Staff Presentations and Publications

Innovation teacher Sam Gerlach led a workshop entitled "The Day You Begin: What it Means to Feel Safe Being You" at the Elementary School Diversity Day hosted by the Greater Philadelphia Diversity Collaborative, April 22, 2023.

Beginning with a read-aloud of The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson, students explored inclusion vs. exclusion. Sam raised the following questions: How can they welcome new people into their classrooms, communities, and their friend groups? What does it mean to feel safe being you? How can you help others feel safe? What does "safe" look like at school? Who to turn to when you aren’t feeling safe? What does a safe community look, sound, and feel like? Sam led the discussion with an additional art activity. 

Members of our 6th grade teaching team—Dr. Heather Warley, Melissa Savage, Ruth Kelemen, Laura Sahlin, and Lisa Grieco—presented at the at the PAMLE (Pennsylvania Association of Middle Level Educators) conference in February 2023. Their topic was "Unlocking Empathy: How to Empower Students to Create Meaningful Change using the Design Thinking Process."

Dr. Eric MacDonald represented Benchmark at the 52nd annual Keystone State Literacy Association conference, October 30-November 1, in Hershey, PA.

The Keystone State Literacy Association, the state chapter of the International Literacy Association (ILA), is a professional organization of educators and others working to support literacy educators, improve literacy instruction and provide community service to promote literacy throughout Pennsylvania.

Dr. MacDonald, a past president of the organization, currently serves as the ILA Coordinator, representing ILA in Pennsylvania, planning leadership development and support for local council leaders, along with serving in strategic planning, governance and advising capacities.

At the conference, he had the pleasure of recognizing councils who had earned awards from ILA for their many activities in promoting literacy and instruction at the annual awards luncheon.

Cunicelli, E., Gensemer, E., and MacDonald, E. (October 2016) Presented at the 49th Annual Keystone State Reading Association (KSRA) Conference at Seven Springs Mountain Resort. Gensemer and MacDonald presented Technology Changes Literacy Learning: Sharing A Few of Our Favorite Apps and Tools  and Cunicelli presented Readers and Writers as Innovators.
 
MacDonald, E. (April 2016) Represented the United States at the International Literacy Association's (ILA) ILA Global Network Task Force in Frankfurt, Germany. The task force consists of representatives from seven regions that encompass ILA's network of 81 partner associations from around the world, the ILA vice president, several board members, and ILA staff. 
 
Gaskins, R.W. (April 2016). Developing Deep Understanding of Narrative and Expository Texts: The Action Cycle Approach. Presented at the Cooper Learning Center's Third Annual Dyslexia Conference ("Facets of Dyslexia") in Stratford, NJ. 
 
Hurster, T. [along with Aronson, S., Pojman, A.; and Stone, T.] (February 2016). Contemporary Adolescent Group Psychotherapy:  Method, Madness, and the Fun (a day-long course). Presented at the American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA) Conference in New York, NY. 
 
MacDonald, E. (January 2016). Tech Tools for Literacy and Learning: Choosing and Using Technology with Struggling Learners. Presented at the Chester County Reading Association January Conference in Downingtown, PA.

Gensemer, E., MacDonald, E., and Rahm, M. (October 2015). Re-imagining Literacy Instruction: What's Technology Have To Do With It? Presented at the Keystone Reading Association Conference in Lancaster, PA.
 
Gaskins, R.W. (October 2015). Facilitating Deep Comprehension in Language Arts, Social Studies, and Beyond: The Action Cycle Approach. Presented at the 37th Annual Pennsylvania Branch of the International Dyslexia Association in Strafford, PA.
 
Hurster, T. (October 2015). Ethically Informed Group Psychotherapy.  Presented for the Philadelphia Area Group Pscyhotherapy Association.
 
Hurster, T. [along with Aronson, S., Pojman, A.; and Stone, T.] (February 2015). Contemporary Adolescent Group Psychotherapy:  Method, Madness, and the Fun (a day-long course). Presented at the American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA) Conference in San Francisco, CA. 

Gensemer, E. and MacDonald, E. (May 2014). Teaching middle school students to be meta-cognitive in their literacy learning. Presented at the International Reading Association Annual Conference in New Orleans, LA.

Hurster, T. (March 2014). Adolescent Group Psychotherapy in the Age of Social Media: Some Ethical Dilemmas. Presented at the American Group Psychotherapy Association Annual Meeting in Boston, MA.

MacDonald, E. (May 2014). Tech tools for struggling learners. Presented at the Technology in Literacy Education Special Interest Group Session of the International Reading Association Annual Conference in New Orleans, LA.

MacDonald, E. (May 2013) Scaffolding Literacy Learning Through Collaborative Web Tools. Presented at the International Reading Association Annual Convention, Technology in Education Special Interest Group Round Table.

MacDonald, E. (April 2013). Digital Literacy Learning: Tech Tools for Collaboration and Social Interaction. Presented at the Association of Delaware Valley of Independent Schools, Technology Group in Media, PA.

Gensemer, E.W. and Rahm, M. (2013). Individualizing Fluency Practice Using Technology. Presented at the Keystone State Reading Association Annual Conference.

Gaskins, R.W., Nehring, A. and Solic, K. (December 2013). How would that change the context?: The effects of a conceptually based framework on the depth of thinking of struggling readers during literature discussions. Presented at the 63rd Annual Literacy Research Association Conference in Dallas, TX.

Hurster, T. (March 2013). Social Media and Adolescent Group Psychotherapy.  Presented at the American Group Psychotherapy Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA. 

MacDonald, E. (December 2012). Using Goodreads.com for Online Book Discussions. Presented at the Philadelphia Reading Council in Philadelphia, PA.
 
Hurster, T. (March 2012). Social Media and Adolescent Group Psychotherapy. Presented at the American Group Psychotherapy Annual Meeting in New York, NY.

Gaskins, R.W., and Nehring, A. (May 2012). Helping students understand why characters do what they do: Using the Action Cycle Approach in literature discussion groups. Presented at the 57th Annual International Reading Association Conference in Chicago, IL.

Hurster, T. (April 2011). Psychotherapy in the Age of Facebook: Some Ethical Dilemmas. The Keefer and Keefer Lecture in Humanities presented at Beloit College, Beloit, WI.
 
Hurster, T. (March 2011). Privacy and the New Media: Ethical Liability, and Clinical Issues in Contemporary Adolescent Group Psychotherapy. Presented at the American Group Psychotherapy Association Annual Meeting in New York, NY.

MacDonald, E. (April 2011). Teaching Reading in a Web 2.0 World. Presented at the Philadelphia Reading Council in Philadelphia, PA.

Gaskins, R. W., and Gaskins, I.W. (May 2011). A research-based approach to content-area instruction that addresses motivation, vocabulary and comprehension. Presented at the 56 Annual international Reading Association Conference in Orlando, FL.

Gaskins, I.W., and Gaskins, R.W. (April 2010). The intersection between content vocabulary and comprehension for struggling readers. Presented at the 55th Annual International Reading Association Conference, in Chicago, IL.

Gaskins, R.W. (October 2010) The future is unknown, but your child's success doesn't have to be. Presented at Benchmark School as part of the West Family 40th Anniversary Speaker Series in Media, PA.

Gaskins, R.W. (March 2010). Helping struggling readers take control of their own learning. Presented at the Rose Tree Optimists' Club in Media, PA

Gaskins, R.W., and Galloway, E.P. (December 2009). Facilitating students' understanding of expository texts in social studies: Applying an instructional approach centered on the Essential Understandings and Action Cycle. Presented at the 59th National Reading Conference in Albuquerque, NM.

Gaskins, R.W., Gaskins, I.W., Rahm, M., North, S., Morris J., and Galloway, E.P. (May 2009). Facilitating struggling readers' engagement and deep understanding as they interact with narrative and expository texts. Presented at the 54th Annual International Reading Association Conference in Minneapolis, MN.

Gaskins, R.W. (February 2009) Improving Struggling Readers' Understanding of Narrative and Expository Texts. Presented at the 54th Annual International Reading Association Conference West in Phoenix, AR.

Gaskins, R.W., and Galloway, E.P. (December 2008). Why did they do that?!: Making sense of human history through the essential understanding. Presented at the 58th National Reading Conference in Orlando, FL.

Gaskins, R.W., Satlow, E., and Gaskins, I.W. (November 2007). Essential Understanding: An Alternative Way to Integrate Conceptually-Based Instruction and Literacy Strategies. Presented at the 57th National Reading Conference in Austin, TX.

Gaskins, I.W., Gaskins, R.W., and Satlow, E. (July 2006). Organizing the Science and Social Studies Curriculum - The Role of Literacy. Presented at the Literacy Institute, National Geographic School Publishing and Literacy Achievement Research Center in Washington, D.C.

Warley, H. (2022). Sixth Grade Capstone Projects: Supporting Executive Function Skills through Design Thinking [White paper]. Benchmark School. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NUA060CCK1tnCp36qspS4YEjJBlYHPIB/view

Hurster, T. (2017). Ethically Informed Group Practice. Handbook of Child and Adolescent Group Therapy: A Practitioner's Reference: New York: Routledge. 
 
MacDonald, E. (December 2014). Literacy Learning and Technology: Why BYOD may not be the answer. Reading Today Online. International Reading Association.
 
MacDonald, E.(October 2014).Choosing effective technology tools for struggling learners. In Technology in Literacy Education Newsletter. Special  Interest Group of the International Reading Association.
 
Gaskins, R.W. (2013). Teaching vocabulary in social studies (without even trying): The Action Cycle Approach. In C. Blachowicz, P. Fisher, D.Ogle, & S. Watts-Taffe, Teaching Academic Vocabulary K-8: Effective Practices Across the Curriculum (pp. 92-96) New York: Guilford Press.

Newton, K. J., and Sands, J. (2012). Why don't we just divide across? Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 17 (6), 340-345.
 
Gaskins. R. W. (2011). Helping students understand expository text about history by applying the Action Cycle Approach. In J. Paratore and R. L. McCormack (Eds.), After early intervention, then what? Teaching struggling readers in grade 3 and beyond (2nd ed.) (pp. 162-185). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Gaskins, I.W. (2011). Interventions to develop decoding proficiencies. In A. McGill-Franzen & R. Allington (Eds.), Handbook of reading disabilities (pp.289-306). New York: Routledge.
Gaskins, I.W., & Galloway, E.P. (2010). Beyond strategy instruction: Looking at person, situation, task, and text variables. In J. Collins & T. Gunning (Eds.), Building struggling students' higher level literacy: Practical ideas, powerful solutions. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Ehri, L.C., Satlow, E., & Gaskins, I.W. (2009). Grapho-phonemic enrichment strengthens keyword analogy instruction for struggling young readers, Reading & Writing Quarterly, 25, 162-191.

Pressley, M., Duke, N. K., Gaskins, I. W., Fingeret, L., Halladay, J., Hilden, K., et al. (2009). Working with struggling readers: Why we must get beyond the Simple View of Reading and visions of how it might be done. In T. Gutkin & C. R. Reynolds (Eds.), The Handbook of School Psychology (4th ed.) (pp.522-554). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Gaskins, I.W. (2008). Developing cognitive flexibility in word reading among beginning and struggling readers. In K. Cartwright (Ed.), Literacy processes: Cognitive flexibility in learning and teaching (90-113). New York: Guilford Press.

Gaskins, I.W. (2008). Strategy instruction. In E. Anderman & L. Anderman (Eds.), Psychology of classroom learning: An encyclopedia. Farmington, MI: Gale.

Gaskins, I.W. (2008). Ten tenets of motivation for teaching struggling readers--And the rest of the class. In R. Fink & S. J. Samuels (Eds.), Inspiring reading success: Interest and motivation in an age of high-stakes testing (pp. 98-116). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Gaskins, I.W., & Labov, L.D. (2007). Diverse perspectives on helping young children build important foundational language and print skills: A review of Handbook of Early Literacy Research, Vol. 2, Reading Research Quarterly, 42 (3).

Gaskins, I.W., & Pressley, M. (2007). Teaching metacognitive strategies that address executive function processes within a school wide curriculum. In L. Meltzer (Ed.), Executive function in education: From theory to practice (261-286). New York: Guilford Press.

Gaskins, I.W., Satlow, E., & Pressley, M. (2007). Executive control of reading comprehension in the elementary school. In L. Meltzer (Ed.), Executive function in education: From theory to practice (194-215). New York: Guilford Press.

Pressley, M., Gaskins, I.W., & Fingeret, L. (2006). Instruction and development of reading fluency in struggling readers. In. S. Samuels & A. Farstrup (Eds.), What research has to say about fluency instruction (47-69). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Pressley, M., & Gaskins, I.W. (2006). Metacognitively competent reading comprehension is constructively responsive reading: How can such reading be developed in students? Metacognition Learning, 1, 99-113.

Pressley, M., Gaskins, I.W., Solic, K., & Collins, S. (2006). A portrait of Benchmark School: How a school produces high achievement in students who previously failed. Journal of Educational Psychology, 98, 282-306.2001-2005

Gaskins, I.W. (2005). Success with struggling readers: The Benchmark School approach. NY: Guilford Press. Gaskins, I.W. (2004). Word Detectives. Educational Leadership, 61, 70-72.

Gaskins, I.W. (2004). Professional development at Benchmark School. In D. Strickland & M. Kamil (Eds.), Improving reading achievement through professional development (pp. 195-212). Norwood, MA:Christopher-Gordon Publishers.

Gaskins, I.W. (2003). A multidimensional approach to beginning literacy. In D.M. Barone & L.M. Morrow (Eds.), Literacy and young children: Research-based practices (pp. 45-60). NY: Guilford Press.

Gaskins, I.W. (2003). Taking charge of reader, text, activity, and context variables. In A. Sweet & C. Snow (Eds.).Rethinking reading comprehension (141-165). NY: Guilford Press.

Gaskins, I.W., Gensemer, E.W., & Six, L. (2003). Tailoring a middle school language arts class to meet the needs of struggling readers. In R. McCormack & J. Paratore (Eds.), After early intervention, then what? Teaching struggling readers in grades 3 and beyond. Newark, DE: IRA.

Gaskins, I.W., Laird, S.R., O'Hara, C., Scott, T., & Cress, C. (2002). Helping struggling readers make sense of reading. In C. Block, L. Gambrell, & M. Pressley (Eds.), Improving comprehension instruction: Rethinking research, theory, and classroom practice (370-383). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 1996-2000

Gaskins, I.W. (2000). What will classrooms and schools look like in the new millennium. Reading Research Quarterly, 35, 132-134.
Gaskins, I.W. (1999). A multidimensional reading program. The Reading Teacher, 53, 162-164.

Gaskins, R.W. (1999). "Adding Legs to a Snake": A reanalysis of motivation and the pursuit of happiness from a Zen Buddhist perspective. Journal of Educational Psychology, 91, 204-215.

Gaskins, I.W. (1998). A beginning literacy program for at-risk and delayed readers. In J. Metsala & L. Ehri (Eds.), Word recognition in beginning literacy (pp. 209-232). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Gaskins, I.W. (1998). There's more to teaching at-risk and delayed readers than good reading instruction. The Reading Teacher, 51, 534-547.

Gaskins, R.W. (1998). "Leap into the boundless...": Teacher freedom and philosophies of teaching. Journal of Literacy Research, 30, 143-161.

Gaskins, R.W. (1998). Free as a butterfly. Journal of Literacy Research, 30, 172-176.

Gaskins, I.W., Ehri, L.C., Cress, C., O'Hara, C., & Donnelly, K. (1997). Analyzing words and making discoveries about the alphabetic system: Activities for beginning readers. Language Arts, 74, 172-184.

Gaskins, R.W. (1997). The transformation of things: A reanalysis of Chuang Tzu's Butterfly Dream. Journal of Chinese Philosophy, 24, 107-122.

Gaskins, R.W., & Gaskins, I.W. (1997). Creating readers who read for meaning and love to read. The Benchmark School reading program. In S.A. Stahl & D.A. Hayes (Eds.), Instructional models in reading (pp.131-159). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Gaskins, I.W., Rauch, S., Gensemer, E., Cunicelli, E., O'Hara, C., Six, L., & Scott, T. (1997). Scaffolding the development of intelligence among children who are delayed in learning to read. In K. Hogan & M. Pressley (Eds.), Scaffolding student learning: Instructional approaches & issues (pp. 43-73). Cambridge, MA:Brookline Books.

Gaskins, I.W. (1997). Teaching the delayed reader: The Benchmark School model. In J. Flood, S. Heath, & D. Lapp (Eds.), Handbook of research on teaching literacy through the communicative and visual arts (pp.677-687). New York: Macmillan.

Gaskins, I.W., Ehri, L.C., Cress, C., O'Hara, C., & Donnelly, K. (1996-1997). Procedures for word learning: Making discoveries about words. The Reading Teacher, 50, 312-327.

Gaskins, R.W. (1996). "...That's just how it was": The effect of issue-related emotional involvement on reading comprehension. Reading Research Quarterly, 31 (4), 386-405.1991-1995

Gaskins, R.W., Gaskins, I.W., Anderson, R.C., & Schommer, M. (1995). The reciprocal relationship between research and development: An example involving a decoding strand for poor readers. Journal of Reading Behavior, 27, 337-377.