Yearlong Mentoring

Yearlong Mentoring

Our School Literacy and Culture department offers several mentoring programs with a duration lasting from one to three years. These intensive programs feature monthly seminars, classroom visits, and personalized support from an experienced mentor teacher.

Classroom Storytelling

SLC’s Classroom Storytelling program is inspired by Vivian Paley’s storytelling and story acting work. The project combines early literacy research and classroom practice with mentoring and seminar discussions in a yearlong training program.

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Early Literacy Leadership Academy

The Early Literacy Leadership Academy (ELLA) is a rigorous two year certificate program designed to bring together early childhood professionals from public, private and charter school settings who are committed to serving as teacher leaders from their classrooms. Teachers selected to participate in ELLA experience a unique combination of three semesters of monthly seminars and mentored learning plus one semester of independent study, with all four semesters supported by online learning. Participating ELLA teachers will also join in an exclusive two day summer institute in their first year of programming followed by the opportunity to teach at Creative Writing Camp their second summer in the program.

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Short Courses

Teaching Lab

Designed specifically for the busy educator, our inaugural cohort of short course participants will experience practical, evidence-based strategies for immediate classroom implementation. Join a vibrant community of dedicated teachers focused on applying research into practice and gain access to valuable resources, including children's books and materials. Revitalize your teaching approach, rekindle your passion for education, and effectively address your students' academic and socio-emotional needs. Each course features a unique specialization and is part of a blended learning model, allowing you to customize your learning experience to best serve your needs and those of your community.

Short Course Series:

Promoting Self-Regulation and Executive Functioning in Young Children

Unlock the secrets to fostering young children's self-regulation and executive functioning. Dive into practical strategies, learning games, and research-into-practice techniques designed to enhance behavior management and academic growth in early childhood classrooms.

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Developing Oral Language in Young Children

Ignite a love for language in young learners with our course designed to enhance oral language development through dynamic and interactive methods rooted in research. Learn to harness the power of children’s literature, dramatic play, and their own interests to foster rich, meaningful conversations.

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Supporting Second Language Acquisition in Emergent Bilinguals

Explore the potential of emergent bilinguals with our comprehensive eight-week course highlighting evidence-based practices grounded in second language acquisition theory. Discover innovative strategies and gain insights into how young bilingual learners develop language skills and thrive in the early childhood classroom.

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Weeklong Institutes

Weeklong Institutes

Our School Literacy and Culture department offers an institute during the summer. This weeklong program provides early childhood and elementary teachers the opportunity to refocus skills, learn the latest research and obtain hands-on experience with contemporary best practices in early childhood literacy education.

Summer Institute for Teachers

In this weeklong institute, early childhood teachers rethink their reading and writing practices in light of new research trends. Join a community of teachers committed to thinking deeply about best literacy practices and bring home hundreds of classroom ideas. Participants in our Classroom Storytelling Project are encouraged to enroll in this Summer Institute, which reinforces and deepens the learning of the school-year sessions.

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Daylong Summits

Daylong Summits

School Literacy and Culture offers school leaders and teachers multiple opportunites to gather for daylong summits throughout the academic year. These daylong programs, hosted at Rice University, bring early literacy educators together in a collaborative environment, featuring keynote speakers, breakout sessions and hands-on workshops.

Fall Early Literacy Summit

Join School Literacy and Culture on the Rice University campus for our 24th annual Early Literacy Summit. During this one-day gathering, early childhood professionals will reconnect and explore research-based, developmentally appropriate play-based practices that promote higher-order thinking in young children, foster high-quality teacher/children interactions and nurture socio-emotional development in children.

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Winter Early Literacy Summit

During this one-day gathering, early childhood professionals will explore ways to foster high-quality teacher/child interaction, create classroom environments that stimulate higher-order thinking, and foster socio-emotional development in children.

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Workshops for Early Childhood Teachers

Parent_Teacher%20Workshops

Our School Literacy and Culture department offers an extensive catalog of teacher workshops that address the needs of young learners from toddlers through 2nd grade.

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OWL Lab

Summer Series

The Rice Oral & Written Language Laboratory (OWL Lab) was established in 2011 at the Gabriela Mistral Center for Early Childhood located in the heart of Houston’s Gulfton community, serving a diverse population of more than 350 three- and four-year old preschoolers and their families. The goal of the lab is to provide preschool children with the opportunity to develop their oral and written language skills through extended conversation in a language-rich learning environment where children’s words are valued and their stories shared.

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Students working in creative writing camp

Creative Writing Camp for K-12 Students

We live in a creative world where ideas, collaboration, and adaptability are a must–and writing is essential. So how do we prepare our children for their future? How do we ensure that they become thoughtful leaders for change, passionate learners, and curious thinkers we need to improve our world? Through Creative Writing Camp, young people discover the power within themselves – to create, innovate, and connect with others.

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Educators

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