I'm the author of two books for Heinemann: Summarizing, Paraphrasing,and Retelling, and The Forest AND the Trees: Helping Readings Identify Important Details in Texts and Tests. Both books help teachers to figure out and meet the needs of their students.

My teaching style is thoughtful, reflective, and student-centered. In my reading class, I use guided reading, whole-group instruction, independent reading, and literacy centers to help my students grow as readers. My favorite classroom moments occur when students come to me with unexpected questions, connections, or ideas. This is what makes me come to school each day!

I have published two books based on my teaching experiences. The first, Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Retelling, was created from my frustration with teaching summarizing and the lack of resources available. I went back to the research journals to figure out why my students were having trouble and how I could help them. The second book, The Forest AND the Trees, explores how students use details to make inferences, visualize, and learn new information from text. Both books are available from Heinemann.

I love to learn! I graduated from Penn State, and have taken graduate classes at several colleges.

Check out my two books: Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Retelling; and The Forest AND the Trees. Also, visit my blog: http://emilykissner.blogspot.com