Presented by Kristen Walter, Director, US Programs, Worldreader; Lisa McManus, US Programs and Partnership Manager, Worldreader; and Malcolm Mitchell, Founder and CEO, Share the Magic Foundation

Sponsored by Worldreader

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In this edWebinar, the presenters explore how stories can be the “heart” of developing children’s emotional skills while supporting skilled reading. Helping children have reflective conversations about the text builds background knowledge, verbal reasoning, and vocabulary skills—all necessary in best reading practices. Hear from author and speaker Malcolm Mitchell (My Favorite Book in the Whole World, The Magician’s Hat, and Hey, Georgia) as he tells his story and shares how important it is for students to be at the center of their learning journeys. Objectives for this edWebinar include:

• Equipping attendees to see how emotional learning can be integrated into academic lessons
• Understanding how stories help build emotional literacy skills
• Understanding how emotional learning paired with stories creates more equitable and authentic conversations for children

Not to be missed, all viewers leave with access to short explicit lessons, access to the bilingual BookSmart application, and an invitation to join Malcolm’s READCamp challenge.

This recorded edWebinar is of interest to PreK-12 teachers, librarians, and school and district leaders.

About the Presenters

Kristen Walter, Worldreader’s Director of US Programs, has worked in literacy education for the last 20 years. Before joining the Worldreader team, Kristen was the director of education and partnerships for Reading In Motion and teaching and learning manager for Crayola. Kristen’s teaching career spanned over 15 years, starting as a certified art and music instructor in NC and ending as an arts integration specialist with a focus on improving literacy development for second language learners. A leader in the classroom and beyond, Kristen helped her school become a national Title I school, P21 Exemplar School, finalist in the Intel Schools of Distinction Math Award, CCAC Crayola grant winner, and win the National School Change Award. She has been recognized as a Yale Distinguished Music Educator and both Kristen and her fifth-grade students were invited to showcase a game design project at the first annual White House Arts Integration Fair.

Lisa McManus is the US partnership and program manager for Worldreader in Chicago, IL. She has spent her career teaching students kindergarten through eighth grade throughout the U.S. and coaching teachers in best practices around literacy instruction. She holds a master’s degree in reading and literacy and has been an active member of her community through coaching students in basketball and Girls on the Run, as well as volunteering with Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly and Chicago Canine Rescue. In her free time, she enjoys teaching group fitness classes and playing with her dog, Judy.

Malcolm Mitchell is the CEO of Share the Magic Foundation, whose mission is to unlock the potential of young lives through literacy. After graduating from the University of Georgia with a degree in communications, Malcolm was drafted by the New England Patriots, becoming a Super Bowl champion in 2017. Among his numerous accomplishments both on and off the field, he considers discovering a love of reading his greatest achievement, although as a youngster, reading had been a challenge.

Malcolm has authored and published several children’s books including The Magician’s Hat and My Very Favorite Book in the Whole Wide World, created a youth literacy initiative called Read with Malcolm, and established the Share the Magic Foundation to transform lives through literacy. Malcolm is a two-time recipient of the Children’s Author of the Year award by the Georgia Writers Association, and a Scholastic book author. In 2017, Malcolm was honored at The Presidents’ Summit for America’s Future for his contributions to American youth and is also the recipient of the Pinnacle Award from The International Dyslexia Association. Malcolm is an advisory board member at Dewey.

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Worldreader is a global nonprofit that provides access to digital books to children and families around the globe. Since 2010, over 13 million people — using e-readers and tablets in schools and libraries, and mobile phones worldwide — read e-books for free on their devices.