`Read, Lead, Succeed’ theme of Maine conference

Maine authors, noted Maine educators and nationally known writers will highlight the 1990 Maine Reading Association Conference, “Read, Lead, Succeed” on Oct. 5 and 6 at the University of Maine.

Aspirations and reading research will be the focus of this year’s conference, according to Rae Bates, an English teacher at Katahdin High School and conference organizer.

With increased reading problems noted even among high school students, it makes sense to expose educators of all grade levels to the latest thoughts in reading and writing research, Bates said.

The conference will be set up on the scale of New England regional conferences to allow Maine teachers accessibility to the latest research and exposure to several nationally and locally known authors of children’s books, according to Bates.

More than 1,400 teachers and others involved in the art of reading are expected to attend the annual conference, which traditionally is one of the biggest functions in the state to focus on an education issue.

Keynote speakers this year include Beverly Kobrin of Palo Alto, Calif., an educator who wrote “Eyeopeners!” and who developed a program to expose children to non-fiction reading.

Also highlighted will be Lucy Calkins, a professor at Teachers College at Columbia University, who directed a project that enhanced schools for reading and writing throughout New York City.

A chance to mingle with noted children’s authors and illustrators will be offered. The authors include Susan Jeffers of New York and Maine authors Cynthia Voigt, Bruce MacMillan, Deborah Davis, Pam DeVito, Meg Scheid and Jeanne Titherington.

The conference’s focus on aspirations will include alerting teachers about the numerous successful authors of children’s books who live in Maine and who are accessible to local communities and classrooms, Bates said.