Breakthrough author and renowned educator Dr. Mike Schmoker addressed more than 250 school district and administrative leaders from ten states at American Reading Company on Wednesday, May 18th. Based on his newest bestseller, Focus: Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning, Dr. Schmoker’s discussion moved beyond the generalities of education and offered very specific advice on how to take a “first things first” approach to school improvement. He zeroed in on simple ways to do complex things while at the same time supplying a road map for real school improvement. With a laser-like focus on essentials, especially reading, Schmoker outlined an easy-to-understand framework that translates into immediate action. “It is clear from the remarks made by the school leaders present that even the most challenged schools are breaking out of the cycle of failure by establishing a reading culture in every school and home,” said Quality Quinn, American Reading Company’s Policy Advisor.
District leaders from Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Washington, D.C., traveled to American Reading Company’s offices to attend the rich discussion and leadership symposium that followed. “We are delighted to have Dr. Schmoker as our speaker this year,” said Jane Hileman, Founder and CEO of American Reading Company. “His book Focus is particularly relevant for our school partners who seek solutions that emphasize doing the fundamentals well, instead of adding layers of complexity which can often be counterproductive in achieving results.”
Dr. Mike Schmoker has written four books and dozens of articles for educational journals, newspapers and for TIME magazine. He has keynoted at hundreds of state, national and international events and has consulted for school districts and states throughout the country.
American Reading Company, built and run by educators, is a leader in the field of educational solutions (K–8) and is a trusted partner of schools and school districts in 43 states. ARC effects whole-school and whole-district change via the implementation of a Common Core Standards framework that includes formative assessment and independent reading practice using a leveling system for all books (more than 85,000 hand-leveled titles from 250 publishers). Extensive research and performance results show that participating schools see higher standardized reading test scores. American Reading Company was founded in 1988 and is located in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.
