Fall 2024Teacher Talk

Happy Back to School 2024!

Welcome back to another exciting school year! It’s hard to believe, but this marks my 33rd year in education, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to continue supporting dedicated educators like you. For the past 25 years, I’ve had the privilege of partnering with schools and districts across the nation, working together to enhance teaching and learning experiences for all students.

Since 1998, I’ve led a wide range of literacy-based and math-focused seminars and workshops, including Title 1, RTI, and Special Education sessions, as well as technology workshops, curriculum development, instructional coaching, grant writing, project management, and technology integration. My passion has always been to provide timely, relevant resources and coaching that address the unique challenges faced by overworked and maxed-out teachers and administrators.

This year, I’m writing The Educator's Playbook as a free monthly resource. My goal is to be a consistent source of support, whether you’re in the classroom, leading a school, or navigating the complexities of education as a parent. I’m here to help you find the instructional and intervention resources, strategies, and solutions you need to make this school year a success.

If there’s anything specific you need, or if you’d like to discuss how I can support your work, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m ready to jump on Zoom, visit your school, or connect in whatever way works best for you.

Wishing you a fantastic year ahead!

Happy learning,

Kelly

Language comprehension is the foundation of successful learning, particularly in literacy-based subjects and courses. It goes beyond decoding words on a page—it's about understanding and making meaning of what is read. Without strong language comprehension skills, students may struggle to grasp the content, regardless of their ability to read the words themselves.

Comprehension involves a complex interplay of vocabulary knowledge, background information, inferencing skills, and understanding of text structure. These elements work together to enable students not only to read but also to think critically about texts, make connections, and engage deeply with content.

When students struggle to grasp content, the root cause is often a lack of language comprehension related to the new learning. Here are four easy-to-use ideas to help remove this barrier to learning:

1. Activate prior knowledge by linking the new learning to examples, metaphors, and analogies.
2. Start with a short video to introduce a new concept or idea. Engage students in a brief discussion with 3-5 questions to encourage them to talk about the new idea.
3. Plan specific check-for-understanding points within the lesson. Engage students in turn-and-talks that require them to use new vocabulary in meaningful ways.
4. Have students create a visual that shows the new concept related to other known concepts.

(See more ideas on the playbook page below.)

By pre-assessing and intentionally planning scaffolds, we can eliminate barriers and help students become more confident and capable learners, setting them up for success across all subject areas.

The "What's the Word?" technique is an engaging activity designed to activate students' background knowledge, build language comprehension, and encourage the use of newly learned language. In this activity, students work in pairs or trios to analyze and discuss a series of photographs, choosing one word that best represents each image. As they progress through the photos, they compare and connect ideas, ultimately identifying a central theme or concept. This process not only deepens their understanding of the images but also helps them apply new vocabulary in meaningful contexts, enhancing their overall language skills. Download the technique example and directions.

Empower Your Planning with a Teacher Playbook

Imagine having a go-to resource that simplifies your planning and helps you make targeted instructional decisions for your students. That’s the power of a teacher playbook. Designed with "If...then" statements, a playbook serves as a quick reference guide during team planning or when collaborating with an RTI team on interventions. It’s like having a personalized strategy map tailored to specific learners and learning situations.

When you're planning lessons or interventions, simply consult your playbook to remind yourself of the most effective instructional strategies and techniques. Whether you're addressing gaps in background knowledge or differentiating for diverse learners, the playbook ensures you're equipped with the right approach for every scenario. It’s an invaluable tool to keep your planning focused and your teaching impactful.

To learn more about how to support your students by building their background knowledge, check out my Helping Students Build Background Knowledge page. Let’s make your planning sessions more strategic and effective with a playbook that works for you!

Teaching is more demanding than ever, and the constant juggling of tasks can leave you feeling overwhelmed. Imagine having a reliable assistant that takes some of that burden off your shoulders—this is where Artificial Intelligence (AI) comes in. AI can handle the repetitive, time-consuming tasks like lesson planning and material creation, allowing you to focus on what truly matters: supporting your students. It’s like having a dedicated partner who helps you craft lessons, differentiate instruction, and even plan entire units, all while giving you back precious time. Join us on September 28th to explore how AI can lighten your load and help you reclaim your energy for the students who need you most. Click here for more information.

Transform Writing Instruction with AI: Join Our Seminar for Grades 3-6 Educators!

Calling all educators in grades 3-6—classroom teachers, Title I staff, special education staff, library/media specialists, and administrators! Ready to revolutionize your writing lessons and save valuable time? Join me for the seminar Using AI Tools to Strengthen Student Writing Skills and Enhance Your Productivity.

In this session, you'll discover practical strategies for integrating AI into your writing instruction, crafting engaging lessons, and navigating responsible use. Learn how AI can automate assessments, personalize learning, and empower your students as confident writers.

You'll also receive an extensive digital resource handbook and access to online tools that will help you reduce your workload and streamline grading. This seminar, designed by an educator for educators, will give you actionable insights to make your classroom a hub of creativity and innovation.

Don’t miss out! Join us on October 29th or November 1st, presented by the Institute for Educational Development. Let's unlock the potential of AI in your classroom together! Click here for more information.

Don’t miss this strategy-packed seminar by international educational consultant Kelly Harmon, designed specifically for Grades 3-5 teachers. Discover cutting-edge science of reading and learning strategies to help your students catch up and thrive. Kelly will share dozens of practical, easy-to-implement ideas for accelerating learning and monitoring progress. You’ll leave with renewed enthusiasm for teaching, a digital resource handbook, and access to online tools to support your students' success. This fast-paced day will equip you with everything you need to catch up your students who have fallen behind. Click Here for more information.

Unlock Your Coaching Potential at the Upcoming Instructional Coaches Conference!

Are you ready to elevate your instructional coaching to new heights? The Bureau of Education and Research is presenting an exceptional opportunity to learn from some of the most respected experts in the field at the upcoming Instructional Coaches Conference. With 21 strategy-packed sessions, this conference is designed to provide you with practical, actionable strategies that you can implement immediately to support both students and staff.

Join Kelly Harmon, an internationally recognized educational consultant with over 30 years of experience, for sessions that will empower you to strengthen your coaching skills. Kelly’s presentations are known for being engaging and filled with strategies that can be put to use right away, making her a go-to expert in the realm of instructional coaching. Whether you’re looking to enhance your coaching techniques or seeking fresh ideas to inspire your team, Kelly’s sessions are not to be missed.

You’ll also have the chance to learn from Ryan Doetch, an award-winning educator whose enthusiasm and expertise in instructional coaching will leave you energized and ready to implement new strategies in your school. Ryan’s sessions are fast-paced and filled with practical tools that you can tailor to meet the specific needs of your students, ensuring that you walk away with ideas you can use immediately.

Finally, don’t miss the opportunity to hear from Jaime Bailey, a dynamic educator with a wealth of experience in classroom instruction, literacy coaching, and curriculum coordination. Jaime’s sessions are renowned for their practical, replicable ideas that you can adapt to your own context. Her passion for effective professional development shines through in every presentation, making her sessions a must-attend for anyone looking to enhance their coaching abilities.

This conference is your chance to unlock the full potential of your coaching practice. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to learn from the best in the business and bring fresh, impactful strategies back to your school or district.

Click Here for more information.

Learn how to better lead your school or district Title I team in this strategy packed, two-day institute led by Kelly Harmon. You will discover how to work with teachers to identify and implement the most effective, cutting edge, research based instructional strategies to increase school and district-wide student achievement. You will learn how to develop teacher expertise in working with struggling students along with ways to continually monitor and adjust instruction based on student results.

This is a unique opportunity to evaluate your own Title I program in light of current research that identifies the most effective instructional practices, and gain an in depth look at the key components of highly successful Title I programs and how these can be applied to your own Title I school or district model. Take an intensive look at what works for struggling learners and how you can adapt it to meet the needs in your school or district. You will walk away with dozens of practical strategies and an extensive digital resource handbook to help you lead and teach your teachers.

Join Kelly and your colleagues for two, fast paced days packed with the best research?based strategies to increase reading and math achievement for your at risk students. Click here for more information.

Learn how to better lead your school or district RTI program whether online or in-person in this strategy-packed, two-day institute led by nationally acclaimed presenter and RTI facilitator, Kelly Harmon. Specifically designed for school teams who are using the RTI model and are looking for ways to strengthen it, this two-day institute will help you look at new and different ways to refine and build your RTI model to better focus on planning learning goals that meet the needs of your students.

Discover strategies to increase all students' success at the Tier 1 level and interventions that work for those students who need further, small group instruction at Tiers 2 and 3. This is a unique opportunity to take a closer look at your RTI program, identify the most effective, research‑based, instructional practices and learn how to implement them in your own school or district.

You and your team will walk away with dozens of research-based strategies and an extensive digital resource handbook to help you refine and strengthen your RTI program.

December 5-6, 2024

Email: kelly@kellyharmon.net
Website: www.kellyharmon.net
Phone: 210-218-1723
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/txliteracy
Twitter: @texasliteracy