Opening remarks by Christopher Lehman, Founding Director of The Educator Collaborative

Katie Wood Ray & Stella Villalba

For Students: Understanding the Role of Sound in Crafting a Powerful Writing Voice

Katie Wood Ray and Stella Villalba are co-authors of the reimagined edition of Wondrous Words: Reimagining Writers and Writing in the Elementary Classroom.

Katie Wood Ray, PhD, is a former teacher, editor, and the author or coauthor of ten books on the teaching of writing. For many years she worked alongside teachers to develop child-centered methods for teaching writing that were grounded in the beautiful trial and error of classroom practice. Her books are filled with the stories and artifacts of children—mostly in rural Appalachia where she lives—growing into confident writers under the influence of teachers who nurtured that growth in daily writing workshops. She holds a PhD in elementary language and literacy.

Stella Villalba, MA, was raised and nutured in a bicultural and bilingual household. She believes multilingual learners deserve an equitable education that protects and honors their languages, literacies, and lived experiences. She is currently a teacher leader and a staff developer, coaching and mentoring educators. She is pursuing a PhD in equity and multicultural studies.