Professional Development
Short, Short, BIG! is designed to take the ambiguity out of writing instruction and for immediate classroom implementation.
We are committed to your success and that of your students and have developed a Short, Short, BIG! Master Class to provide additional guidance, support, and professional development. The SSB Master Class offers the opportunity to hone your instructional knowledge and skillset to create more effective writers, readers, and critical thinkers with access to our experts, Dr. Katie McKnight and Alan Sitomer.
Our professional development is customized. We can create an SSB Master Class that will address the specific needs of your educational context.
Our Areas of Specialty:
Grade bands 3-12
English Language Arts: Core Reading and Writing
Literacy Across the Curriculum/Content Area Literacy
Engaging Disengaged, Under-Performing Students
Evidence-Based Writing
Reading Comprehension/Close Reading
Score Elevation for State Tests
Standards-Based Instruction
Academic Vocabulary
Data-Driven Instructional Designs
PD Engagement Opportunities:
Conference Keynote Speakers
District or School Site Workshops
Full day
Multi-Day
Virtual
*References happily furnished upon request.
Previous engagements include:
ILA: The International Literacy Association
ASCD: Association of Supervision and Curricular Development
NCTE: The National Council of Teachers of English
ALA: The American Library Association
NMSA: The National Middle School Association
Texas Library Association
The Urban Institute
Scholastic National Book Convention
The California Parent Teacher Association
FCTE: Florida Council of Teachers of English
Asilomar Annual Education Conference
California Reading Association
The New York Public Library
SCTE: Southern California Teachers of English
Denver Public Schools
North Carolina State Superintendent’s Colloquium
Boys and Girls Club of America
Oregon State Reading Association
G.A.T.E.: Gifted and Talented Learning Conference
Georgia State Reading Association
CABE Bilingual Education Conference
Houston Independent School District
Enoch Pratt Public Library
National Title 1 Conference
Meet the Experts behind Short, Short, BIG!
Dr. Katie McKnight
Dr. Katherine McKnight began her career in education over 30 years ago as a middle school and high school English and social studies teacher in the Chicago Public Schools. She is a dynamic presenter, dedicated teacher, researcher, and award-winning author. In addition to speaking at professional development conferences, she is a regular consultant in schools and classrooms worldwide. Katie culminated her 15-year university career as Distinguished Professor of Research at National Louis University and is the founder of Engaging Learners, an educational company built around her successful Literacy & Learning Center model. Dr. McKnight has received several awards for her publications and teaching at the university level. She has authored 22 books that support educational strategies to engage all learners.
Alan Sitomer
Alan Sitomer is a California Teacher of the Year award winner, nationally renowned literacy specialist, and author of 20 books specializing in engaging disengaged, underperforming students and elevating academic achievement. He taught English to urban high school students, taught preschoolers the basics of reading, and spent years as an award-winning professor at the Graduate School of Education at Loyola Marymount University. Alan received the 2004 Award for Classroom Excellence from the Southern California Teachers of English and the 2003 Teacher of the Year honor from California Literacy. In April 2007, Alan was named Educator of the Year by Loyola Marymount University, and in February 2008, Alan was named Innovative Educator of the Year by the Insight Education Group. He is currently the CEO and Founder of Mastery Coding, an educational technology company that prepares students for a world changed by technology.