Anne Cobb
Anne is one of the original Plugged-in trainers and was the first Plugged-in National Consultant. She’s also been extremely helpful on the Ning and has recently uploaded lots of great resource documents for Plugged-in teachers.
We asked Anne to share a little about herself and how she came to be a Plugged-in trainer. She told us…
“Who knew that careers in personnel, community relations and real estate would land me back where I started? In the classroom! After attending a school board meeting to speak in favor of keeping the arts in our schools, I determined that I wanted to be a teacher. The next day, I visited the University of Central Florida and that’s where I met Dr. Janet Allen.
Janet became my pedagogical and personal mentor, a true teacher and friend. I learned with her and a team of amazing teachers (including Julie Joynt!) as we traveled the country for 10 summers with the It’s Never Too Late Literacy Institutes. It was during this experience that I discovered my passion for teaching teachers.
Recorded Books was always on hand at our Institutes because we wanted teachers to realize the potential of audio support in their classrooms. This formed the relationship that fostered the creation of Plugged-in to Reading. I was privileged to serve on the writing team (ask me about Camp Janet!) and honored when Recorded Books asked me to be their National Consultant for the program.
So here I am, ever a student, and now, a student teacher – teaching and learning with committed educators from Alaska to Florida, Maine to Arizona. Hope my travels cross yours along the way to creating lifetime learners.”
Julie Joynt
Julie Joynt is one of our valued Plugged-in trainers. Among many other places, Julie has taken part in trainings and observations in Collier County, FL; Pinellas County, FL; Delaware, Newark, NJ; Springfield, MA; and Irving, TX.
She told us: “I have been in the field of education for close to 20 years. My teaching years started in kindergarten, progressed to 6th grade, then high school drama, and I am currently a Resource Teacher for Safe and Drug Free Schools. My Bachelor’s Degree in is Elementary Education and my Master’s Degree is in Language Arts Education.
It was in one of my very first classes for my Master’s Degree when I had the good fortune of walking into a class taught by none other than Dr. Janet Allen. That was the first of many classes I had with Janet – who not only influenced my teaching style and philosophy, she became my friend. I traveled the next 12 summers with her as a facilitator for the It’s Never to Late Literacy Institutes and saw the birth of Plugged-in to Reading. I came on board as a trainer from the get-go and love helping teachers and students get ‘plugged in’ all across the country.”
Charlie Crouse
I have been in the education field for 15 years. My Bachelor’s Degree is in Elementary Education and my Master’s Degree is in Special Education. I taught middle school mild disabilities students for 12 years as both a resource teacher and as a special education inclusion teacher. Since about 2008, I have traveled the country as a trainer and consultant for Plugged-in to Reading. Though I could have taught several more years, the opportunity to work with teachers and administrators and the opportunity to be able to share the excitement that I experienced with Plugged-in has been incredible.
I had the extreme fortune to use Plugged-in to Reading the last 2 years that I taught. Students that had never started and finished a book before (let alone enjoy it) were suddenly entering my classroom asking “Can we read that book today; can I read my book today?” I saw more growth and changes in both attitude toward reading and in ability to read and understand in those 2 years than I had in the 10 previous years. Having the opportunity to be a part of Dr. Janet Allen’s professional development team is without a doubt the highlight thus far in my professional life.
By the way…my personal life is also pretty fun and eventful! I have an amazing wife, 7 awesome children, an exchange student (every school year), 3 horses, 1 donkey, 4 sheep, 25 chickens, 2 dogs, and a cat…need I really say any more?
Kym Sheehan
I came into the field of teaching late, kicking and screaming and denying my love of learning. I think that is why I often relate to students so well. I began teaching Science, Math, and Law Studies for two grade levels my first year in the classroom with at risk students. In the past 16 years, I served middle and high school students from grades 6-12 and have also taught ESOL classes for students and adults.
My degree in English led me to teaching and then Dr. Janet Allen came to town (Punta Gorda, Florida) with her “Never Too Late Literacy Institute”. I was teaching only 4 years then and this week long professional development not only changed the way I taught, but also changed my life. It led me to pursuing a degree in Reading and guided me toward participation in the National Writing Project.
I have a master’s degree in reading and I am a teacher consultant and member of the National Writing Project in both Tampa and Fort Myers. In my current position as a curriculum specialist for secondary literacy, I found Plugged-in to Reading and never let go! I have guided teachers in the implementation of Plugged-in and helped to put it into practice directly with students and had the opportunity to watch them develop a passion for reading and learning. This is a philosophy and pedagogy that I believe in. Working with RB Education helps me to continue to grow as a teacher through professional discourse and keeps me in classrooms pursuing life-long learning.
