantha is the newest member of the team, hailing from Ashland, Kentucky. Although a proud Kentuckian, Samantha has embraced the education system of West Virginia. She has taught in Kanawha County, as well as in Rowan County, Kentucky and the Ashland Independent School System. Samantha developed a strong love for children’s literature during her early teaching career that spanned across four counties and two states. As a professional, she has remained a true student of learning and is always eager to share her passion for literacy. Samantha currently resides in Huntington, West Virginia and devotes her free time to her daughter, Honora.

Latest episodes

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Episode 20: 21st Century Skills: A Close Look at Collaboration

Currently, our world is grounded in innovation which has created a workforce that is team-oriented. This has made collaboration a desired skill for employers to seek out in potential employees, which in turn makes it a critical skill for our students to develop for the future.

Today, Sara Hutchinson and I are joined with Lene Jensby Lange, an educational consultant from Denmark, to continue our conversation surrounding  21st-century skills by taking a close look at collaboration and how teachers can nurture collaboration in the classroom.

Show Notes

Episode 19:  21st Century Skills: A Close Look at Critical Thinking

In recent years, our workforce has changed at a rapid pace. To adapt to these changes, the world has realized that our students need to be prepared for the careers of tomorrow. The focus in education has adapted to reflect this realization and out of this the 21st Century Skills were identified. What exactly are these skills? What makes them so crucial for future careers? How can we address these skills within a COVID-conscious learning environment?

Today, I am talking with Sara Hutchinson, the K-5 English Language Arts Coordinator in the Office of Early and Elementary Learning at the West Virginia Department of Education, to discuss these questions regarding 21st Century Skills and to begin examining the 21st Century Skills that are known as the 4 C’s

Show Notes

Episode 18:  Interview with John Lydon

Cultural responsiveness is a critical component to achieving educational equity and it is easily left out of many conversations. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenges faced by marginalized students have intensified, making it even more prudent to address this inequity now. Developing cultural awareness is the first step that we can take to ensure that we are providing all students with challenging and empowering learning experiences in this ever-changing landscape.

Today, Brittany Fike and I sit down with John Lydon, Director of Academics at Polaris Charter Academy in Chicago, to continue our discussion on equity and culturally responsive education.

Show Notes

Episode 17: Contrasting Realities: Culturally Responsive Education During School Re-entry

Right now, our world is full of contrasting realities and those differences will be evident in classrooms across West Virginia this fall. In order to improve the way in which we do “school” and to counterbalance these vastly different realities, educators can begin building their knowledge base about the educational inequities that students face. Today, Brittany Fike and I have a conversation centered around culturally responsive education and what educators can do to address educational inequities.

Show Notes

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