Author Biographies

Janet Allen

Janet Allen

Janet Allen is an international consultant recognized for her comprehensive work in reading education.

Patrick Allen

Patrick Allen

Patrick is the youngest of ten children—five boys and five girls. "My parents were wonderful role models of literacy and learning, hard work, and humility," he says. His mother was a cook and owned a restaurant, and his father, a bricklayer by trade, helped run the restaurant and served as a "night cop" in their hometown.

Nancy C. Anderson

Nancy C. Anderson

Nancy Anderson is K-8 Mathematics Coordinator and Grade 8 Mathematics Teacher at Milton Academy. Nancy is an experienced classroom teacher, curriculum specialist, and professional developer. Her other publications include Classroom Discussions in Math and Good Questions for Math Teaching, Grades 5-8. Nancy earned her doctoral degree in mathematics education from Boston University in 2012.

Ruth Ayres

Ruth Ayres

As a full-time writing coach for Wawasee School District in northern Indiana, Ruth spends her days helping students find meaning in their stories, and encouraging teachers to reflect and refine the art of teaching. "I love documenting ordinary stories from everyday life," Ruth says.

Myra Barrs

Myra Barrs

Jane Baskwill

Jane Baskwill

Jane Baskwill is an associate professor at Mount Saint Vincent University in Nova Scotia. A former classroom teacher and school principal, Jane is the author of many professional books and articles for teachers, as well as several children's picture books.

Patricia Bearden

Patricia Bearden

Patricia Bearden is the president of the International Society of Sons and Daughters of Slave Ancestry. She has brought over twenty years of teaching experience to her work as a teacher consultant for the Center for City Schools.

Teri Beaver

Teri Beaver

Teri Beaver is an elementary-level teacher at the University of Northern Colorado Laboratory School, one of the few K-12 schools housed on a university campus. While researching writing assessments for the Tointon Institute of Educational Change, she found none specific enough to inform instruction and began developing the Author's Profile.

Ron Benson

Ron Benson

A dedicated educator with more than thirty years of experience, Ron Benson has taught grades K-8, and served as a school principal, a school board consultant, and Education Officer with the Ontario Ministry of Education.

Deborah Berrill

Deborah Berrill

Deborah Berrill is the founding Director of the Trent University School of Education and Professional Learning.  Every BEd candidate in this innovative program tutors two struggling students in grades 2–12 to learn first-hand about supporting literacy and learners with special needs.  Deborah has coordinated volunteer tutoring programs for more

Jenna Bilmes

Jenna Bilmes

Marilyn Bizar

Marilyn Bizar

Marilyn Bizar teaches at the Center for City Schools of National-Louis University in Chicago. A former public school teacher, Marilyn and Harvey Daniels now collaborate with a network of twenty-five schools seeking to implement progressive teaching methods.

Faye Bolton

Faye Bolton

Faye is a native of Melbourne, Australia and she currently conducts onsite, ongoing professional development in schools in New York City and Australia. She has worked as an elementary school teacher and literacy consultant in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.

Jean Boreen

Jean Boreen

Jean Boreen is a professor of English education at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona, where she regularly teaches secondary methods courses on young adult literature and teaching literature in secondary schools.

Paula Bourque

Paula Bourque

Paula Bourque is a National Board-Certified Teacher of literacy and a K-6 instructional coach in Augusta, Maine. She considers herself a lifelong learner and has worn many hats in her thirty-plus years in education: classroom teacher, Reading Recovery teacher, literacy specialist, consultant, adjunct instructor, presenter, and mom. Follow her on Twitter @LitCoachLady or at www.paulabourque.com

Max Brand

Max Brand

Max became a teacher because he loves to learn and teaching gives him the chance to learn a ton every day.

"Each day is a new experience. No matter what you plan for, the kids take ownership and extend thinking/understanding to fantastic heights."

Rusty Bresser

Rusty Bresser

Rusty Bresser first became interested in teaching while doing anthropological research on children and families in a rural farming community in French Polynesia. His interest in applied anthropology led him to the Teacher Education Program at the University of California, San Diego.

Carolyn Bridges

Carolyn Bridges

Carolyn Bridges is a fourth-grade teacher in Waterville, Maine, and her classroom is often an observation site for colleagues.  With Jennifer Allen, Carolyn takes notes and reflects on what her students say and do through reading workshops.  By doing this they continually improve their teaching methods and are learning better ways to run their r

Fred Steven Brill

Fred Steven Brill

Fred Brill began considering a career in education after coaching a middle school gymnastics team and then working as an outdoor education summer counselor of emotionally disturbed kids. "I was always able to connect with young people—especially those who had the most difficulty fitting in," Fred recalls.