Textually Complex Question Writing Training
"It has been a pleasure to work with Andy Larson over the last couple of years. He has helped our teacher candidates learn the complex task of creating higher-order questions that measure a student's understanding of complex text. His sessions have helped our future teachers understand how to engage their future students in higher-level thinking and how to create an environment where students support their peers in the learning process. His workshops have been informative and engaging and have taught our pre-service teachers how to facilitate active reading."
"Andy Larson has been a great resource for our campus. He guided our teachers through the arduous task of writing textually complex, higher order thinking questions. He took us through a full day of training and gave us a process to use that will work with any subject, any grade level, for fiction and non-fiction alike. Building my teachers' capacity is the best investment I can make as a school leader and he has added value to their craft of teaching to allow for this. We at Bonham Elementary highly recommend him."
"Andy Larson has conducted his higher-order thinking, question writing workshop for my pre-service teachers at St. Petersburg College, College of Education, for the past four semesters. His sessions not only exceed the quality and depth of the Florida DOE training on Common Core and question writing, but Andy also truly inspires educators who want to instill a love for reading in all their students. I can see a real difference in the ability to compose higher order thinking questions in the classes he has visited compared to those who have not taken his training. His passion for literacy and rigor are contagious and his workshops are highly engaging, interactive and challenging."
"The impact that Cranium CoRE can have on students is amazing. Who would think that students would literally beg to have to THINK :). This is one of the most challenging programs that I have ever used. In addition, the higher order thinking question writing training that Andy Larson gave our media specialists was rated with the highest possible ratings with comments like: 'This is the best and most meaningful training that I have been to in years.'"
"A year ago I met Andy Larson and he introduced me to his Cranium CoRE ELA based game which caught my interest right away. Andy's enthusiasm for wanting to help students become better readers, who not only comprehend the text but also use the authors words as evidence to support questions is evident within his work. His workshops/presentations are fun, engaging, and exciting for the participants involved. Andy selects texts to meet his audience's needs when presenting and sharing his awe-inspiring game, whether it be professionals or students.
All the evaluations from the PD session he did for the Franklin-Essex-Hamilton BOCES last October were extremely positive. The attendees were very pleased with their day spent with Andy and Cranium CoRE. In my opinion, every district needs to pick up on Cranium CoRE - the evidence has told us that students learn through play and even more so when that play incorporates technology too. As a librarian, what I liked most about Andy's presentation was that he incorporates higher-level thinking skills through play, technology, and books!"
