Haley Barnes and Katy Inman, of the Center for Teaching and Learning in Edgecomb, traveled to Southbury, Connecticut, on April 28th to present to an audience of regional teachers and administrators at the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) Educator Showcase for Independent Schools.

The theme of this year’s conference was “EmpowerED: Where Every Learner Thrives.” The day featured hands-on workshops that showcased innovative practices in creating learning environments that honor the whole child and strengthen the connection between curriculum and communities.

Barnes, CTL’s pre-k teacher, and Inman, CTL’s Head of School, together presented a session titled, “Strategies to Strengthen Literacy Through Active and Inclusive Imaginary Play.” The session shared Barnes’ practice of using picture books to teach friendship and inclusion through simple plays in her early childhood classroom at CTL. She also highlighted how she helps her students with storytelling through the use of loose parts. 

The session invited educators to tap into students’ imaginations and inspire a lifelong love of reading by providing them with the skills and strategies to adapt picture books into classroom plays—and support language development by strengthening vocabulary and early literacy skills. 

This type of rich text-based, story-centered, low-technology approach to literacy is an essential part of the reading curriculum in the older grades at CTL, and Barnes has developed methods for bringing it to the school’s youngest students since CTL added its pre-kindergarten program in the fall of 2024. Her participation in the conference is in keeping with CTL’s role as a demonstration school, where its educators teach other teachers about the literacy methods practiced in Edgecomb.

The strategies Barnes and Inman shared in their presentation were designed to be accessible to diverse learners and make learning feel authentic, meaningful, and joyful.

To learn more about CTL, please visit our website at www.c-t-l.org, or contact CTL’s Head of School, Katy Inman, at katy@c-t-l.org.