Literacy expert shares thoughts on transformative power of reading, writing
Literacy is a fundamental human right with the ability to transform the lives of children, families and communities. That was the message of a daylong professional development workshop held Sept. 26 at the University of Maine.
Mary Ehrenworth, deputy director of Teachers College Reading and Writing Project, a literacy think tank at Columbia University, spoke to more than 200 Maine educators and school administrators about the difference they can make in the lives of children, by teaching them to read and write well.
The workshop was offered by Maine Partnerships in Comprehensive Literacy and Reading Recovery, both outreach programs of the College of Education and Human Development. MPCL offers professional development to K–12 educators and literacy leadership teams statewide, aimed at continually improving instruction and increasing student performance. Reading Recovery is an early intervention program that provides one-to-one tutoring for students in first grade who are the lowest literacy achievers.
An edited conversation with Ehrenworth about her presentation and the importance of school-university partnerships such as those offered at UMaine is online.