Motivating Every Student in Literacy

Sandra K. Athans is a fourth-grade teacher and has provided instruction at this level for nine years within the Chittenango Central School District in Chittenango, New York. She has also taught at the preschool level, the sixth grade level, and recently served as an adjunct professor within the English Department at Cazenovia College.Having earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Sandra entered the field of publishing where she worked in New York City and White Plains, New York. She excelled in this field for nearly ten years before pursuing a career in education. Sandra earned her Master of Arts degree in teaching from Manhattanville College, Purchase, New York, in 2000, and recently received her Secondary English Certification.In addition to assisting students in her role as a classroom teacher, Sandra introduced and provided instruction in many engaging after-school programs that encouraged students' authentic reading and creative writing activities., Motivating Every Student in Literacy is Sandra's second book and is based on her experience studying and working with intermediate-level students in the areas of guided reading, reading comprehension, and motivation. She has been awarded numerous grants through the Central New York Teaching Center and enjoys sharing her experience at reading and writing conferences throughout the United States.Denise Ashe Devine received her Bachelor of Science in elementary education in 1989 and her Master of Science in reading from the State University of New York at Oswego in 1993. She has been teaching for just over 20 years and, in that time has provided instruction at various elementary grade levels within several school districts in the central New York area.In addition to this experience, Denise was involved in a summer instructional program for at-risk students and their families. In this capacity, Denise provided reading instruction for elementary-level students and their parents. Denise also serves as the fourth-grade chairperson on the Chittenango Central School District's Elementary Curriculum Council, representing the curriculum concerns of all nine fourth-grade classroom teachers.Over the past several years, Denise has actively been involved in researching critical issued in education, such as guided reading, comprehension, and motivation at the intermediate levels, and has been awarded numerous grants to study these topics. In addition to these roles, Denise is an active after-school instructor, offering creative programs in reader's theater and creative writing. Denise is also a frequent speaker at conferences and workshops throughout the United States. Motivating Every Student in Literacy is her second book.