Professional Development — Train with the Experts
RAI is committed to bringing area educators the most up-to-date information regarding research and best practices in teaching reading. RAI’s successful Train with the Experts Series brings nationally renowned authors, researchers, and experts in the field of reading to train teachers, reading specialists, and tutors in the latest evidence-based instructional strategies.
Our next Train with the Experts Speaker is: Vicki Gibson, Ph.D.
Vicki is a national educational consultant, author, and speaker. Her areas of specialization include behavioral and classroom management, reading, differentiating teaching and practice to improve instructional effectiveness and enhance student achievement, and early childhood education.
Dr. Gibson entered her educational career as a kindergarten teacher. Then she completed a Masters degree and continued working in public schools as a learning disability specialist for 10 years. From 1984-1996, she opened three private schools that serves children, ages preschool-12 years. She also directed the development of a fourth school in Dallas, Texas that serves children in preschool-middle school. During that same timeframe, Dr. Gibson completed her Ph.D. while teaching as an adjunct professor at Texas A&M University.
Currently, Dr. Gibson continues to teach, write and consult. She is the Chairman/CEO for Gibson Hasbrouck & Associates, an educational consulting group that provides on-site professional development, technology-supported trainings, and develops materials for educators to conduct instructional training at the college, school, and state levels.
Dr. Gibson is an author of Treasures, a comprehensive reading program published by McGraw Hill, and a professional development author/trainer for McGraw Hill’s Center for Comprehensive School Improvement (CCSI). She also authored a comprehensive preschool program entitled the We Can Early Childhood Curriculum, published by Voyager Learning.
Other materials authored by Dr. Gibson include: Differentiated Instruction: Grouping for Success; Differentiated Instruction: Guidelines for Implementation; Differentiating Teaching and Practice in Middle and High Schools; Managing Small Group Instruction; Classroom Management for Preschools; Managing Behaviors to Support Differentiating Instruction; and I Can Draw Pre-Writing Program and Letters, Sounds & Strokes Phonics Program.
Our next Train with the Experts Speaker is: Joan Sedita, M.Ed.
Joan Sedita is the founding partner of Keys to Literacy, a literacy professional development organization based in MA. For 35 years, Joan has been an experienced educator and nationally recognized teacher trainer. She has authored three content literacy professional development programs (Key Comprehension Routine, Key Vocabulary Routine, ANSWER Key to Open Response) and a K-12 district literacy planning model (Keys to Literacy Planning).
Beginning in 1975, she worked for 23 years at the Landmark School, a pioneer in the development of literacy intervention programs. As a teacher, principal, and director of the Outreach Teacher Training Program at Landmark, Joan developed expertise, methods, and instructional programs that address the literacy needs of students in grades 4-12. Joan was one of the three lead trainers in MA for the Reading First Program and is a LETRS author and trainer. She is also an adjunct instructor at Endicott College and Fitchburg State College. Joan received her M.Ed. in Reading from Harvard University and her B.A. from Boston College.
