Kelsey Sorum spends each day co-constructing joyful, integrated literacy experiences alongside nearly thirty kindergartners at a progressive public school in the Brooklyn neighborhood where she lives. Kelsey teaches in a classroom that uses the Integrated Co-Teaching model. Kelsey’s teaching career began almost ten years ago in Madison, WI. A passion for literacy and interest in action-research inspired her to move to NYC, where she taught for three years at a TCRWP model literacy school.
Kelsey believes the classroom is a laboratory for learning, where co-constructed curriculum is purposeful, integrated, and rooted in inquiry, talk, and play. Kelsey values the powerful voices of young children and believes literacy, when taught with equity at the forefront, is a tool for liberation — for being heard, developing empathy, and strengthening identity.
Kelsey began writing on her personal blog, Small Steps, then as a co-author of the award-winning blog, Two Writing Teachers. Kelsey’s work is featured in Kids First From Day 1, by Christine Hertz and Kristine Mraz, and Welcome to Writing Workshop, by Lynne Dorfman and Stacey Shubitz. Kelsey presents at local and national literacy conferences as an advocate for early childhood education.
Kelsey co-authored, with Melanie Meehan, her first book: The Responsive Writing Teacher, which will be released in March, 2021 with Corwin Literacy.
Kelsey Sorum 