Coon Camden Early Childhood Center Principal Carol Coon said a good way for a school to attain the best educational tools for its students is to host a seminar and inv ite top-notch speakers to share their ideas and resources. Through such an event, she explained, the host school's teachers can receive the latest available information and resources for free. By knowing the best ways to teach, teachers can then help students achieve more.

For those two reasons, Delphi Community School Corporation recently hosted the first annual Literacy Academy at DCHS. Coon said the 40 DCSC teachers in attendance were joined by approximately 150 more from central and northern Indiana public schools.

Coon said the conference was aimed at improving elementary students' reading and writing skills by equipping teachers to focus on individualized instruction and guided reading.

"Individualized instruction and guided reading are excellent ways to teach children," Coon said. "To be able to host this conference is a great opportunity for our own students and teachers to gain valuable information on the topic. Our teachers were able to listen to great speakers and educators and share resources and ideas among teachers from other schools at no cost. Our students will benefit because these teachers took part in the conference."

She explained research showed students learned better when provided books and writing assignments which more closely matched their current abilities. Some students, she said, might be in second grade but are reading at a fourth grade level. Other students may struggle to read even at their own grade's requirements. Coon said through individualized instruction teachers will be able to help students find their correct reading and writing levels which would help them improve faster.

Speakers during the twoday event discussed topics including interactive writing, grammar and editing in context, having fun with the writing process, fluency and vocabulary, meeting the needs of all learners through individualized instruction and frameworks for intervention among others. Attendees spent time in work groups to share, discuss and build resources.

DCSC Superintendent Ralph Walker said Lebanon schools hosted the conference for six years while he was superintendent there, but dropped the program after he left. He said that provided DCSC with a great opportunity.

"By hosting such an event, our own teachers gain valuable resources at no cost," he explained. "It also brings attention to the school from across the state. Most importantly, students will receive the best education we know how to give."