KEYNOTES & WORKSHOPS
"It was our absolute pleasure to have Alan visit in April of 2018! This is the highest number of personal responses to a keynote speaker I have ever received...colleagues are going out of their way to say you are an all-time favorite. They found you personable, smart and clear, and engaging. It is definitely my desire that we have you return for a series of PD workshops."
- Barbara R. Lane, Professional Development Team
Honolulu, HI
Alan has spoken in more than 40 states across the nation as well as at a host of nationally renowned conferences, book festivals, and school districts. Some events where he has taken the stage include…
ONE IMPORTANT THING: The demand for Alan often outstrips the supply so if you’d like to bring Mr. Sitomer in, it’s best to get your requests in early. (See below for a variety of Alan’s presentation options.)
- ALA (American Library Association) Annual Convention
- NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English
- ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development)
- National Title 1 Annual Conference
- ILA (International Literacy Association)
- The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books
- NMSA (National Middle School Association)
- FCTE (Florida Council of Teachers of English)
- MRA (Michigan Reading Association)
- The Tucson Festival of Books
- TLA (Texas Library Association)
- CATE (California Association of Teachers of English)
- And many more!
KEYNOTE/WORKSHOP OFFERINGS
--Succeed with Evidence-Based Writing: Claim it! Cite it! Cement it! (MOST POPULAR!)
Tap the power of research-based writing instruction that has proven to be particularly effective with underperforming students. Attendees will learn how to implement the core principles of Triple C Writing (Claim It! Cite it! Cement it!) in order to raise skills, build engagement, and make significant and lasting gains that directly translate to elevated performance on summative writing assessments. When student writers can compose cogent, crisp, grammatically correct responses to on-demand prompts, it’s a skill that not only lasts a lifetime but directly translates to amplified academic achievement. Writing is both an art and science; in this session, you’ll learn the tools for both.
--Close Reading and Evidence-Based Textual Analysis with Underperforming Students: Teaching kids how to Chunk, Re-Read, Provide Citations, and Build Academic Stamina
Today’s academic standards place a premium on close reading, re-reading, writing and providing textual evidence to support claims. With these ambitious aims come heightened challenges across all domains of literacy (including, but not limited to, ELA classrooms). The goal of this session is to provide research-based, “take-away” tools that are immediately usable. Discover how to engender success by marrying authentic engagement to efficacious, lofty academic aims. (Note: special materials will be provided to help reach underperforming male students.)
--Research-Based Best Practices and in a Learning How to Learn World: Comprehensive Literacy and College and Career Readiness
Today’s students are worldly, wired and widely exposed to a host of trans-media influences. So how does a modern day educator meet the mandates of a standards-based curriculum while providing dynamic, student-centered instruction? Come discover the 8 key principles of Comprehensive Literacy, tenets that are firmly rooted in decades of research about language, learning, teaching, assessment, and curriculum. Attendees will see how to build standards-based reading and writing proficiency that is anchored to increasingly complex texts while also developing the commitment, grit, work ethic, and communication skills required to succeed beyond the K-12 classroom walls. Note: All attendees will be provided immediately usable take-away tools that set the table for actionable success.
--Using Humor, Music and Scaffolds to Read and Write Across the Disciplines and Make Pedagogy Powerfully Connect
Providing textual evidence to support written claims across the disciplines brings unique challenges to the table for both students and instructors. This session provides “take- away” tools that are immediately usable (as well as the theory behind these research- based best practices). Engendering success by providing concrete examples and smartly conceptualized, easily replicable lesson plans is the primary aim.
--Tapping Technology Intelligently to Engage and Motivate Reluctant Readers and Writers
The world has changed. Technology has changed. The classroom and our libraries have changed. Even the tenets of what constitutes “literacy” have changed and yet, certain aspects of what needs to remain “core” in education despite all of this change remains essential. Discover strategies to incorporate more technology into your standards- based lesson plans without sacrificing the fundamentals of essential, strong and smart literacy instruction. Because shifting doesn’t mean abandoning.
EVENT DAY DETAILS
Please know that Alan tailors all of his speaking engagements to meet the specific needs of the audience. Therefore, once we have selected dates and locked down the general housekeeping details of your event, plan on scheduling a phone call with Alan so that we can make sure your objectives for bringing Alan in are exceptionally well met.
Also, here’s a bit of info to help make Alan’s visit flow smoothly:
- Keynotes typically range from 55-75 minutes and serve between 75-2,000 people
- Workshops typically range from 60-90 minutes per session and serve between 15-175 people
- Since all schools are different, student assemblies are flexible (Note: let’s please try to avoid the cafeteria if possible. Experience shows that if other areas on campus are available, they almost inevitably work out better. Yet, if we gotta smell delicious meatloaf steaming as we roll then hey, such is life)
Alan’s tech requirements:
- LCD projector
- Screen
- Microphone (Lapel mike is always preferred.)
- Sound and internet optional, not a necessity.
*NOTE: Alan is a Mac user who travels with his own adapters so he will not require you to provide a computer for him to use.