Dr. Karen Burke (Vice President of Data and Academic Planning) and Pam Allyn (Senior Vice President, Innovation and Development), both from Scholastic, drop by our studio to talk about K-12 literacy and what principals can do to promote schoolwide literacy efforts. Lots of great advice and takeaways in this episode.
More About Dr. Burke
Dr. Karen Burke, Vice President of Data Analysis and Academic Planning at Scholastic, has been in education for over 30 years and has served students in various capacities including: ten years as a classroom teacher, Principal, Title I Director, Federal Programs Coordinator, Curriculum Director, Director of English/Language Arts, and an Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Maine. Additionally, she served as a Distinguished Educator for the Maine State Department of Education. She taughtundergraduate and graduate courses at Saint Joseph’s College in Maine for 23 years. Currently, she is an adjunct professor at Nova Southeastern University in Florida working with graduate and doctoral students.
Dr. Burke received her degree in Elementary Education and Teacher of Spanish from The College of New Jersey, her two masters from the University of Southern Maine (one with a concentration in reading and the other with a concentration in mathematics), her Certificate of Advanced Study for Administration from The University of Maine in Orono, and her doctorate from Nova Southeastern University.
She was the recipient of the Maine ASCD Educational Leader of the Year Award, Maine’s LiteracyAward, and Nova Southeastern-Noreen Webber Child and Youth Studies Honor Award.
Dr. Burke assists district leadership in understanding and using data to create district specific comprehensive literacy plans that seamlessly weave pedagogy, programs, and professional learning to positively impact student learning. She promotes literacy plans that meet the needs of the whole child assuring all learners receive an equal opportunity to learn. Comprehensive literacy plans must also include a process that routinely informs instruction and monitors student growth. Effective comprehensive literacy plans provide a continuum of learning focusing on building strong literacy skills and capacities to meet the rigorous requirements for college, career, and life.
More About Pam Allyn
Pam Allyn is a world- renowned literacy expert, author and motivational speaker. She is the Executive Director and Founder of LitWorld, a groundbreaking global literacy movement serving children across the United States and in more than 60 countries, and LitLife, a cutting-edge education consulting group specializing in professional development for PreK-12 literacy instruction.
In May 2007, The Children’s Village presented Pam with its Legacy of Service Award for bringing books and reading to children. She was selected as a mentor for the 2013 Bush Institute’s Women’s Initiative Fellowship to help young Egyptian women develop leadership skills. Pam received the 2013 Scholastic Literacy Champion Award, and is Scholastic’s Open a World of Possible Ambassador. She is a spokesperson for BIC Kids, championing BIC’s “Fight For Your Write” campaign. In April 2014, Pam was chosen as a W.K. Kellogg Foundation Fellow in Racial Equity and Healing, a three year initiative to support recognized equity leaders in their work on the ground.
In April 2014, Pam was chosen as a W.K. Kellogg Foundation Fellow in Racial Equity and Healing, a three year initiative to support recognized equity leaders in their work on the ground. She was recognized as a finalist for the 2017 Brock International Prize in Education.
Pam is the author of 26 books for educators, leaders and families on reading, writing and quality learning. Her most recent book is Every Child a Super Reader (Scholastic, 2015), co-authored with Dr. Ernest Morrell. Other books include Your Child’s Writing Life (Avery, 2011), What To Read When(Avery, 2009), and Pam Allyn’s Best Books for Boys (Scholastic, 2011). She has written and contributed to a number of curriculum and instruction books, including the Core Ready series (Pearson, 2013), the Complete Year series (Scholastic, 2008) and Homework Pages for Independent Reading (Scholastic, 2013).
Pam is featured widely in traditional press and on social media as a literacy expert for both home and school. She has been featured on Good Morning America, The Today Show, NBC News, Oprah Radio, The Huffington Post, CNN International, Al Jazeera and in The New York Times, speaking to the power of education and literacy to transform lives and to create gender and racial equity.