Presented by Author and Educator Penny Kittle
What makes the single biggest difference in helping students become powerful, confident writers? When teachers make the invisible machinery of writing visible—by writing beside their students.
Join award-winning author and educator Penny Kittle for an inspiring and practical session based on her acclaimed book Write Beside Them, recipient of the NCTE Britton Award. Penny will take participants inside the writer’s workshop to show how modeling, daily writing practice, and authentic feedback transform student writing across genres.
Through vivid classroom examples, real student work, and video demonstrations from her own teaching, Penny will illuminate how to:
- Use writer’s notebooks and quick writes to nurture voice and fluency.
- Design mini-lessons and conferences that respond to students’ needs in real time.
- Guide students through narrative, persuasive, and multigenre writing that matters.
- Strengthen skills in grammar, punctuation, and style within meaningful contexts.
- Create feedback and assessment systems that celebrate growth and sustain motivation.
Whether you’re a new or veteran teacher, this session will renew your energy for teaching writing. Penny’s passion, practical frameworks, and clear vision for what matters most will empower you to cultivate a classroom where writing is both a craft and a joy—for your students and for yourself.