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«Back to all edWebinarsTeaching Tomorrow’s Writers: AI as a Thinking Partner for K–5 Educators
Thursday, April 17, 2025 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm EDT
Presented by Dr. Troy Hicks, Professor and Acting Associate Dean, College of Education and Human Services, Central Michigan University; Katy Wischow, Staff Developer and Curriculum Co-Author, The Reading & Writing Project at Mossflower; and Phil Seyfried, Staff Developer and AI and EdTech Specialist, The Reading & Writing Project at Mossflower
Sponsored by Heinemann Publishing
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While educators are still navigating the challenges regarding the use of AI in the classroom, including how it aligns to our values around writing instruction—values that center on critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration—there is no doubt that AI has the potential to act as a powerful thinking partner when coaching students through the writing process. But how can AI make your teaching life easier, especially when it comes to teaching writing? And what can teachers model and demonstrate for students, even at the elementary level?
In this edWebinar, we’ll tackle these big questions together. Learn how to integrate AI tools as collaborative allies to inspire creativity, simplify the writing process, and empower young learners to develop strong writing skills. This session will provide practical guidance for:
- Interacting with AI chatbots to brainstorm and refine ideas
- Leveraging AI features built into word-processing tools
- Modeling effective engagement with AI to foster critical thinking and curiosity in students
Using examples from Heinemann’s Units of Study in Writing, 3–5, we’ll also explore how intentional instructional design can help educators strategically use AI to prompt and engage with young writers. Together, we’ll find ways to balance the innovative possibilities of AI with the values that remain central to writing instruction. Reimagine the writing journey—where technology and creativity meet—unlocking every child’s potential! This edWebinar will be of interest to K-5 teachers, school leaders, district leaders, and education technology leaders.
About the Presenters
Dr. Troy Hicks is Professor of English and Education at Central Michigan University, where he collaborates with K–12 colleagues to explore how they implement newer literacies in their classrooms and teaches master’s and doctoral courses in educational technology. He currently serves as Acting Associate Dean of the College of Education and Human Services. He is also Director of the Chippewa River Writing Project, a site of the National Writing Project. A former middle school teacher, he has received numerous awards and is an ISTE Certified Educator, a trained facilitator in digital storytelling through StoryCenter, and an affiliate faculty member with the Media Education Lab. He has authored, co-authored, and edited many resources including 16 books and dozens of articles, chapters, blog posts, and other media broadly related to the teaching of literacy in our digital age.
Katy Wischow started her career teaching middle school in Newark, NJ for more than a decade before starting to work as a literacy staff developer supporting schools around the world. She has co-authored the book Unlocking the Power of Classroom Talk, co-written several Units of Study, and has authored the Ida and Jake series in the Jump Rope Readers. She is deeply interested in grammar, helping kids write essays with voice and passion, writing professionally, supporting families with literacy learning, and building strong learning cultures in schools and classrooms. Katy is now a Staff Developer at The Reading & Writing Project at Mossflower where she leads middle school initiatives and several writing projects. Katy is a graduate of Duke University, with an MA in literacy from Columbia University.
Phil Seyfried is a Staff Developer and AI and EdTech Specialist at The Reading & Writing Project at Mossflower (RWP-M). Phil is deeply committed to preparing students to navigate and contribute to academic and real-world discourse. A doctoral student with a decade of middle school language arts experience and a strong affiliation with RWP-M, Phil is eager to share his deep knowledge of research-based nonfiction writing and his commitment to fostering critical thinking and evidence-based argumentation. Most recently, Phil had been investigating the intersection of artificial intelligence with literacy practices. Phil has also studied the representation of Native Americans in children’s literature and is dedicated to the pursuit of educational equity.
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