About the Authors

Katie is a fifth grade teacher in the Chicago Public School system.  She is Nationally Board Certified and holds a Master’s Degree in Teacher Leadership.  She has been featured on Stephanie Harvey and Harvey Daniels’ Comprehension and Collaboration DVD, the fourth edition of Best Practice by Harvey Daniels, Steve Zemelman, and Arthur Hyde & presents across the country on the implementation of successful literacy practices, inquiry learning, and technology integration.  She has also presented on Literature Circle Inquiries at the International Reading Association Convention, Stephanie Harvey’s Reading is Thinking Institute, and the National Council of Teachers of English Convention.  In addition to her many teaching duties Katie also works outside the classroom as an educational consultant for Stephanie Harvey Consulting.  She is an avid reader of children’ literature and a self proclaimed technology geek.  Katie blogs about a wide variety of topics because she believes that a classroom teacher in the 21st century needs to cultivate a variety of talents and interests.

Kristin has been teaching for 11 years in both urban and suburban schools.  She has studied inquiry and collaboration with Smokey Daniels and Stephanie Harvey and her teaching practice is featured on their Heinemann DVD, Inquiry Circles in Elementary Classrooms.  Kristin consults with school districts and presents at conferences around the country on comprehension, inquiry, technology, 21^st Century Skills, social emotional development and classroom management.  She partners with local universities to instruct undergraduate and graduate level early childhood educators and also serves as a mentor for student teachers.  Kristin is a National Board Certified Teacher, an Earthwatch Educator Fellow, a Golden Apple Award and Kohl McCormick Early Childhood award winner.

She has an undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education and a Master’s Degree in Instructional Leadership.  Kristin is a consultant for Stephanie Harvey Consulting and the Managing Director of Ziemke Consulting, LLC.  She currently teaches first grade.