Full Day Workshops

These are full-day interactive workshops providing extensive coverage of a topic with many hands-on activities that can be used by teachers the very next day. Each workshop comes with a substantial handout. Preferred audiences range from 20 to 75 people. For more workshops click here: Keynote speeches • Short workshops

Marvelous Mini Lessons for Teaching Beginning Writing (Grades K-3)

In this activity-packed day, you'll collaborate with colleagues to analyze actual student writing samples and discuss developmentally-appropriate instruction for students at all stages. We'll look at the the three stages of the writing workshop: explicit teaching through modeling and demonstration, writing and conferring, and sharing and celebrating. Lori will share dozens of practical writing activities, tools and literature links that you will be able to easily adapt to a range of ages and stages in your classroom tomorrow.

"Oh my gosh, my kids are LOVING sticky dot details and bubble gum writing! They're writing more than ever! Thanks for all the great ideas!!!" LG, Grade 1 teacher, Winnipeg MB

"I have never loved my writer's workshop as much as I do this year! My colleagues and I that attended your conference last year in Livonia had so much fun revamping our writing process. So THANK YOU! :)" - J.C., 2nd Grade Teacher, Ypsilanti MI.

Learning to Read, Reading to Learn:  Building Comprehension, Vocabulary and Fluency (Grades 2-8)

You never stop learning to read, no matter what age you are! In this session, we will look at research-based reading strategies and techniques for helping students learn to use them. Following a Guided Release of Responsibility model, you'll have many opportunities to engage and interact as we work through modeling and think-aloud, guided practice and independent application of each of the strategies, both with fiction and non-fiction texts.

"I have been in the education field for more years than I care to admit, and have attended countless workshops, but rarely one so steeped in theory, yet so practical. My colleague and I have not only been talking about the ideas you presented, but we are using them as well!" JS, Coordinator, Montreal, QB

A Fresh Approach to Six Traits Writing (Grades K-2, 3-8)

Meet the Trait Mates - six characters who help us understand and apply the six essential elements of good writing. You'll spend the day collaboratively scoring and analyzing student writing against a six traits rubric and discussing practical application of this powerful framework to your classroom. You are guaranteed to come out of this session with a collection of ideas to enhance your writing program.

"Thank you for one of the top ten workshops I have ever attended. I was familiar with the Six Traits approach, but had not heard it presented in the early elementary voice that you presented it. All of the strategies, ideas and language are so user-friendly for me in my class.' - DS, Grade 1 teacher, Lethbridge AB.

"I had the greatest experience at your workshop. You shared realistic take and use today activities. I am excited to see how my students' writing will improve over the next several months." MG, Sixth grade teacher, BCSC, Columbus IN

Six Traits – Next Steps:  Integrating Trait-based Instruction into your Writing Program (Grades 3-8)

For teachers already familiar with the Six Traits Framework, this workshop looks at integrating the traits into the overall writing program.  We’ll discuss organizing the writing workshop and building all six traits into genre-based units.

"Thank you for showing us a different approach to using the traits in the classrom. Every presenter I've heard has told us to teach each trait separately. This integrated approach is a better fit with the way I teach. I'm excited to try some of your ideas!" - JM, Grade 8 teacher, Dawson Creek, BC.

Fine-tuning your Guided Reading Program (K-5)

Guided reading is one of the most important tools we have for differentiating instruction, both in the core classroom program and for intervention. In this session, we will look at ways to simplify the organization and management of the Guided Reading program, including teaching students to engage in independent literacy routines. You'll learn how to make the most of the 18 minute guided reading lesson, with appropriate text selection, and scaffolding before, during and after reading.

"I am a guided reading teacher in my district. Each day I go into six different classrooms to work with small groups. You had some wonderful ideas that I can take back to the teachers I work with. You had so many great things to say, I could not take notes fast enough. Thank you for a wonderful presentation." CP, Chicago IL

Early Literacy Instruction in Kindergarten (K)

What are the six essential literacy learnings for Kindergarten children? This session will focus on making the most of your instructional time in Kindergarten, and developing the foundations of literacy through read-aloud, shared and guided reading and writing workshop. In addition, Lori will take you "beyond Letter of the Week" to look at alternatives to teaching alphabet concepts.

"Thank you for being such a charismatic presenter. You are indeed one in a million who makes teaching kindergarten children such an excitement. " - D.D., Kindergarten Teacher, Toronto, ON.

Write on! Helping Your Students Become more Confident and Competent Writers ( 3-8)

This session will focus on the effective teaching of writing. We'll look at implementing the writing workshop in a way that is powerful for students and manageable for teachers. We'll travel down the journey to publication and discuss tested tools for helping students plan, draft, revise and edit their writing. We'll discuss the role of the teacher and share ideas for making the most of the ten-minute mini lesson and the three minute writing conference. You'll have many opportunities to discuss and reflect upon your own practice as well as picking up lots of new ideas to implement in your writing program.

"I attended your session at the 3rd and 4th Grade conference in Orlando a few weeks ago and was truly thankful that I did. I struggle to teach writing but I loved your ideas and have already started with some of them. Once again, thank you so much for helping to inspire me so I can inspire my students." - NS, Fort Myers FL

Supporting Struggling Readers with RTI (Response to Intervention)  (3-8)

Are there students in your classroom who can't cope with grade-level reading materials? Do they "fake-read" - or avoid it altogether? Response to Intervention is a multi-tiered approach to providing support for struggling readers, from the core classroom to targeted, short-term intervention, to intensive individual programming. In this session, Lori will share tips and techniques to help classroom teachers identify the needs of struggling readers, choose appropriate texts and use research-based intervention strategies to accelerate reading growth.

"Thank you for such fabulous PD experience. I found it extremely valuable and was very excited to come back and use the ideas and thoughts that Lori Jamison brought to us. She made me feel like it was possible to be successful as a teacher - which can be a hard feat for me when it comes to teaching reading! :) DK, Saskatoon SK

Lori also does full-day presentations with her husband, Paul Kropp, on Six Traits Writing. For information about these HIP Seminars, click here.

For more workshops: Keynote speeches • Short workshops