Healing from trauma can be scary, messy, and complicated. Fortunately, the power of story can help. Sharing stories of hope and resilience are one of many pathways toward healing. This session will cover some of the basics regarding trauma, including a review of the physiological responses (fight, flight, freeze). The session will also include discussion about how the vicarious experiences of fictional characters help a reader know they are not alone, introduce new coping mechanisms, and provide a safe place to approach traumatic experiences. The presenter knows that all books are not created equal. Not only will she explain how some “bibliotherapy” books sometimes miss the mark, but she will introduce YA novels that are much more effective.
Blog Archives
Synthesizing Stories: From Pages to Play
Diving into studies about characters, plots, and themes are typical and essential tasks of novel units within junior high and high school English classrooms. To build upon the traditional end-of-unit test or essay, join this session presenter to extend the idea of a culminating project into the realm of creativity, critical thinking, and all-out controlled chaos! This session will examine the gradual process of students’ learning of story structure and character development. This presentation will then describe the culminating project called the “Synthesis Play” where students are challenged to develop a script that involves the interactions of characters from major novels they’ve read for the year while still adhering to textual details and applying key elements of story structure and character development. The end product gives students opportunities to perform their scripts live or create mini-videos to showcase their thinking, creativity, and joy! This session will provide concrete suggestions for sequencing learning experiences so that students examine story structure and character development through various texts until they’re ready to unleash their analytical and creative skills; session attendees will also have a chance to see student products and receive artifacts that they can start using in their own classrooms.
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Smarter Strategies for Online Research
Today’s student researchers must know how to find and evaluate reliable information from databases and beyond. Learn the 13 skills post-secondary schools say are essential for success. Finding, evaluating, and citing library database sources is only the beginning. We will also discuss how to use targeted Google searches to find credible, local sources and potential experts. Smarter, more effective research skills create more confident and satisfied lifelong learners.
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Notes: Continue the conversation about research with John at jhayward@naperville203.org.
Let’s Talk About News: Bringing Local Issues into Text-Based Discussions
Explore how text-based discussions around local news can build cross-disciplinary skills and motivate students to find their place and voice in their communities. This session shares results and free materials from the federally funded THINKING PRO media literacy curriculum unit, which connects reading, thinking, and writing skills.
Participants will learn a framework for meaningful text-based discussions that help students comprehend texts, think critically about local issues, and connect content to lived experiences. The session also offers tools for guiding collaborative problem-solving, respectful dialogue, and active participation—adaptable for diverse classrooms and student needs.
Providing Feedback That is Nurturing, Productive, and Sustainable
This session’s presenters—a high school teacher and a teacher educator—will describe their project to refinethe tone and content of their and their students’ writing feedback to support writers’ agency and growth, a process-oriented approach, and relationship-building in the classroom. They will also describe how such work can lead to more sustainable feedback practices.
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