Amplify: Digital Teaching and Learning in the K-6 Classroom

“Using technology doesn’t mean that we throw out those strategies that we’ve found to be successful with students,” write Katie Muhtaris and Kristin Ziemke. “It’s not the tools―it’s what we do with them that counts.

Katie and Kristin start with our most important educational goals―literacy, independence, and critical thinking―and helps you connect them to the technology available in your classroom or school. You’ll help students dig into texts, research their questions, and create powerful learning communities by using digital tools effectively, responsibly, and in combination with trusted artifacts and print resources.

Amplify does exactly what the title implies. "When introducing technological tools, we often apply the same practices and strategies we use in our daily teaching, but amplify their power with technology,” write Katie and Kristin. “We model what we want students to do with the technology, guide them to try it out with us, provide time for practice, then share as a class.” They help amplify your literacy curriculum with lessons and guidance for:

• explicitly teaching kids how to be effective digital readers and thinkers
• giving students practice with closely reading images, infographics, and video
• emphasizing student ownership and creativity

Whether you are in a 1:1 school, want to squeeze everything you can out of the one device in your classroom, or your school is encouraging you to use more digital tools, read Amplify. You’ll discover how to gradually release responsibility to empower students as you―and your students―make the most of any technology.

Stephanie Harvey has spent her career teaching and learning about reading and writing. After fifteen years of public school teaching, both in regular education and special education classrooms, Stephanie worked for twelve years as a staff developer for the Denver based Public Education and Business Coalition (PEBC), a partnership of leaders from education and business, who support innovation in public schools.

Insatiably curious about student thinking, she is a teacher first and foremost and currently serves as a private literacy consultant to schools and school districts. In that role, she conducts keynote speeches, presentations, workshops, demonstration lessons, coaching sessions and ongoing consultation to teachers, reading specialists, literacy coaches, principals and district administrators. With a focus on K-12 literacy, her specialties include comprehension instruction, inquiry-based learning, content area reading and writing, nonfiction literacy, and the role of passion, wonder and engagement in teaching and learning.

Stephanie has written many articles, books and resources; her Heinemann publications include the title Comprehension and Collaboration which she co-authored with Smokey Daniels, and The Comprehension Toolkit series which is an in-depth Curricular Resource for comprehension instruction co-authored with Anne Goudvis.

Click here to read recent Heinemann Blogs from Steph.

Connect with Steph at @StephHarvey49

» Listen to an interview with Stephanie Harvey on Education Talk Radio—2/29/2012 (30:35)

Katie Muhtaris  is a co-author of Read the World: Rethinking Literacy for Empathy and Action in a Digital Age, Amplify: Digital Teaching and Learning in the K-6 Classroom, and Connecting Comprehension and Technology. She currently works with kindergarten through fifth grade as an Instructional Digital Age Learning Coach, supporting teachers and students in the areas of literacy, humanities, and technology.  As an experienced educator in both urban and suburban settings, Katie consults with districts to implement innovative instructional practices with a close eye on student impact.  Katie is an internationally recognized expert in technology and workshop model integration.  Katie works with districts to develop innovative learning experiences for teachers and students that merge the best of print and digital resources and tools. Her other areas of interest include inquiry based instructional models, integrated social emotional practices, and building cultures of support and risk taking among teachers. 

You can connect with Katie on Twitter @KatieMuhtaris.

Kristin Ziemke is a teacher, staff developer, and the co-author of Read the World: Rethinking Literacy for Empathy and Action in a Digital Age,  Amplify: Digital Teaching and Learning in the K-6 Classroom, and Connecting Comprehension and Technology. Recognized as an international expert in literacy, inquiry, and technology, Kristin collaborates with organizations around the world to develop learning experiences that redefine school. Currently serving as a resident teacher and learning innovation specialist for the Big Shoulders Fund, Kristin has been recognized as an Apple Distinguished Educator, Chicago Public Schools Tech Innovator of the Year, National Board Certified Teacher, and Emerging Leader by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. Her work has been featured by Apple, EdWeek, Mindshift, and Scholastic.