The Windward Institute

A Structured Approach to Solve Addition Math Word Problems
2026-07-21 09:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York)
This workshop is part of the four-day institute Building Structure, Fluency, and Mathematical Reasoning lead by prominent researchers in math instruction. Create a personalized learning experience by attending a single session or the full institute.
This session introduces participants to the principles of schema-based instruction, an approach that helps students make sense of word problems by recognizing underlying mathematical structures rather than relying on superficial keywords. We will explore the major additive problem types, including join, separate, part–part–whole, and compare, and discuss how to guide students in identifying these structures across varied contexts. Participants will learn how to use visual models to represent thinking, support problem comprehension, and strengthen conceptual understanding. The session will also include a brief introduction to worked examples as an effective tool for building clarity and reducing cognitive load as students internalize problem schemas.
Key Learning Objectives:

understand what schema-based instruction is and why it supports deeper mathematical comprehension
identify and explore the four major additive problem types
gain strategies for helping students recognize problem structure rather than relying on keywords
gain practical ways to use visual models to represent thinking and support problem-solving
explore how worked examples can build conceptual clarity and reduce cognitive load for learners

Presenter: Elizabeth Hughes, PhD
Grades: 3-8

Bridging Word Level Skills to Text Comprehension
2026-07-21 09:00 - 12:00 | Westchester Lower School Campus, 1275 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY, 10605, United States
This workshop is part of the two-day literacy institute The Science of Deep Reading: Morphology, Syntax, and Meaning-making. Join us for this individual workshop, join the full institute or mix and match days and to build a personalized experience.
Connect vocabulary and morphology instruction to the comprehension processes students need to construct meaning from complex texts — including making inferences, monitoring understanding, and synthesizing information. You’ll leave with a clear framework for integrating decoding, language, and comprehension into a unified structured literacy approach, along with comprehension scaffolds and strategies ready for immediate classroom use. In the afternoon, in-person attendees will develop a fully planned, ready-to-implement lesson that includes specific teacher actions, a student practice plan, and exemplar student work to inform your feedback — so every student leaves your classroom a more strategic, independent reader.
Key Learning Objectives:

explain key comprehension processes, including making inferences, monitoring understanding, and synthesizing information, and their role in constructing meaning from complex text
apply explicit, systematic instructional routines that support comprehension development
integrate word-level skills (vocabulary, morphology, multisyllabic decoding) into text-based instruction to strengthen overall comprehension
design structured opportunities for student practice and discourse that promote active meaning-making and strategic thinking during reading
develop and refine a comprehensive lesson plan that includes modeling of comprehension strategies, aligned student tasks, and exemplar student responses to guide feedback and assessment

Presenters: Alison Leveque PhD, Dana Carr-Ford, MA, MsEd, Kinjal Nicholls, MA
Audience: Grades 3-8 educators
Way to take the full workshop:

9 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET, virtual

The Power of Structure: Understanding Multiplicative Thinking
2026-07-22 09:00 - 12:00
This workshop is part of the four-day institute Building Structure, Fluency, and Mathematical Reasoning lead by prominent researchers in math instruction. Create a personalized learning experience by attending a single session or the full institute.
This session will deepen participants’ understanding of multiplicative reasoning and how it differs fundamentally from additive reasoning. We will explore key multiplicative structures, including equal groups, comparison situations using “times as many,” arrays and fundamental differences, rate problems, to build a solid conceptual foundation. Participants will examine how students form composite units and why this shift in thinking is essential for fluent multiplication and division. The session will highlight a range of representations that make multiplicative structure visible, supporting stronger reasoning and problem solving. Finally, we will look at worked examples that clearly connect visual models to procedures, helping learners internalize the logic behind efficient strategies.
Key Learning Objectives:

understanding how multiplicative reasoning fundamentally differs from additive reasoning, and why this shift matters for students’ mathematical development
familiarity with major multiplicative structures, including equal groups, “times as many” comparison problems, arrays/area models, and rate situations
insight into how learners build composite units and how to support this critical cognitive move
strategies for using representations that reveal multiplicative structure, helping students see and make sense of relationships
explore worked examples that connect visual models to formal procedures, building conceptual and procedural fluency

Presenter: Jonté Meyers, PhD
Grades: 3-8

The Science of Math: Turning Research into High-Impact Classroom Practices
2026-07-23 09:00 - 12:00
This workshop is part of the four-day institute Building Structure, Fluency, and Mathematical Reasoning lead by prominent researchers in math instruction. Create a personalized learning experience by attending a single session or the full institute.
This workshop covers spaced learning, varied practice types, and information recall, three evidence-based methods to enhance student learning. Educators will receive frameworks and develop a clear understanding of the scientific principles underlying these approaches. Participants will examine cognitive processes that support long-term retention and acquire techniques to deepen students’ understanding and application of math knowledge. Through interactive activities and collaborative planning, educators will learn to incorporate these strategies into mathematics instruction.
Key Learning

explain key cognitive processes related to memory and retention within math concepts
identify and understand the research supported techniques of Spaced learning, Interleaved Practice, and Practice Test Retrieval
analyze how retention strategies can vertically align with 3–8 mathematics instruction
apply evidence-based techniques to authentic classroom scenarios by designing lesson components, tasks, and review routines
gain a toolkit of instructional scaffolds that integrate into math lessons

Presenter: Paul Riccomini, PhD
Grades: 3-8

Designing Powerful Early Literacy Instruction: From Research to Practice
2026-08-11 09:00 | Westchester Lower School Campus, 1275 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY, 10605, United States
This workshop is part of a two-day institute, Foundations for Reading Success: Oral Language to Print. Join us for this individual workshop, join the full institute or mix and match days and to build a personalized experience.
Designed for early childhood educators, it equips participants with evidence-based strategies for building the foundational literacy skills young learners need to succeed. Deepen your understanding of how children develop oral language, vocabulary, and phonemic awareness, and walk away with practical instructional routines, print-rich environment strategies, and structured language practices that support the diverse needs of every learner in your classroom. In the afternoon, put learning into action by planning student-centered activities, including read alouds and games, using ready-to-use templates you can bring back to your classroom immediately.
Key Learning Objectives:

strengthen understanding of the role of oral language in early literacy and learn instructional routines that intentionally build students’ listening and speaking skills

learn and practice evidence-based approaches to vocabulary development

develop and practice instructional routines for phonemic awareness

learn effective teacher modeling and structured language scaffolds to demonstrate thinking, support student participation, and build students’ confidence using academic language

gain templates to plan read alouds and games to encourage and enhance oral language

Presenters: Kinjal Nicholls, MA; Dana Carr-Ford, MA, MsEd
Grades: PreK-2
Location: Hybrid
Credits: CTLE credits – 6 hours per full-day workshop, 3 hours per morning session
Participate in-person (9 a.m.–3 p.m. ET) on our Westchester Lower School campus or virtually (9 a.m.–12 p.m. ET) Flexible options designed to fit your schedule.

2 Day Literacy Institute – Foundations for Reading Success: Oral Language to Print
2026-08-11 09:00 - 2026-08-12 15:00 | Westchester Lower School Campus, 1275 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY, 10605, United States
This immersive two-day institute gives educators a deep dive into the building blocks of literacy — oral language, vocabulary, and phonemic awareness — all grounded in the latest reading research. You’ll leave with a toolkit of routines that connect sounds to print, supporting students’ early reading and writing development through explicit, engaging instruction. Through game-based learning and hands-on practice, you’ll gain strategies that make foundational literacy skills accessible and exciting for every young learner. Walk away ready to implement purposeful literacy instruction that builds confident, capable readers from the ground up.
Day 1: Designing Powerful Early Literacy Instruction: From Research to Practice
This workshop equips early childhood educators with evidence-based strategies for building the foundational literacy skills young learners need to succeed. Deepen your understanding of how children develop oral language, vocabulary, and phonemic awareness — and walk away with practical instructional routines, print-rich environment strategies, and structured language practices that support the diverse needs of every learner in your classroom. In the afternoon, put learning into action by planning student-centered activities — including read alouds and games — using ready-to-use templates you can bring back to your classroom immediately.
Key Learning Objectives:

strengthen understanding of the role of oral language in early literacy and learn instructional routines that intentionally build students’ listening and speaking skills
learn and practice evidence-based approaches to vocabulary development
develop and practice instructional routines for phonemic awareness
learn effective teacher modeling and structured language scaffolds to demonstrate thinking, support student participation, and build students’ confidence using academic language
In-person attendees gain templates to plan read alouds and games to encourage and enhance oral language

Day 2: From Sounds to Print: Integrating Phonological Awareness, Reading, and Writing
Building on Day 1, this session helps educators translate research into engaging, print-based classroom practices — connecting sounds to print through game-based activities for early reading approaches that support decoding and meaning-making, and developmentally appropriate approaches to building the gross and fine motor skills essential for early writing. Leave with a fully planned, print-based literacy activity that integrates phonological awareness, early reading, and writing, ready for immediate classroom implementation.
Key Learning Objectives:

strengthen early foundational skills instruction by implementing routines that build sound–spelling knowledge, including letter identification
apply phonemic awareness skills to print-based activities that support early reading development
learn and implement early reading strategies that support decoding and meaning-making
develop and practice instructional approaches that support early writing skills
In-person attendees design integrated literacy activities that connect reading, writing, and play, including planning a print-based lesson that incorporates phonological awareness, early reading, and writing

Date: June 24th-June 25th (2 Days), 9:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. ET
Presenters: Kinjal Nicholls, MA; Dana Carr-Ford, MA, MsEd
Grades: PreK-2
Credits: CTLE credits – 5 hours per full-day workshop
There are two ways to take the full institute:

2 full days 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., ET in-person at our Westchester Lower School campus
2 mornings, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET, virtual

Browse individual workshops to register by session.

From Sounds to Print: Integrating Phonological Awareness, Reading, and Writing
2026-08-12 09:00 | Westchester Lower School Campus, 1275 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY, 10605, United States
This workshop is part of a two-day institute, Foundations for Reading Success: Oral Language to Print. Join us for this individual workshop, join the full institute or mix and match days to build a personalized experience.
This session helps educators translate research into engaging, print-based classroom practices — connecting sounds to print through game-based activities for early reading approaches that support decoding and meaning-making, and developmentally appropriate approaches to building the gross and fine motor skills essential for early writing. Leave with a fully planned, print-based literacy activity that integrates phonological awareness, early reading, and writing, ready for immediate classroom implementation.
Key Learning Objectives:

strengthen early foundational skills instruction by implementing routines that build sound–spelling knowledge, including letter identification
apply phonemic awareness skills to print-based activities that support early reading development
learn and implement early reading strategies that support decoding and meaning-making
develop and practice instructional approaches that support early writing skills
design integrated literacy activities that connect reading, writing, and play, including planning a print-based lesson that incorporates phonological awareness, early reading, and writing

Presenters: Kinjal Nicholls, MA; Dana Carr-Ford, MA, MsEd
Grades: PreK-2
Location: Hybrid
Credits: CTLE credits – 6 hours per full-day workshop, 3 hours per morning session
Participate in-person (9 a.m.–3 p.m. ET) on our Westchester Lower School campus or virtually (9 a.m.–12 p.m. ET) Flexible options designed to fit your schedule.

Expository Writing Instruction Summer 2026
2026-08-18 09:00 - 2026-08-20 14:30 | Westchester Lower School Campus, 1275 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY, 10605, United States
Date: August 18, 19, and 20, 2026, 9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. ET
Instructor: Betsy MacDermott-Duffy, MsEd & Ann Spataro, MsEd.
Grades: K-12
Location: In-person at the Windward Westchester Lower School Campus in White Plains, NY or virtual
Price: $650.00
Credentials: 16.5 Approved CTLE Hours
Description:
Expectations to meet rigorous writing standards begin in the early grades and extend through high school. In this course, Betsy M. Duffy, MS Ed, Special Projects Advisor to the Windward Institute, will present strategies for teaching expository writing in all content areas in grades K through 12.
This prominent writing program, developed at The Windward School, is based on large statistical research studies for best practices in writing and utilizes strategies outlined in publications such as the Elementary and Secondary Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Practice Guides (Graham, et al.). Approaches from Teaching Basic Writing Skills (TBWS): Strategies for Effective Expository Writing Instruction by Judith C. Hochman and TBWS Templates by Betsy MacDermott-Duffy are incorporated with findings from Writing to Read: Evidence for How Writing Can Improve Reading (Graham & Hebert, 2010) and “Effectiveness of Literacy Programs Balancing Reading and Writing Instruction: A Meta-analysis” (Graham et al., 2017). This writing program can be implemented in general education and special education classrooms across grade K through 12.
Key Learning Objectives:

learn specific evidence-based techniques to add structure, coherence, and clarity to students’ expository writing
identify instructional guidelines for developing complex sentences, outlining, writing paragraphs and compositions, and revising and editing
gain examples that explicitly demonstrate how to teach foundational and organizational skills necessary to write an argumentative essay
develop an overview of how to plan an expository reading lesson as springboard to writing
