Sharon Callen
Sharon Callen is a highly experienced and respected literacy consultant who has made significant contributions to the field of education. With over 30 years of experience in both Australia and the USA, Sharon has dedicated her career to empowering teachers and enhancing students' literacy skills.
As a literacy consultant, Sharon works with educators, schools, and organizations to provide professional development, resources, and guidance on effective literacy instruction. She brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in literacy development, writing instruction, and using quality children's literature to inspire young readers and writers.
Sharon has authored numerous literacy journal articles, teacher resources, and children's books, further establishing her expertise in the field. Her practical insights and innovative strategies have been widely embraced by educators seeking to create engaging and impactful learning experiences.
Through her consultancy, Teachific, Sharon offers practical tools, courses, and resources for teachers, helping them navigate the complexities of literacy instruction and unlock the full potential of their students. Additionally, Sharon hosts "The Teacher's Tool Kit For Literacy" podcast, where she shares valuable insights, interviews experts, and provides inspiration for educators worldwide.
Sharon's passion for literacy extends beyond her consultancy work. She founded Cue Learning, an Australian consultancy specializing in literacy and numeracy, and has held various educational roles, including classroom teaching, coaching, tutoring, and lecturing.
With her extensive experience, dedication to professional development, and commitment to empowering educators, Sharon Callen continues to make a significant impact in the field of literacy. Her expertise and resources serve as invaluable assets for teachers looking to foster a love for reading and writing in their students.
Experience
- Sharon has a Graduate Diploma in Teaching, specialising in English Language Arts and Literacy.
- She greatly enjoyed fifteen years working as a teacher in South Australian primary schools.
- She was involved in university level projects and courses, for example, Networking to Learn, a national project in Australia.
- Since 2000 she has loved working as a literacy consultant in schools in Australia and USA
- Sharon has written teaching resources for ASIC in the area of financial literacy for students.
- She is author and co-author of a number of publications on best practice in literacy instruction.
- And now she is the founder of 'Teachific' online resources for teachers.
Published Works - Children's Books
- In 1995 Sharon wrote a book for families and their grandparents called 'I Miss You' Koala Books 1995. It won a Notable Book Award as part of the Children's Book Awards in Australia.
- Scholastic Canada helped her publish the innovative Triple Treat resource for Kindergarten classrooms. It has since been distributed by Scholastic in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. All 36 books, writing templates and teaching planning cards are now available online on the Teachific wesbite.
- Sharon worked jointly with Denise Ryan and Associates, Scholastic Canada, Capstone Classrooms, and Teacher Created Materials (TCM) in the US to write over 100 books for young readers which have been distributed worldwide.
- Her most recent series, LEAP! Little Books With Attitude, has won a Learning Magazine award in the U.S. The award title is the '2016 Teachers' Choice Award for a Classroom Program'. The awards honour products of exceptional quality and outstanding performance.
Consultancy in Schools
- Sharon was delighted to work for six years as a literacy consultant in New York schools (from 2001).
- And from 2008 as a literacy consultant in Australian schools.
- In 2011, together with Flinders University in South Australia, she won an Ian Potter Foundation grant to work on the jointly designed 'Choosing to Read' literacy project in two northern region schools in Adelaide, supporting students and teachers in reading improvement.
- In the years following, as part of Cue Learning consultancy, she developed (and is still developing) ongoing, innovative approaches to literacy teaching and learning with leaders and teachers in mostly Australian schools, tailored to their needs.
Teachific and the Future
- Sharon's aim for Teachific is that teachers will form an ongoing professional relationship with her through immediate access to her 'thinking' and very practical resources on the website, online courses, her podcasts and blogs, and Facebook community.
- She hopes to attract those interested in forming a creative, inquiring, connected and engaging approach to literacy teaching and learning