Phyllis Whitin teaches language arts and children's literature courses at Wayne State University. She has spent twenty-five years working with children in settings ranging from preschool to middle school.Phyllis has a B.A. degree from Bates College, an M.A.T. from the University of New Hampshire, and a Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina. The National Council of Teachers of English named her a finalist for the Promising Researcher Award in 1994 for her doctoral research in visual response to literature.Phyllis' wealth of classroom experience gives her a sensitivity to the demands placed on classroom teachers. Her lively, interactive sessions offer practical activities and strategies… that are based on solid research. She speaks regularly about her classroom work at NCTE, IRA, and NCTM conferences, as well as with other organizations both nationally and internationally.