Mark Weakland Literacy

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  • Home
  • Services
    • Multi-day Coaching
    • Literacy Workshops
    • Title I Presentations
    • Conferences and Conventions: Speaker & Presenter
    • Author Visits for Children: Schools, Libraries, Festivals
    • Clients and Testimonials
  • Teacher Books & Materials
  • Kid's Books & More
  • Blog
  • File Cabinet
  • About
  • Contact

Clients and Appearances

Past and current clients
Armstrong School District
Plattsburgh City School District, NY

South Western School District
St. Stephen's Episcopal, Harrisburg, PA

Harrisburg Catholic, Harrisburg, PA
St. Patrick's Elementary, York, PA
Nicholas County School District, WV
Northeastern School District

Bermudian Springs School District
​South Butler School District
Capital Area IU 15
Lincoln IU 12
Lancaster-Lebanon IU 13
Appalachia IU 8

Indiana Area School District
Indiana County Head Start
Mars Area School District
Ferndale Area School District
The Johnstown Children's Museum
Blairsville Saltsburg School District
Ferndale Area School District
The Johnstown Children's Museum
Turkeyfoot Valley Area School District
Windber Area School District
Bedford Area School District

Featured speaker, presenter, & workshop leader
IRA National Conference, New Orleans, LA

ILA National Conference, St. Louis, MO
​ILA National Conference, Boston, MA
Title I National Conference, Philadelphia, PA
Institute for Educational Development, NH, IL, MO
San Diego State University Reading Conference
New Mexico State University STEM Institute
National Science Teachers Assoc. Nat. Conf. Nashville TN

Pennsylvania Association of Environmental Educators
New York Excellence in Early Learning Partnership
Massachusetts Reading Association Conference
Keystone State Reading Association Conference

West Virginia Reading Association Conference
Western Pennsylvania Instructional Support Conference
Pittsburgh Public School's Summer Institute

 K-3 Reading Conference, Columbus, OH
I Teach 2nd SDE National Conference, Las Vegas NV
I Teach 2nd Grade Texas Conference, San Marcos, TX
Learning Lamp 7th & 9th Annual Children's Book Festival
Pennsylvania Science Teachers Association
University of Tennessee
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh Children's Museum
Pennsylvania State University, York
University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg Children's Lit Conf.

Pennsylvania reading councils
Capital Reading Council
Three Rivers Reading Council
Keystone Corners Reading Council
Seneca Reading Council
Somerset County Reading

Indiana County Reading Council

Testimonials

We were fortunate to have Mark visit our school on three occasions. He was not only inspirational to my students, but to me as well. As a veteran teacher, I respected and enjoyed Mark's genuine and authentic teaching style. He modeled easy to adopt instructional routines, practical and engaging strategies, and extension activities that my students and I truly enjoyed. I was pleased and relieved that Mark incorporated his information into our curriculum so that no instructional time was lost. Because Mark visited and directly worked with our class, connections were made and skills were developed that might otherwise not have occurred.  Having an outside educator working alongside a classroom teacher is fantastic!
 
~ Vickie Watters
4th Grade Teacher, Elderton Elementary 

“I am so appreciative that Mark Weakland came into my 5th grade classroom.  He showed us the RACE writing strategy, Stop-Light strategy, several vocabulary activities, and also strategic ways for kids to attack difficult fresh read passages. The interactions between Mr. Weakland and the students were amazing to watch.  He has a way with children, captures their attention, and makes them excited about learning.  My time with Mr. Weakland was one of the most beneficial professional development opportunities I have been involved in."
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​~ Marci  Pawk
5th Grade Teacher, Lenape Elementary

* Wow – Best seminar ever! I wasn’t tired after lunch and didn’t even want to check my phone. This guy is great.
* This was an outstanding workshop. I came out full of ideas!
* Excellent workshop. Almost comes off as an inspirational workshop or a motivational speaker.
* I got so much from this training. Mark was so informative. I have so many strategies to implement in my classroom. Thank you!

 
~ Teacher comments from 2018 seminars: Transformed Spelling for Powerful Reading (and Writing)

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Testimonials

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​I wanted to thank you again for everything.  It is one thing to go to a workshop and hear someone talk, but quite a learning experience to have them come into your classroom.  I know my students always looked forward to your visits as did I.  My classroom has been enriched by what I've learned from you.
​

~ Sarah Blackford
2nd Grade Teacher, St. Stephen's Episcopal School 

“We had two great days with Mark at Lenape Elementary School. We invited teachers new to Writer’s Workshop to watch Mark’s demonstration lessons, which worked out well. Teacher comments were, as always, entirely positive, such as ‘master teacher’ and ‘gave me good ideas for writing centers' and 'We love having him here!'”

~ Ms. Paula Kijowski,
​Principal, Lenape Elementary School

"Super Core by Mark Weakland is a tremendous book that can be implemented in any elementary classroom. While the book is based on his third grade classroom, which is what I teach, it can be adapted to fit any age based on the activities and lessons that are provided within. Mr. Weakland spent five days in my classroom, and the kids loved having him there!  They were able to relate to him and enjoy the activities/lessons as he helped me set the tone for my reading class the rest of the year."

~Brittany Guy
3rd Grade Teacher, Cherry River Elementary, Richwood, WV

Alicia Johal ‏@AliciaJohal  Apr 5 San Diego, CA
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For the first time EVER, my students loved learning vocabulary! All thanks to you @MarkWeakland

Mark Weakland was an amazing resource for our district’s literacy advisors.  He provided the expert facilitation necessary for our district to create a crosswalk between balanced literacy and our basal reading series. Mark was honest and genuine with our literacy advisors. His personal teaching experience and his consulting experience were invaluable to our process. He forced us to reflect on and evaluate our current literacy program, consider compromises between best practice and components of the basal series, and anticipate obstacles to be prepared for the most effective implementation of our work.

We were thrilled when Mark’s facilitation resulted in a 30-page literacy document that will guide our district’s implementation of the required basal series, while staying true to balanced literacy best practices.
 

​~   Carrie Zales, Director of Curriculum and Instruction
​Plattsburgh City School District, Plattsburgh, NY

"Great workshop!"  "Fantastic!!" "Amazing information - best presentation I've been to in the last 10 years!" "Very engaging, informative - one of the best P.D. I have attended ever!"

~Teacher Evaluation Comments from Super Core 2-Day Workshop

“Mark Weakland is outstanding with students, parents, and teachers alike. My district invited him to be our Family Literacy Night speaker and entertainment. And entertaining he was. He understands students very well, from his experience in the classroom and as a Title I Reading Specialist. My Reading team thought it was one of the best family nights we have ever had. For teachers, he delivers authentic, informed information in an engaging, interactive way. We have had him speak at our state reading conference and he received outstanding reviews. Mark is the real deal.”
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~ Aileen Hower, Ed.D., South Western School District, K-12 Reading/ELA Supervisor, Penn State Summer Literacy Institute coordinator, KSRA Region IV Director

" I want to thank you for EVERYTHING you have done for me and my kiddos this year.  What a difference Writer's Workshop has made to my writing instruction.  I feel so much more confident and relaxed during this process now and I'm much closer to my "target" than I ever have been....and what a good feeling that is!  I especially loved that you came in and modeled what you taught us at the workshop.  So often, we are told what do do, but never shown.  This was just so refreshing and helpful!!!"

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~ Kelly Stover
1st Grade Teacher, West Hills Primary School, Kittanning, PA 

Ariel Franchak @AFran... 30Nov2017
I just love the I See, I Think, I Wonder routine! Thanks @MarkWeakland for teaching me about it!

"Thank you for conducting an excellent in-service session. Your ability to customize and tailor the training and remarks using ICTC curriculum material was a real plus for our staff.  Our teachers left feeling they were doing many things right and they gained new ideas to try.  I am very pleased with the high ratings on [your] evaluations and look forward to working with you over the next several months and into next year.”

~ Carol Fry
Director, Indiana County Technology Center

“Wonderful! Creative! Practical!  Inspirational!  I will definitely try to implement many of these ideas.”
“Excellent.  The best presentation during the last two days.”


~Teacher Evaluation Comments from Pittsburgh Schools Summer Institute

"I want to thank you for the several presentations you have done for the Freeport Area School District . Your sessions are always full of insight, practical, and of immediate use in the classroom.  In particular, the in-service on “Fostering Phonemic Awareness through Music” was found to be most enjoyable, and the evaluative comments were extremely positive.  Many staff have already called my office asking what you will be presenting next for us!”

~ Stan Chapp, Ed.D
Program Director, Freeport Area School District

Mark Weakland Literacy                                                                                                                                           © 2023 Mark Weakland Literacy
Hollsopple, PA 15935   
mark@markweaklandliteracy.com