Video/Webinar
Training and support for tutors and teachers working with basic literacy students, who want to use their published materials more effectively.
Most tutors and teachers receive quality training before they start working with students. However, once they begin their teaching experience, they have little access to additional training and support.
Teacher Training Plus, funded by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, is a webinar series that presents best-practice instructional strategies. These video recordings began in Fall of 2022 and are continuous.
We’ve identified areas of need and have designed webinars to address each. Throughout all of the topics, we will also address working in a multilevel class or group and converting in-person teaching strategies to distance learning.
October 2022
Using Published Materials in an Open Entry/Exit Classroom
While open entry and exit classrooms are common in many Adult Education programs, most published materials aren’t designed to accommodate them. In this workshop we will discuss some innovative ways to adapt published materials to effectively captivate and teach students who are entering and exiting consistently.
January 2023
Using Published Materials in a Virtual Instructional Setting
Virtual learning was not a pandemic fix – it is becoming the face of education. But, the virtual learning environment requires us to rethink how we use our traditional printed instructional materials. In this workshop we will learn about virtual pedagogy for Adult Education and discover techniques to teach students using published materials.
April 2023
Using Published Materials in a Multi-level Group or Class
Multi-level classrooms can be an awesome learning environment for everyone from the student to the instructor. However, many published materials are not designed to take advantage of this great learning opportunity. In this workshop, participants will learn strategies that make the most of published materials in a multi-level environment.
About the Presenters
Ebony Mason has focused her career on advancing educational endeavors for underserved populations. She has worked at the intersection of mission driven work and education. She served as a Literacy Specialist within a Charter School System in Illinois. After serving in this role, she worked within the Cook County Department of Corrections developing curricula for their High School Equivalency programming along with the Illinois Department of Corrections Apprenticeship & Post-Secondary programs. She currently develops high-quality Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies curricula for a Community College System in Illinois. As a Community College graduate, she knows first-hand, the needs of our students. Her passion for serving was discovered while earning her bachelor’s degree from Chicago State University and master’s degree from Argosy University. In 2018, she received the Sister Thea Bowman Humanitarian Award for her dedication to serving others Education.
Ann Marie Barter is an educator with over 30 years of experience in teaching, training, curriculum development, and administration in Maine and Illinois. She currently implements new family literacy programs for Catholic Extension after previously serving as the Senior Director of Curriculum and Training for the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. Ann Marie gained extensive expertise in standards-based education and evaluation practices, curriculum development, and professional development while serving as Distinguished Educator for the Maine Department of Education, as a National Trainer and Coach for the United States Department of Education’s Student Achievement in Reading initiative, and as an instructor of continuing education and graduate level courses for the Center for Adult Learning and Literacy at the University of Maine, Orono.
Ann Marie is a past recipient of the Maine State Director’s Award for Outstanding Leadership and the Maine Adult Education Association’s Outstanding Teacher of the Year. She holds a master’s degree from the University of Southern Maine and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Steven Reid is the program manager for Literacy Volunteers Charlottesville/Albemarle in Charlottesville, VA. He currently oversees more than 200 volunteer tutors, providing training and guidance on curriculum and instruction. In addition to his duties with LVCA, Steven leads a group of program managers and executive directors from community-based literacy organizations from across the Commonwealth of Virginia, focusing on sharing best practices and providing moral support. He has also taught in Texas, Slovakia, and New Hampshire. This will be Steven’s third year presenting and facilitating workshops as part of ProLiteracy’s Teacher Training Plus.
Kara Krawiec earned her Master of Arts degree in literature from John Carroll University. Upon graduation, she became an adjunct professor at John Carroll University, Lakeland Community College, and Cuyahoga Community College, teaching developmental reading and writing courses to non-traditional learners.
In 2017, she joined Seeds of Literacy, in Cleveland, OH, and was recently promoted to director of student success, working with students on their next steps after earning their high school equivalency (HSE). During her time at Seeds, Kara has worked tirelessly to focus not only on students’ individual needs but the need for a strong learning community as well.
In 2018, Kara accepted the ProLiteracy Hero Award on behalf of Seeds of Literacy, and in October 2023, she was awarded the Sharon Davis-Stubbe Outstanding Teacher Award. Kara regularly shares her experience and expertise at local, state, and national conferences. This will be Kara’s third year presenting and facilitating workshops as part of ProLiteracy’s Teacher Training Plus.