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Art & Culture

The John Cooper School Offers Workshop to Foster Reading and Writing in Children

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On a school campus in July, there are blank walls, quiet hallways, and empty desks. At The John Cooper School, the desks are filled — by teachers from across the country, learning innovative ways to foster strong young readers and writers.

The John Cooper School Reading & Writing Workshop Summer Institute
Photo courtesy of The John Cooper School.

This is the school’s sixth year to host The Cooper Reading & Writing Workshop – Summer Institute, with a ‘Beginner Institute’ from July 17-19, and an ‘Advanced Institute’ from July 20-21.

When implemented in early grades, it greatly improves children’s reading and writing habits and skills.

“It builds their life of being a reader,” says Tammy Meredith, Workshop Presenter. “They write about real life things that matter to them.” She has seen this first-hand in her classroom as a fourth grade English and Language Arts teacher at The John Cooper School.

“This week is one of my favorites of the year,” says Jessica Ott, Workshop Presenter and second grade teacher. “Teachers — myself included — leave refreshed and energized through an intensive professional development with collaboration and hands-on experience.”

 

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Teresa Robson, Institute founder and Head of Lower School, has been helping hone the workshop for years, and sees it as a vessel to pass on knowledge to new generations of teachers.

“It’s a way for us to pay it forward to our ISAS Association,” says Robson. Teachers are invited to attend from ISAS-affiliated schools (Independent Schools Association of the Southwest). Over 30 kindergarten through 5th grade teachers from Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma attended the program.

“Teachers get to actually practice and create materials that they can use when they return to their classrooms,” Robson says. “Tammy and Jessica are amazing practitioners – they lead their colleagues here in addition to teaching, and both love the chance to teach adults.”

The John Cooper School Logo

The John Cooper School is a PK-12 independent, college preparatory day school that has been serving The Woodlands and greater Houston area since 1988.

For more information, visit www.johncooper.org.

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