69th MRA Conference: Full Schedule

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

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

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)

12:30pm EDT

Silent Sustained Reading in High School: Fostering a Love of Reading in the Classroom and Building a Culture of Literacy within the School LIMITED

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

Gallery Overlook B (DeVos Place - Upper Level)

In this inspiring session, teachers will learn how we are creating a culture of literacy within our department and school by utilizing a strategic system of SSR, which embraces goal setting, metacognitive thinking, sharing progress, celebrating personal reading, and collective growth. As classroom teachers in the field, our resources will be embedded in the presentation for you to copy and adapt for your context. Just add books!

Speakers

Mrs. Becky Gerhart

High School English Teacher, Mason County Central

Teaching English full-time since 2008. Mother of 7-year-old boy/girl twins. I fly kites on the shore of Lake Michigan.

Katarina Moore

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

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

Strand(s) Advocacy, Foundational Reading Skills, Literacy Educator Preparation

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