Mary Bigler's workshops on literacy issues are practical, informative, researched-based and entertaining. She shares a multitude of ideas on how to help students of all abilities to become better readers and writers. In addition, she presents strategies on how to help students become efficient, independent, life-long learners. She motivates teachers to a renewed commitment to teaching, students and learning.
Workshops:
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I learned more about motivation, classroom management and solid techniques for teaching today than in six years of university classes. I leave refreshed and armed with many exciting ideas to engage my kids in literacy activities. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
— Fifth Grade Teacher, In-service
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This fun-filled, informative and practical workshop is for elementary teachers who want to deliver effective literacy instruction to their students. The components of phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension in a balanced literacy program, supported by research on best practice, will be discussed. Teachers will leave this dynamic dynamic research-based workshop with ideas they can implement immediately that will engage all students in learning and will improve reading achievement.
Required time: one hour-all day.
Audience: elementary teachers.
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What an exciting and useful day! I have been teaching 27 years and this is the most valuable in-service I have ever attended. Mary, you are magical. I was engaged from start to finish. You actually gave me things I could use with my high school students. The vocabulary and comprehension activities will help my students understand their textbooks better. You are the consummate teacher. The highest compliment I can give is that I was genuinely disappointed that we didn't have more time. Please, please come back and share more of your knowledge, creativity, enthusiasm and humor.
— High School Teacher
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This practical and enjoyable workshop will focus on strategies and materials that will assist secondary students in becoming better readers. Techniques for enhancing interest in reading and for developing vocabulary, fluency and comprehension abilities will be shared. Teachers will leave with with research-based strategies they can utilize to improve students' reading achievement, understanding of content area material and test scores.
Required time: one hour-all day.
Audience: middle school and high school teachers and administrators.
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This was a tough audience but Dr. Bigler presented a common sense, completely 'doable' program. There are no excuses for not addressing the literacy needs of staff and students NOW. She negotiated the delicate balance between theory and practice unlike anyone I have ever heard or read. She got us "fired up" about our important mission of supporting the literacy efforts of all students. 'Thanks' is inadequate but I, and all of my staff, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
— Curriculum Director
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As instructional leaders, administrators need to know what constitutes effective literacy programs and how to support their development and implementation. This engaging, informative and practical workshop will present ideas that administrators can utilize to help their staffs deliver research-based instructional practices based on recommendations of the National Reading Panel that will ensure Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for all students.
Required time: one-three hours.
Audience: principals, curriculum directors, Title I supervisors, reading coaches.
This popular workshop for elementary
teachers introduces quality literature and
emphasizes the importance of reading to
and with children. Mary presents numerous ideas
for engaging children with joke books,
picture books, poetry and non-fiction.
She will demonstrate how to utilize various genres to reinforce skills as well to foster the joy and wonder of reading.
Required time: one-three hours.
Audience: elementary teachers.
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I can't wait to get back to my classroom and read, read, read to my students! You have validated what I have always believed. If we want children to be readers, we must read to them. I am so overwhelmed with what I have to teach that I frequently don't do what I know works best to turn children into readers — read to them. Thank you for affirming what I already knew.
— First Grade Teacher
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Evidenced-based research supporting strategies that assist students in comprehending narrative and expository text will be introduced in this workshop. Strategies that help students monitor their reading, self-question, identify main ideas, infer and predict while they read, visualize what they read and summarize what they read will be discussed.
Time required: one-three hours.
Audience: separate workshops for elementary and secondary teachers.
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I was so impressed by the active involvement you were able to obtain from our staff. They are not excited about having to teach reading and I wasn't sure what your reception would be but your enthusiasm for reading and its importance in the content areas won them over. You established your credibility when you revealed that you had taught high school history so you 'have been there, done that.' You must come back because I have the feeling we are just getting started.
— Secondary School Improvement Team Member
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Ideas for enhancing listening and speaking abilities and for using innovative ideas from brain-based research will be shared in this highly interactive workshop. The importance of listening and speaking as the underpinnings of reading and writing will be highlighted using songs, chants, choral reading, books and cd's.
Required time: one-three hours.
Audience: elementary teachers.
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Every time I hear Mary Bigler, I am in awe. She sparkles when she shares her ideas about how to engage children in meaningful, functional language activities. I wish we could clone her.
— Second Grade Teacher
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Designed to meet the needs of your particular audience are available upon request.
