SDE's Differentiated
Instruction Experts

SDE works with a team of education experts who are trained in the content of Differentiated Instruction and its implementation in the classroom.

Many of our trainers are published authors of books that provide practical, ready-to-use math resources for classroom teachers.

Our team can deliver training in a variety of formats—annual national conferences, one- and two-day state conferences, full-day seminars, multi-day Intensive Institutes, customized on-site/inservice training, and online courses.

	Linda Allen Linda is an energetic and inspiring conference presenter and educational consultant with many years of experience both in the classroom and as a staff developer. She is co-creator of SDE’s Differentiated Instruction: Theory into Practice training program and specializes in differentiated instruction, assessment and grading, and classroom management. Linda applies her expertise in differentiated instruction and brain-compatible strategies to create dynamic, uplifting sessions with strategies for helping all students succeed.
	Maria Banks Maria has spent 20 years developing techniques to support guided reading and writing in the classroom. She has also created materials to support differentiated learning. Maria has worked as a consultant and staff development coordinator, as well as a national workshop presenter. She believes in educating the whole child and has made it her goal to share information that will refresh and motivate the reflective teacher.
	Charles Beaman, Ed.D. Charles offers over 20 years of experience as a language arts teacher, assistant principal, and principal. He has presented at numerous state and national conferences in the areas of effective classroom management, stress and time management, and motivating difficult-to-reach students. A dynamic and energetic speaker, Charles is well known for his practical, engaging, and humorous presentations.
	Richard M. Cash, Ed.D. Richard holds a Bachelor's of Arts degree in Theater, a Bachelor's of Science degree in Education, a Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. Throughout his more than 20 years in education, he has taught elementary, middle-grade, and graduate level students. Currently, Richard is the Director of Gifted Programs, for the Bloomington Minnesota Public Schools. His areas of expertise are brain-based learning, differentiated instruction, and gifted education. Richard is a highly sought-after professional development specialist who has worked with schools throughout the United States and internationally, developing educational environments where student learning is encouraged through engaging, enriching, and enhancing experiences.
	Carolyn Coil, Ed.D. Carolyn has worked in the field of education and training for over 30 years. An internationally known speaker and consultant, she has helped educators in over half a dozen countries support the needs of diverse learners. Carolyn offers not only practical strategies, but also an infectious enthusiasm for teaching and learning. She is the author of numerous books and resources, including Standards-Based Activities and Assessments for the Differentiated Classroom.
	Ron Coniglio In his nearly 20 years of classroom instruction, Ron has taught students in high school, middle school, and elementary school. He works with teachers around the country on differentiating their reading and writing instruction to increase their students’ achievement. Ron presents regularly on strategies for effectively using assessment to inform and drive instruction, and on how to build a successful multi-year classroom using differentiation. His ability to translate ideas into meaningful, practical, and inspirational examples of learning has made him a celebrated teacher of teachers.
	Cheryl Dick Cheryl is an energetic and inspirational educator and motivational trainer. A highly sought-after presenter, she has worked with teachers at professional development conferences and seminars in over 30 states. Cheryl brings 17 years of classroom experience and research-based best practices to every session. She demonstrates how to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of each learner in the classroom with practical, brain-based, research-driven ideas that can easily be implemented the very next day.
	Melissa Dickson Melissa has been dedicated to education for over 20 years, serving as a literacy coach, staff developer, and classroom teacher. She presents at seminars, conferences, and district in-services around the country, training teachers on how to get started differentiating, how to differentiate in a whole-group setting, how to develop effective strategies for flexible grouping, and how to manage the differentiated classroom. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge of differentiated instruction, and about providing educators with research-based ideas and strategies that can be implemented immediately.
	Lynne Ecenbarger In her role as a teacher, administrator, literacy specialist, and education consultant, Lynne has dedicated her career to improving literacy. She has consulted with over 700 schools throughout her state and across the nation. Lynne is the author of five teacher resources, including her popular Method Mania series.
	Lori Elliott, Ed.D. Lori is an energetic, passionate, National Board Certified classroom teacher and trainer. She has taught students in first through fourth grades and uses her daily classroom experience to enhance her session presentations. Lori believes that integrating technology into instruction is a powerful way to enrich teaching and motivate students.
	Sharon Faber, Ed.D. Sharon is an internationally recognized literacy expert, speaker, and consultant with more than 30 years of experience as a teacher, building and central office administrator, university professor, and staff development trainer. She is the author of the best-selling book How to Teach Reading When You Are Not a Reading Teacher.
	Kim Geddie Donna has been a classroom teacher for over twenty-five years. She has taught in a variety of settings including traditional classrooms, open classrooms, and magnet schools. For the past fifteen years, Donna has taught atCovenant Day School in Matthews, NC, a suburb of Charlotte. Donna attended the Paideia Institute in 1989 in order to become a Paideia trainer. She honed her presenting skills during the year she spent as a Paideia coordinator, leading in-service opportunities and developing curriculum in her school and district.  Donna has led school- and district-level professional development programs in North Carolina and Tennessee. Donna’s love for learning and teaching is contagious!
	Gretchen Goodman Ricky has been a classroom teacher and math coach for 20 years. In 2005, she was awarded the Los Angeles County "Excellence in Promoting Math Instruction Award." She discovered Singapore Math while looking for methods to help her struggling students and has been an enthusiastic supporter ever since.
	Judith Gould Judith has taught a range of grades, from preschool to junior high. She has developed a series of books on writing instruction, sharing dozens of helpful instruction tips and techniques. The series, The Four Square Writing Method, has attracted national acclaim and interest. Judith works to develop writing workshops and in-service training for hundreds of teachers across the country. She is an energetic and inspirational teacher whose presentation style will leave you energized and motivated.
	Jim Grant Jim has emerged as the nation's Spokesperson for School Success with a dedicated mission to stop school failure. An internationally renowned educator and popular speaker, he offers practical instructional strategies to help all students learn. Jim is the author of many popular professional books, including the best selling, Differentiated Instruction: Different Strategies for Different Learners and Differentiating Textbooks and his latest release, Death of Common Sense in Our Schools And What YOU Can Do About It!
	Diane Heacox, Ed.D. Diane is an Associate Professor of Education at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota. She also actively serves as a consultant and professional development trainer for both public and private schools on a variety of topics related to teaching and learning. She presents regularly at numerous local, state, national, and international education conferences. She has taught at both the elementary and secondary school levels and has served as a gifted education teacher and administrator, as well as an instructional specialist in public education.
	Betty Hollas Betty is a veteran educator with more than 25 years of exemplary service, both in the classroom and as a principal. A former Teacher of the Year, she works with districts around the country, enthusiastically sharing her practical strategies for differentiating instruction. She is co-creator of SDE’s Differentiated Instruction: Theory into Practice training program and co-creator of SDE’s Differentiated Instruction: Theory into Practice Train-the-Trainer Institute. Betty is the author and co-author of several teacher resources, including the best-selling books Differentiating Instruction in a Whole-Group Setting, Differentiated Instruction: Different Strategies for Different Learners, Differentiating Textbooks, and The More Ways You Teach-The More Students You Reach.
	Amy Humphreys A National Board Certified teacher with 15 years of classroom experience, Amy has created hundreds of content-area literacy and enrichment activities for educational publishers. Her books Making Literature Circles Come Alive and But I Only Have 45-Minutes! are teacher favorites. A popular staff developer, Amy's areas of expertise include gifted and talented, differentiated instruction, content-area literacy, and enhancing students' effectiveness as writers. Her energetic presentation style coupled with highly-practical strategies keep her in demand as a speaker.
	Cynthia "Mama J" Johnson, Ed.D. Dr. Cynthia “Mama J” Johnson is a national consultant recognized for her work with reaching and teaching today’s youth. Known across the United States for her ability to motivate educators, she is a highly requested keynote speaker and professional development trainer, with a proven track record of nearly two decades.
	Bertie Kingore, Ph.D. Dr. Kingore is a national consultant and the author of numerous articles, instructional aids, and 20 books on education. She has received many honors including the Outstanding Alumnus Award from the University of North Texas and the Texas Gifted Educator of the Year. Dr. Kingore continues to work in classrooms to model differentiated instruction for all learners. Her practical, energizing, and humorous presentations leave teachers revitalized and eager to implement her shared ideas in the classroom.
	Ignacio Lopez , Ed.D. Ignacio brings nearly eight years of teaching and leadership experience to his dynamic presentations. He has taught high school, reading, and AVID. In his current role with the Chicago Public Schools, he creates, implements, and assesses instructional leadership teams and develops and roll-outs data-driven instruction systems at the high school and elementary level.
	Lea MacDonald Lea is an experienced classroom teacher and curriculum coordinator. She has published a variety of articles in the New York State middle school journal, In Transition, and writes a quarterly column in the New York State Middle School Messenger. As a national consultant and presenter, Lea leads trainings on a range of topics, including differentiated instruction, RTI, brain-based learning, and social studies. Lea is a recipient of her state’s English Council Educator of Excellence Award and she has represented her school district as Teacher of the Year.
	Katherine McKnight, Ph.D. Katie began her career in education as a high school English teacher and taught mainly in the Chicago Public Schools. She is passionate about creating literacy curricula that engages all students in the classroom. Katie regularly presents at local and national conferences, and publishes in journals. Her recent books include Teaching Writing in the Inclusive Classroom: Strategies and Skills for All Students, Teaching the Classics in the Inclusive Classroom: Reader Response Activities to Engage All Learners, and The Second City Guide to Improvisation in the Classroom, Grades K-8.
	LeAnn Nickelsen LeAnn presents nationally on brain research topics, differentiation, reading and vocabulary strategies, nutrition affecting cognition, and more—all based on the most up-to-date research. She is known for delivering a wealth of information in an active, fun format with very specific, practical classroom examples. LeAnn is passionate about encouraging teachers to engage all students’ brains in the just right manner so all learners can experience joy and success daily in their classrooms. She has authored 11 books, including Deeper Learning: 7 Powerful Strategies for In-Depth and Longer-Lasting Learning (co-authored with Eric Jensen) and Making Words Their Own.
	Marcie Nordlund With more than 30 years experience as a classroom teacher, elementary school principal, special education administrator, and college instructor, Marcie understands teaching in today’s challenging times. Her interactive presentations, practical ideas, and ready-to-use interventions make her a very popular presenter. And, her activities and exercises are designed to maximize familiarity and confidence.
	Laureen Reynolds Laureen is an experienced classroom teacher and best-selling author. She takes pride in offering teachers practical ideas, engaging activities, and simple management techniques designed to differentiate instruction and to increase students’ interest and independence as learners. Laureen is the author of several books, including Poems for Sight-Word Practice, Centers Made Simple, and Poems for Math Practice.
	Lynda Rice Lynda, a former classroom teacher with over 20 years of experience, is co-creator of SDE’s Differentiated Instruction: Theory into Practice Train-the-Trainer Institute with Betty Hollas. A popular conference presenter and education consultant, Lynda travels around the country training teachers on all aspects of differentiated instruction. Her practical, effective presentations on tiering and assessment have opened the door to differentiation for hundreds of teachers. Lynda is the recipient of the Phi Delta Kappa Classroom Showcase Award. She is the co-founder of a multiage K-8 public school in Arizona. And, she is the author of numerous education journal articles.
	Bill Rich Bill is a dynamic presenter and high school educator who strongly believes all students learn best when the instruction is differentiated. He is a recipient of the prestigious Don Cameron Award from the NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education in 2003, the Excellence in the Teaching of Language Arts Award in 1994 from the New England Association of Teachers of English, and the Sallie-Mae First-Year Teacher of the Year in 1992. A skilled teacher-trainer, Bill currently chairs the Curriculum Committee for T.A.S.S. (Teaching All Secondary Students), a three-year high school renewal graduate program piloted in Vermont.
	Michael Shackleford, Ed.D. Dr. Shackleford is an experienced classroom teacher, administrator, curriculum designer, educational consultant, conference presenter, and a speaker for various university research classes. His research centers on the use of problem-based learning. Dr. Shackleford also specializes in the research and application of differentiated instructional practices as well as the characteristics of effective schools, teachers, and instructional strategies. Dr. Shackleford's doctorate is in Administrative Leadership.
	Heidi Shaver Heidi is passionate about creating educational environments where all students can achieve success. She has served as a classroom teacher, literacy support teacher, assistant principal, and principal. Heidi is the author of Organize, Communicate, Empower: How Principals Can Make Time for Leadership. Currently, she works as a consultant providing professional development for teachers and administrators.
	Cheryl Sigmon Cheryl’s distinguished career spans nearly 30 years and includes roles as a classroom teacher, language arts consultant, and internationally recognized presenter and trainer. She is co-author of the best-selling Teacher’s Guide to Four-Blocks series and author of numerous books on literacy, including her latest comprehension mini-lesson series, Just-Right Comprehension Lessons: Grades 1-6.
	Debbie Silver, Ed.D. Debbie is an award-winning educator with over 30 years of experience as a classroom teacher and university professor. She has taught almost every grade level and almost every kind of student. Debbie is a former Louisiana State Teacher of the Year. And, she is the author of Drumming to the Beat of Different Marchers.
	Marsha Spears With over 35 years of classroom and administrative experience, Marsha is a highly sought-after teacher trainer and national presenter. She has directed federal and state education programs and has been a leading advocate for at-risk children. She travels full time, presenting seminars, conferences, and district in-services, focusing on differentiated instruction, assessment and grading in the differentiated classroom, and managing the differentiated classroom. Teachers across the country have found Marsha’s presentations to be fun, fast-paced, and full of practical ideas.
	Judy Stoehr Judy is an internationally known speaker and trainer, as well as an experienced educator, author, and composer. She has taught a wide range of grade levels from kindergarten to college, and her expertise includes differentiated instruction, strategies for teaching at-risk students, assessment, and applying brain research in the classroom. Judy is the author and coauthor of numerous educational publications, including Getting Started: Projects for the Integrated Curriculum and Integrating Curricula with Multiple Intelligences. She is the lead author of the elementary general music series Music Expressions™ and the project manager and editor of the Expressions Music Curriculum. She is founder and owner of Judy Stoehr Creative Insights and serves on the Board of Trustees of Midland Lutheran College.
	Sherri Strating Sherri is an experienced educator who travels around the country offering insightful and motivating presentations on a wide variety of teaching topics, including differentiated instruction, math, reading, writing, and science. She is a former Missouri Teacher of the Year and a recipient of the National Presidential Award in Elementary Science. Sherri is also the author and creator of the professional development program, Open the Eyes of Struggling Readers and Writers to Literacy Using Strategies in Comprehensive Literacy.
	Donna VanderWeide In her more than 25 years working in education, Donna has been a teacher, administrator, trainer, and national speaker. She spent 15 of those years as a kindergarten teacher. Donna presents on topics that vary from guided reading to multiple intelligences to science and math. She is the author of Different Tools for Different Learners and numerous curriculum guides including Count and Rhyme at Calendar Time. Donna is a regular presenter at education conferences across the country, addressing a variety of topics important to parents, students, and educators.
	Judi Wandres Judi has twice earned the New Jersey State Department of Education Best Practice Award. She was included in Who's Who Among America's Teachers, 2000. Judi has served as project director of an acclaimed university teacher-training program. And, she is an experienced national presenter offering practical and hands-on presentations in language arts, differentiated instruction, math, science, the Four Square writing method, writing across the curriculum, and classroom management.
	Rick Wormeli Rick offers a wealth of experience having worked as a middle grades teacher, human growth & development teacher, and staff development educator. He is also an educational consultant to National Public Radio, USA Today, and the Smithsonian Institute. Rick has presented at the White House, has appeared on Good Morning America, and has worked with school districts all across the country. He is also the author of Meet Me in the Middle and Day One & Beyond.