69th MRA Conference: Full Schedule

Add sessions to your personal schedule to register your attendance (Check-In).

10:30am EST

Personal Narrative Quick Writes through Literature: How to Develop Student Voice and Community LIMITED

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

Participants will explore how to develop student voice through quick writes that align with a theme from a text. Through thoughtful book choice, conversation, and writing prompts, participants will explore ways to use text to garner opportunities for students to write about their own lives. Sample structures and collaboration with others around text and through quick writes will also be explored.

Speakers

Leah Porter

3rd grade teacher, Holt Public Schools

Leah Porter is a 3rd grade teacher and the 2022 Michigan State Teacher of the Year. She teaches at Wilcox Elementary in Holt, Michigan. Previously, she has been a Kindergarten, Reading Recovery, and Intervention teacher. Porter holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and... Read More →

Saturday March 8, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am EST
Grand Gallery C (DeVos Place)

Elementary (K-5)

Strand(s) Diverse Literature for Children and Young Adults, Social-Emotional Learning and Wellness, Written Expression

10:30am EST

Keys to Reading, Analyzing, and Writing Nonfiction LIMITED

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

Gallery Overlook A (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

We will explore educators’ new ideas about reading, analyzing, and writing nonfiction. Old strategies mislead classes: the 5-paragraph essay oversimplifies nonfiction. We will discuss the goals, structure, and development of complex modern essays, including scholarly articles. Participants will receive handouts with essay structures, lesson plans, and nonfiction writing assignments for students.

Speakers

Janet Ruth Heller

Past President, Michigan College English Association

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

Middle School to Post Secondary (6-12+)

Strand(s) Disciplinary Literacy, Writing in the Content Areas, Written Expression

10:30am EST

Catalyzing Youth Superpowers—Co-Designing Joy, Laughter, and Peace Through Reading, Writing & Virtual Reality LIMITED

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

Gallery Overlook B (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

In a digital era dominated by violent video games, we're flipping the script. We are arming youth with reading, writing, storytelling, digital and peace literacy skills, catalyzing their superpowers. Our collaborative approach is groundbreaking; we're partnering with students, co-creating virtual reality gaming based on their real-world experiences. They aren't just players; they're co-designers!

Speakers

Dr. Erica Robertson

CEO, Adventures Publishing House

Adventures Publishing House is an international publishing house that provides books, content, curriculum, and experiences that educate, inspire, heal, and empower generations of young people, educators, families, and caretakers. We keep up with technological advances such as VR... Read More →

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

Middle School to Post Secondary (6-12+) Literacy Coaching

Strand(s) Digital Literacy, Social-Emotional Learning and Wellness, Written Expression

10:30am EST

Reading and Writing for Tier 2 and 3 Students, Students with Disabilities, and English Learners FILLING

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

River Overlook E (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

This session will explore strategies and best practices for teaching English Language Arts to create the most equitable experience possible for all students in a classroom setting regardless of race and ethnicity, disability status, language background, and socioeconomic status.

Speakers

Megan Kowalski

Special Education Teacher, Chicago Public Schools

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

Middle School to Post Secondary (6-12+) Literacy Coaching

Strand(s) Culturally Responsive Instruction, Digital Literacy, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ), Social-Emotional Learning and Wellness, Written Expression

10:30am EST

Room to Wrestle: Teaching with Novels in Verse LIMITED

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

Grand Gallery A (DeVos Place)

Sharing our experiences as educators and authors, we will highlight the power of using novels-in-verse to create space for students to wrestle with identity and complex topics. Participants can expect to engage in examples of hands-on lessons that use excerpts from various verse novels as we experiment and discover together.

Speakers

Kelly J. Baptist

Kelly J. Baptist is the award-winning author of eight books for kids, including Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero, The Electric Slide and Kai, and the NAACP Image Award-nominated Eb & Flow. Kelly was the 2023 Gwen Frostic Award recipient. She lives and writes in Southwest Michigan, where her... Read More →

Dana VanderLugt

Secondary Literacy Consultant, Ottawa Area ISD

Dana VanderLugt is a writer and literacy consultant for the Ottawa Area ISD who has taught reading and writing in middle school, high school, and college classrooms.Her first book, Enemies in the Orchard: A World War 2 Novel in Verse was published by Zonderkidz in September 2023... Read More →

Saturday March 8, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am EST
Grand Gallery A (DeVos Place)

Middle School to Post Secondary (6-12+) Literacy Coaching

Strand(s) Culturally Responsive Instruction, Diverse Literature for Children and Young Adults, Written Expression

1:00pm EST

Building Foundational Literacy Through Interactive Writing: A Collaborative Approach LIMITED

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

Grand Gallery A (DeVos Place)

Breath in learning from shared experiences and express it through the collaborative process of Interactive Writing. This process engages students to co-create text, enhancing their phonics, vocabulary, and sentence structure skills in authentic contexts. This session provides practical, hands-on strategies aligned to empower educators with the tools to bolster foundational literacy development. Audience: PreK-2 classroom teachers, literacy coaches, administrators, special education, EL educators.

Speakers

Jill Erfourth

Elementary Literacy Consultant/Coach, Utica Community Schools

Susan Meadows

Elementary Literacy Coach, Utica Community Schools

Saturday March 8, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm EST
Grand Gallery A (DeVos Place)

Elementary (K-5)

Strand(s) Early Language and Literacy, Foundational Reading Skills, Foundational Writing Skills, Writing in the Content Areas, Written Expression

1:00pm EST

Writing from Scratch: Whip Up Delicious Writing Lessons Your Students Will Eat Up! LIMITED

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

River Overlook C (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

Motivating our young writers to take creative "whisks" can be tricky at the elementary level. In this practical, you-can-do-it session, you will learn strategies for young writers to add some flavor to their writing. Through demonstrations, video clips, and oodles of ideas, you’ll be excited to go back to the classroom and try some of these writing recipes with just the right dash of fun.

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 1:00pm - 2:00pm EST
River Overlook C (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

Elementary (K-5) Literacy Coaching

Strand(s) Foundational Writing Skills, Writing in the Content Areas, Written Expression

2:30pm EST

Turning Writing Woes into Wins: Practical Tools for Effective Writing Instruction LIMITED

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

Grand Gallery F (DeVos Place)

Explore our journey in Jenison Public Schools to address the need for explicit, systematic writing instruction. Hear how we equipped teachers with practical tools, engaging lesson plans, and professional development support. We’ll share our writing journey, celebrate successes, and inspire educators to transform writing instruction in their classrooms. Let’s unlock the joy of writing together!

Speakers

Nicole Nelson

National Curriculum Consultant, Learning A-Z

Erin Kornoely

Grade 3-6 Instructional Coach, Jenison Public Schools

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

Elementary (K-5) Literacy Coaching

Strand(s) Foundational Writing Skills, Literacy Coaching and Leadership, Written Expression

2:30pm EST

Growing Together: Writing into Social Emotional Learning LIMITED

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

Grand Gallery D (DeVos Place)

In this session, educators will explore approaches to integrating social emotional learning (SEL) within daily writing opportunities. The presenters will share research-based strategies to embed SEL within writing practices alongside real-world examples including connecting to students’ funds of knowledge, fostering positive environments, and promoting self-awareness and self-regulation.

Speakers

Lindsay Stoetzel

Professor, Grand Valley State University

Matilyn Mumm

Angela Gonzalez-Urbina

I am a third grade TWBI teacher for Holland Language Academy for the last 5 years. I love being able to teach in Spanish and to share the love for the culture and language. In my free time I teach ballet folklorico for Ballet Folklorico Sol Azteca. I also love to spend time with... Read More →

Lexi Marzolf

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

Elementary (K-5) Literacy Coaching Middle School to Post Secondary (6-12+)

Strand(s) Culturally Responsive Instruction, Social-Emotional Learning and Wellness, Written Expression

10:30am EDT

Advancing Thinking through Writing Across Content Areas: Read It In, Write It Out! FILLING

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

Grand Gallery C (DeVos Place)

This session will explore effective strategies for integrating explicit writing instruction across content areas. Participants will learn to implement explicit writing lessons that foster clarity and coherence in student writing, supporting them in connecting ideas, refining their understanding, and enhancing comprehension while emphasizing foundational sentence- and paragraph-level skills. Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of how this structured approach enhances students' writing abilities and supports their overall academic achievement across content areas. Audience: classroom teachers 2-5, literacy coach, special education, admnistrator

Speakers

Jill Erfourth

Elementary Literacy Consultant/Coach, Utica Community Schools

Rae Cloyd

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

Elementary (K-5)

Strand(s) Foundational Writing Skills, Writing in the Content Areas, Written Expression

10:30am EDT

Making Mischievous Writers LIMITED

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

River Overlook C (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

In this session, we will explore a very unique writing kit that includes unorthodox writing prompts and artifacts that will inspire students to write in a way that is joyful, meaningful, and a little mischievous. The presenter will share the method behind the madness for what is a truly fun and unique writing experience.

Speakers

Jonah Lane-Moore

7th Grade English Teacher, Michigan Virtual Charter Academy

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

Middle School to Post Secondary (6-12+)

Strand(s) Foundational Writing Skills, Social-Emotional Learning and Wellness, Written Expression

12:30pm EDT

Empowering Student Voices: Composing and Communicating in a Digital Age LIMITED

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

Grand Gallery D (DeVos Place)

In today’s educational landscape, digital technologies are vital for student expression and engagement. This session will explore how students can compose and communicate using digital tools while developing essential digital literacy skills. We will discuss various platforms—like blogs, video software, and social media. that foster creativity and collaboration.

Speakers

Elaina Heard

Chief Executive Officer, Watson's Way ABA

Sunday March 9, 2025 12:30pm - 1:30pm EDT
Grand Gallery D (DeVos Place)

Early Childhood (Birth-K) Elementary (K-5) Literacy Coaching

Strand(s) Assessment and Evaluation, Digital Literacy, Diverse Literature for Children and Young Adults, Written Expression

12:30pm EDT

Come to Camp! Creating an Inclusive, Positive Literacy Summer Camp Experience for Middle School Students LIMITED

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

River Overlook A (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

How can middle-grades students reconnect to their love of reading and writing? Invite them to a Summer Camp to rebuild their literate identities! Presenters share how an ISD-created middle school literacy program has helped students read and write more while optimizing choice, collaboration and creativity. Learn about the basic summer camp structure, low-cost resources, and how to collect data.

Speakers

Liz Lietz, MRA President

ELA Consultant, Macomb Intermediate School District

Liz Lietz is an ELA Consultant for the Macomb Intermediate School District. She is currently serving as the President of the Michigan Reading Association, and is a Member-At-Large for NCTE's Conference on English Leadership (CEL) executive board. Liz taught high school English and... Read More →

Sara Belvedere

Secondary English & Continuous Improvement Consultant, Macomb ISD

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

Middle School to Post Secondary (6-12+)

Strand(s) Disciplinary Literacy, Diverse Literature for Children and Young Adults, Written Expression

1:45pm EDT

Where I'm From: Centering Adolescent Engagement, Voice, and Literacy Identity through a University-Community Partnership LIMITED

Sunday March 9, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm EDT

Gallery Overlook C (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

Presenters will share a model co-created with a community partner for engaging middle grade students in finding their voices as readers and writers through multiple modalities. Students explore their identities in creative ways while exploring literacy in a variety of genres including building from their interests and identities to compose their own music.

Speakers

Maggie Hanna

Assistant Professor, Teacher Education, Eastern Michigan University

Jacqueline LaRose

Sunday March 9, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm EDT
Gallery Overlook C (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

Appropriate for All Levels

Strand(s) Culturally Responsive Instruction, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ), Written Expression

1:45pm EDT

Get Off to the “Write” Start! How to Support Early Career Teachers’ Writing Instruction LIMITED

Sunday March 9, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm EDT

Grand Gallery D (DeVos Place)

This session will provide a brief overview of one Community of Practice (CoP) focused on early career teachers and effective elementary writing instruction. The bulk of the session will outline the planning approach for this CoP as well as provide work time to plan for a CoP that could be adopted by building administrators, mentor teachers, coaches, or other teacher education professionals.

Speakers

JoAnne West

Assistant Professor of Teacher Education, Saginaw Valley State University

Julie Brehmer

Sunday March 9, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm EDT
Grand Gallery D (DeVos Place)

Literacy Coaching

Strand(s) Foundational Writing Skills, Literacy Coaching and Leadership, Literacy Educator Preparation, Written Expression

1:45pm EDT

Getting to the Heart of Disciplinary Literacy in the Secondary Classroom LIMITED

Sunday March 9, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm EDT

Gallery Overlook B (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

In this two-part series, we’ll dive into the why and the how for integrating reading, writing and discussion in the classroom. Teachers will walk away with an understanding of literacy research and practical strategies for the classroom that link strong purposes for reading to focused writing tasks & discussions. Plus, participants will gain access to a toolkit of ready-to-use resources.

Speakers

Emily Toy

6-12 ELA and Social Studies Curriculum and Instructional Technology Specialist, Warren Consolidated Schools

Kevin Bullis

Sunday March 9, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm EDT
Gallery Overlook B (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

Middle School to Post Secondary (6-12+) Literacy Coaching

Strand(s) Disciplinary Literacy, Writing in the Content Areas, Written Expression

1:45pm EDT

Helping Students Connect to Text-Based Assessments and Facilitating Creative Essay Writing LIMITED

Sunday March 9, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm EDT

River Overlook C (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

In this session, teachers will learn ways to help middle and high school students connect to informational texts. Teachers will then learn how to use those student connections to inspire students to write creative text-based assessment essays.

Speakers

Liz Ropp

Literacy Coach, KEYS Grace Academy

Sunday March 9, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm EDT
River Overlook C (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

Middle School to Post Secondary (6-12+) Literacy Coaching

Strand(s) Assessment and Evaluation, Writing in the Content Areas, Written Expression