69th MRA Conference: Full Schedule

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10:30am EST

Author Visits: Beyond the Basics, Beyond the Books LIMITED

Saturday March 8, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am EST

River Overlook A (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

Teachers use goal setting to direct many elements of the curriculum. Why not author visits?
Authors Alice B. McGinty and Sarah Aronson share a new approach to planning and implementing school visits. This includes a checklist of social-emotional and curriculum goals which will provide the tools to give students empowering, meaningful interactions with authors, bringing reading and writing to life.

Speakers

Alice McGinty

Author, SCBWI Michigan

As the author of over 50 books for children, both fiction and nonfiction, I love to visit schools and libraries and to feel the magic that happens when connecting with young readers! With award-winning books like Bathe the Cat, Pancakes to Parathas: Breakfast Around the World, and... Read More →

Sarah Aronson

Saturday March 8, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am EST
River Overlook A (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

Appropriate for All Levels

Strand(s) Community and Family Literacy, Diverse Literature for Children and Young Adults, Literacy Educator Preparation

10:30am EST

Virtual Great Lakes Great Books Award Presentation 2024-25 LIMITED

Saturday March 8, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am EST

Virtual Event

The virtual presentation will unveil the winners of the 2024-25 Great Lakes Great Books Award, as voted on by Michigan students! We will also reveal the nominees for grades K-12 for the 2025-26 list for the first time and provide resources for sharing the nominees with a class, voting instructions, and information on submitting a title for nomination for the next year. Streamed on Facebook LIVE.

Speakers

Jesse Shirtz

co-chair, Great Lakes Great Books Award

Heather Lander

Saturday March 8, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am EST
Virtual Event

Appropriate for All Levels

Strand(s) Community and Family Literacy, Diverse Literature for Children and Young Adults

1:00pm EST

Museum Visits as Literacy-Learning Opportunities: A Look at The Henry Ford’s Literacy-Focused Programming

Saturday March 8, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm EST

River Overlook E (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

Museum visits can provide an abundance of learning opportunities, but how can we support early literacy during these visits? Learn how The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn, MI is centering literacy in its programming and creating opportunities for young learners to expand and strengthen their reading skills during their time spent within the exhibit halls.

Speakers

Lori Petrelius

Museum Programs Manager, The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation

Hi there, I'm Lori! I'm a relocated Yooper living in the Metro Detroit area. I am the museum programs manager at The Henry Ford and an advocate for children's literacy programs. I can't wait to connect with you!

Saturday March 8, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm EST
River Overlook E (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

Appropriate for All Levels

Strand(s) Community and Family Literacy, Diverse Literature for Children and Young Adults, Early Language and Literacy

1:00pm EST

Transformative Literacy Teaching and Learning: A Community-Based Reading Initiative LIMITED

Saturday March 8, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm EST

River Overlook F (Devos Place - Upper Level)

Educators will learn the importance of utilizing powerful community connections as a resource to foster literacy and language growth in their classrooms, schools, and/or districts. Using both statistical and anecdotal data, the presenters will discuss the results of a summer reading intervention and discuss strengths and challenges of community-based in-school and out-of-school interventions.

Speakers

Gwendolyn Thompson McMillon

Professor of Literacy, Oakland University

Danielle Alexander

Doctoral Student and Graduate Assistant, Oakland University

A former high school English/journalism teacher and university composition instructor, I am interested in the teaching and assessing of secondary and postsecondary student writing.

Qingxian Wang

Yujie Mao

Saturday March 8, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm EST
River Overlook F (Devos Place - Upper Level)

Literacy Coaching

Strand(s) Community and Family Literacy, Culturally Responsive Instruction, Foundational Reading Skills

1:00pm EST

We Are All Learners and We Are All Teachers: A Community of Practice for "Teaching for Black Lives" LIMITED

Saturday March 8, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm EST

Gallery Overlook B (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

In this interactive session we will explore together how literacy communities can be reimagined as more just and transformative spaces by: 1) building collective professional learning opportunities in liberatory education; and 2) centering community-based literacy educators as equal partners alongside school-based educators.

Speakers

Dr. Leah van Belle

Senior Consultant, Learning and Impact, Detroit Parent Network

Leah serves as Senior Consultant for Learning & Impact with Detroit Parent Network and is Part-Time Faculty at Eastern Michigan University. A proud Detroiter and first-generation high school graduate, her professional and community work have focused on literacy access and equity... Read More →

Saturday March 8, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm EST
Gallery Overlook B (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

Literacy Coaching

Strand(s) Community and Family Literacy, Culturally Responsive Instruction, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ)

2:30pm EST

Building Bridges: Developing Community Partnerships that Improve Literacy Learning LIMITED

Saturday March 8, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EST

River Overlook D (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

Although schools and school districts list building community partnerships as a goal, many of them do not know how to establish and sustain community partnerships. The purpose of this presentation is to show attendees how to mobilize and sustain community partnerships by using statistical and anecdotal data from their literacy intervention project.

Speakers

Gwendolyn Thompson McMillon

Professor of Literacy, Oakland University

Joshua McMillon

Saturday March 8, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EST
River Overlook D (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

Appropriate for All Levels

Strand(s) Community and Family Literacy, Culturally Responsive Instruction, Foundational Reading Skills

2:30pm EST

Lit Everywhere: Dynamic Research-Supported Literacy Tools for Learning In and Out of School LIMITED

Saturday March 8, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EST

Grand Gallery C (DeVos Place)

Seeking a literacy resource to enhance instruction & engage families? There's an app, a show, and a Michigan platform for that! Explore the PreK-Grade 5 literacy program, Read, Write, ROAR!, aligned with Essential Instructional Practices in Early Literacy. Discover ways to support literacy development in and out of school (e.g., summer learning & family engagement efforts) with this free resource!

Speakers

Erin Pell

Project Director, Instructional Applications, MAISA

Erin is a dynamic and versatile educator with a passion for early literacy. She earned her bachelor's degree in Education from Michigan State, a master's in Reading Instruction from Concordia, and has spent over a decade honing her skills as a classroom teacher and literacy coach... Read More →

Annie Spear

Project Director Michigan Learning Channel, MAISA

I am a passionate literacy educator, consultant, and author committed to supporting fellow educators, leaders, and community partners in service of children and families. My work is centered on literacy research for ages birth to age 10. Through my work with MAISA’s Literacy Essentials... Read More →

Saturday March 8, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EST
Grand Gallery C (DeVos Place)

Appropriate for All Levels

Strand(s) Community and Family Literacy, Digital Literacy, Early Language and Literacy

2:30pm EST

40 Ways to Spark a Love of Reading FULL

Saturday March 8, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EST

River Overlook C (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

Inspire your students to enjoy reading with these 40 creative ideas you can use for years to come in your classroom, library, or school! Reading for pleasure leads to improved reading comprehension, writing skills, vocabulary, spelling, and grammatical development. Most importantly, reading for pleasure is crucial for developing life-long, avid readers.

Speakers

Shannon Anderson

Author, Brain Coach, Professor, Motivational Speaker, www.shannonisteaching.com

Shannon Anderson has taught for 25 years, from first grade through college level. She also served as the gifted coordinator for her school district and on the board of directors for the Indiana State Literacy Association. A highlight of her teaching career was being named one of the... Read More →

Saturday March 8, 2025 2:30pm - 3:30pm EST
River Overlook C (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

Elementary (K-5) Literacy Coaching

Strand(s) Community and Family Literacy, Early Language and Literacy, Literacy Educator Preparation

10:30am EDT

Science of Reading + Birth to Age 5 Educator, Family, and Community Engagement = Building a Reading Brain FILLING

Sunday March 9, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am EDT

Gallery Overlook C (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

Interested in a public media resource to promote family engagement in literacy development? Join us to view the WKAR documentary, Building the Reading Brain. We'll explore how we learn to read, backed by brain science and linguistics. Participate in guided discussions, see connections to Literacy Essentials, and receive resources for immediate use in your context. Don't miss it!

Speakers

Robin Pizzo

Annie Spear

Project Director Michigan Learning Channel, MAISA

Laura Tortorelli

Sunday March 9, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am EDT
Gallery Overlook C (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

Appropriate for All Levels

Strand(s) Community and Family Literacy, Early Language and Literacy, Literacy Coaching and Leadership

12:30pm EDT

Unbound: Books Not Boundaries LIMITED

Sunday March 9, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm EDT

River Overlook C (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

Our session is for teachers, school administrators, school librarians, and public librarians. This presentation will detail a plan for how to establish a program where school students access their community library catalog in class, order books online, and the public library processes the requests and delivers the books to the schools.

Speakers

Patti Skinner

Director of Library Services, West Shore Community College

Ingrid Fournier

Branch Manager - Scottville, Mason County District Library

After a 30 year career as public school teacher (grades 3-8), I stepped into the role of Branch Manager at the Scottville Library which is part of the Mason County District Library (Ludington and Scottville). Collaborating with our local schools, Westshore Community College, the Scottville... Read More →

Sunday March 9, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm EDT
River Overlook C (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

Literacy Coaching

Strand(s) Community and Family Literacy, Diverse Literature for Children and Young Adults, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ)