Foundational Skills for Writing

Having begun her teaching career as a special education teacher, Melanie has been the Elementary Writing and Social Studies Coordinator in Simsbury, Connecticut since 2012, and her passion for writing has led to several books and publications.

Melanie's first book, Every Child Can Write, was published by Corwin Press in October 2019. With a foundational belief that all students can learn to write, this book provides strategies and resources that teachers can use, duplicate, and gather inspiration from. The Responsive Writing Teacher, co-written with Kelsey Sorum, was published in February 2021 and emphasizes the importance of knowing and understanding students across many platforms in order to teach them powerfully. Melanie's most recent book,Answers to Your Biggest Questions About Teaching Elementary Writing, is part of Corwin Press's Five to Thrive Series.

Melanie is also a co-author of Two Writing Teachers, a blog dedicated to the teaching of writing. Additionally, she co-hosts the companion podcast. Melanie's past conference presentations and additional blogs and articles can be found here.

Melanie holds a BA from Cornell University, an MA in Special Education from the University of Hartford, and a second MA in Educational Leadership from Central Connecticut State University. Melanie also has her Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing through the Solstice MFA Program of Pine Manor College.