Midwest Conference on Differentiated Instruction

Ellen has served as a reading teacher and a special educator. She has set up and operated resource rooms, co-teaching programs, diagnostic centers, and after school intervention programs. Her most recent book, The MI Strategy Bank: 800+ Strategies for the Elementary Classroom, is an authoritative source for pre-referral strategies.

Charles offers over 20 years of experience as a language arts teacher, assistant principal, and principal. He has presented at numerous state and national conferences in the areas of effective classroom management, stress and time management, and motivating difficult-to-reach students. A dynamic and energetic speaker, Charles is well known for his practical, engaging, and humorous presentations.

For over 20 years, Melissa has been dedicated to serving the educational needs of teachers and students, as a literacy coach, staff developer, and classroom teacher. She is passionate about providing educators with quick-to-implement, research-based strategies. Melissa’s ability to provide relevant information with humor makes her a popular presenter.

A recognized leader in the field of effective classroom instruction, Judy understands the need to teach process, as well as content, in order to help students make sense of the world around them. Her workshops combine practical strategies with knowledge of the latest state initiatives and how students learn. Judy is the author and co-author of numerous books, including her latest entitled 25 Quick Formative Assessments for a Differentiated Classroom.

Pam has over 24 years of experience teaching kindergarten through sixth grade. She presents at educational conferences and school system in-services, and works extensively with individual schools to implement strategies for improving instruction and achievement. Pam is the author of The 5-Step Way to Raise Test Scores.

eInstruction (www.einstruction.com) offers educators a family of software, student response systems, interactive whiteboards, wireless tablets, data reporting and analysis tools, and high-quality content, as well as the eI Community, a free, content-rich online resource center. These solutions increase student engagement, provide real-time feedback, and enable educators to assess comprehension and customize lessons.

John has served as the Executive Director of Minnesota ASCD, worked with educational leaders at Virginia Tech University, and served as an assistant superintendent for curriculum, learning, and staff development. He is the co-author of the best selling Energizing Staff Meetings and Creative Strategies to Improve School Culture.

Lori is an energetic, passionate, National Board Certified classroom teacher and trainer. She has taught students in first through fourth grades and uses her daily classroom experience to enhance her session presentations. Lori believes that integrating technology into instruction is a powerful way to enrich teaching and motivate students.

For more than 20 years, Nancy has pursued her passion of helping students relate science to the real world. She has developed numerous activities in all areas of science for grades 4 through 12. Nancy’s coaching approach to classroom teaching has earned her accolades, including the 1999 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching and the 2002 Midwestern Regional winner of The Subaru National Science Teaching Award. Nancy presents at the state, regional, national, and international levels.

Offering over 18 years classroom experience, Char has earned a national reputation as a renowned education speaker and author. She works extensively in the areas of writing, math, and classroom management to help teachers help all children learn. Char has developed curriculum materials in writing, math, language arts, reading, and social studies. And, she is the author of several books, including Differentiated Instruction: Different Strategies for Different Learners and Step-By-Step Model Drawing.

Jim has emerged as the nation's Spokesperson for School Success. An internationally renowned educator and popular speaker, he offers practical instructional strategies to help all students learn. Jim is the author of many popular professional books, including the best-selling, Differentiated Instruction: Different Strategies for Different Learners and Differentiating Textbooks.

Gayle is an experienced elementary, middle, and secondary school teacher as well as an education instructor at York University. She is also an experienced curriculum consultant and staff development coordinator. Gayle now consults internationally with teachers, administrators, and staff developers on a variety of topics. She is the author of Differentiated Instructional Strategies: One Size Doesn’t Fit All and Student Teams That Get Results.

Diane has taught at both the elementary and secondary school levels, and has served as a gifted education teacher and administrator. Currently, Diane is an Associate Professor of Education at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota. She is the author of Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom: How to Reach and Teach All Learners, and Making Differentiation a Habit: How to Ensure Success in Academically Diverse Classrooms.

Betty has more than 24 years of teaching experience. Her energy, humor, and insight make her a very popular presenter. Betty is a former Teacher of the Year who enthusiastically shares strategies with fellow educators. She is also co-author of the best-selling book Differentiating Instruction in a Whole-Group Setting and author of The 7 Secrets of Motivating & Inspiring Your Team.

Bertie is a national consultant and the author of numerous articles, instructional aids, and 20 books on education. She has received many honors including the Texas Gifted Educator of the Year. Bertie continues to work in classrooms to model differentiated instruction for all learners. She is the author of Differentiation: Simple, Realistic, and Effective.

Catherine is a National Board Certified Teacher with a varied and rich teaching background. She believes in creating a child-centered, activity-based classroom where children may become lifelong lovers of learning. Catherine recently released her second book, Mathematical Art-O-Facts. And, she is a Presidential Award winner for Excellence in Teaching Elementary Mathematics.

William is a motivated teacher with a resolute understanding of innovation and excellence in education. He has taught earth science, biology and health in middle and high school for over 10 years, and is devoted to helping underperforming students excel in the classroom. His enthusiasm for sharing knowledge is contagious and is passionate about making a difference in the lives of the children.

Lea is an experienced seventh grade social studies teacher and curriculum coordinator. She has published a variety of articles in the New York State middle school journal, In Transition, and writes a quarterly column in the New York State Middle School Messenger. Lea is a recipient of her state’s English Council Educator of Excellence award. And, she has represented her school district as Teacher of the Year.

Dave taught math for thirty years in the public school system in Canada. His dynamic presentations and inspiring keynotes keep teachers laughing as they learn. Dave’s ArithmeCode puzzles appear as a weekly feature in a number of major newspapers, and his booklets, CDs, and DVDs are used in hundreds of schools in Canada and the U.S.

A former classroom teacher, LeAnn is an experienced presenter specializing in brain-research and reading and vocabulary strategies. She is the author of eight professional resource books including Memorizing Strategies, and a four-book series entitled Mini-Comprehension Lessons.

For over 15 years as a nationally renowned staff development spe­cialist, Stephanie has skillfully translated what occurs daily in her own classroom into innovative, practical instructional methods. Her straightforward style, coupled with infor­mation that is easily accessible and teacher friendly, makes for an enjoyable learning experience. Stephanie is certified in ESL.

Jill is an experienced classroom teacher whose expertise ranges from elementary school mathematics to Advanced Placement calculus. An experienced conference presenter, she continues to enjoy teaching mathematics content and pedagogy to secondary and elementary school educators.

Tawnya is a master teacher who is known for her energetic style and ability to blend research with practical teacher-tested strategies. She has been an Early Childhood resource teacher, a Phonological Awareness Trainer, and a Reading First Trainer. Tawnya has developed training videos and has co-authored a home-school literacy backpack program.

Laureen is an experienced classroom teacher and the best-selling author of teacher resources that offer a wealth of child-friendly poems, including Poems for Math Practice, and interactive centers designed to strengthen skills across the curriculum. Laureen focuses on using classroom-tested management techniques and engaging activities to increase students’ interest and independence as learners.

Laura has over 43 years of teaching experience. She currently conducts workshops for educators of grades 4 and up, specializing in differentiated reading instruction. Laura is the author of several best-selling books, including Teaching Reading in Middle School, 35 Must-Have Assessment and Record-Keeping Forms for Reading, and Differentiating Reading Instruction.

Heidi is passionate about creating educational environments where all students can achieve academic success. She has served as a classroom teacher, literacy support teacher, assistant principal, and principal. Heidi is the author of Organize, Communicate, Empower: How Principals Can Make Time for Leadership. Currently, she works as a consultant providing ongoing professional development for teachers, administrators, and educational leaders.

Gail is currently a Reading Coach for the Palm Beach County Public School District in Florida. A Certified Specialist in the areas of middle and secondary English, she is Gifted Endorsed and has twice been named Teacher of the Year. Gail is also the recipient of the School-to-Work Best Practices Award. She is the co-author of the language arts benchmarks for Orange County Public Schools.

A former special education teacher and literacy coach for 12 years, Debra is currently a School Improvement Consultant specializing in reading and writing. She works with schools and teachers across the country to implement brain-based learning strategies in differentiation and standards-based learning. Debra believes that ALL students can experience success given the appropriate strategies and she seeks to use the brain-based principles when working with teachers.

Marsha is a highly sought-after teacher trainer and presenter with over 35 years of classroom and administrative experience. She has directed federal and state educational programs, and has been a leader and an advocate for at-risk children. Marsha has also developed nationally-recognized programs that provide for the education of low-achieving students. She is the author of the book Shared Reading Coaching Tool.

Judy is an internationally known speaker and trainer, as well as an experienced educator, author, and composer. She is coauthor of Integrating Curricula with Multiple Intelligences. Judy is the lead author of the elementary general music series, Music Expressions™, and the project manager and editor of the Expressions Music Curriculum.

Sherri is an experienced educator who has traveled across the country offering insightful and motivating presentations on a wide variety of teaching topics. She is a former Missouri Teacher of the Year and a recipient of the National Presidential Award in Elementary Science. Sherri is also the author and creator of the professional development program, Open the Eyes of Struggling Readers and Writers to Literacy Using Strategies in Comprehensive Literacy.

During her 30-year career, Marcia has been a classroom teacher, reading specialist, language arts coordinator, and staff development director. As an educational consultant, she has presented to over 125,000 administrators, teachers, parents, and business and community leaders. Marcia is the author of several best-selling books, including Shouting Won’t Grow Dendrites: 20 Techniques for Managing a Brain-Compatible Classroom.

Stephen is an award-winning author, sought-after science consultant, and the Executive Director and founder of Science Plus, Inc., a company that develops science curriculum and provides science enrichment and staff development programs. He has written more than 30 science books, including Soda Bottle Science, Coffee Can Science, Teaching Science Yes You Can and What A Great Idea.

David is a nationally recognized education consultant with over 25 years of experience. Currently, he works to improve the academic and social success of both expelled and chronically disruptive youth. His workshop topics include behavior intervention, RTI, ADHD, conduct disorder, and reading initiatives.

Rick’s vast experience includes working as a middle grades teacher, human growth and development teacher, and staff development educator. He’s an education consultant to National Public Radio, USA Today, and the Smithsonian Institute. Rick is also the author of several books, including Meet Me in the Middle and Fair Isn’t Always Equal: Assessment and Grading in the Differentiated Classroom.