Join us for the
Texas Woman’s University
50th Rose Spicola Forum in Reading
Saturday, February 27, 2016
Multi-Classroom Building 8am–4pm
GEORGIA HEARD
Keynote Speaker
Georgia Heard is a poet, author, and international literacy consultant. Among dozens of others, her books include
For the Good of the Earth and the Sun, Awakening the Heart, and Finding the Heart of Nonfiction. She is a founder
of the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project. She has also served on the NCTE Award of Excellence in
Poetry for Children. She holds an M.F.A. in Poetry from Columbia University. Her latest book is entitled The
Woman in This Poem: Women’s Voices in Poetry (2015 Plum Leaf Press, Rubicon).
NAOMI SHIHAB NYE
Keynote Speaker
Naomi Shihab Nye describes herself as a “wandering poet.” She has spent 40 years traveling the country and the
world to lead writing workshops and inspiring students of all ages. She is the author and/or editor of more than 30
volumes. Naomi Shihab Nye has been a Lannan Fellow, a Guggenheim Fellow, and a Witter Bynner Fellow
(Library of Congress). She has received a Lavan Award from the Academy of American Poets, the Isabella Gardner
Poetry Award, the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, the Paterson Poetry Prize, four Pushcart Prizes, the Robert
Creeley Prize, and “The Betty Prize” from Poets House, for service to poetry, and numerous honors for her
children’s literature, including two Jane Addams Children’s Book Awards. Her collection 19 Varieties of Gazelle
was a finalist for the National Book Award. She is a regular columnist for Organica. Her work has been presented
on National Public Radio’s A Prairie Home Companion and The Writer’s Almanac. She has been featured on two
PBS poetry specials including “The Language of Life with Bill Moyers” and she also appeared on NOW with Bill
Moyers. She has been affiliated with The Michener Center for writers at the University of Texas at Austin for 20
years and also served as the poetry editor at The Texas Observer for 20 years. In January 2010 Nye was elected to
the Board of Chancellors of the Academy of American Poets. She was recently named laureate of the 2013 NSK
Neustadt Award for Children’s Literature.
Proposals Invited
You are invited to submit a proposal (see categories below). Proposals are invited for sessions that contribute to the
following areas of focus:
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Writing Poetry/Teaching Poets
Classroom Interactions that Support Inquiry
Response to Literature
Engaging Contexts for Literacy Learning
Supporting classroom authors
Engaging students through quality literature
Other (please specify below)
Breakout sessions will be scheduled in 60-minute blocks. If you are interested in submitting a proposal, complete the
attached proposal submission form and email it to spicola@twu.edu by Tuesday, January 16, 2016. If you have
any questions, please feel free to email Dr. Amy Burke at aburke_@twu.edu. Thank you in advance for your interest
in participating!
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CALL FOR PROPOSALS
(Please type all proposals.)
Organizer/Presenter Name:
Position/Title:
Preferred Mailing Address:
City:
State:
Phone 1:
Phone 2:
Zip:
Email Address:
Would you be willing to make your presentation twice (am & pm)?
Yes
No
Choose the focus area related to your presentation (choose one area) :

Children’s/Adolescent Literature

Classroom Interactions that Support Inquiry
Engaging Contexts for Literacy Learning
Supporting Classroom Authors
Children’s/Adolescent Literature
Other
Title of Session:
Description of session for program (25-50 words).
Purpose of session and outline/summary of content (75-200 words):
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Please identify the audience for which this session is appropriate (check all that apply):
Pre-service Teachers
Middle School (6-8)
In-service Teachers
High School (9-12)
Early Elementary (EC-2)
English Language Learners
Upper Elementary
Learning Differences
Abbreviated Biography (approx. 50-75words):
Co-Presenters
Co-Presenter 1 Name:
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Position/Title:
School/University Affiliation:
Co-Presenter 1 Abbreviated Biography (approx. 50-75words):
Co-Presenter 2 Name:
Position/Title:
School/University Affiliation:
Co-Presenter 2 Abbreviated Biography (approx. 50-75words):
Submit proposals electronically to
spicola@twu.edu
Texas Woman's University
Reading Department
by Tuesday, January 19, 2016
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