Julianna Moffitt, a Special Education Teacher at Primary Hall Preparatory Charter School (NY), has been named the Open Up Resources Teacher of the Month for October 2023. Moffitt is being recognized for her outstanding work in her classroom and ongoing support of teachers across the country as a member of the Open Up Resources National Professional Learning Community.

Moffitt’s work with Bookworms K–5 Reading and Writing makes her one of the most innovative teachers in the country. The Bookworms K–5 Reading and Writing curriculum inspires a new way of teaching language arts by engaging students through compelling, real-world content to build equitable and inclusive learning opportunities.

Maddie Loeb, a colleague at Primary Hall Preparatory Charter School, nominated Moffitt for her dedication to the growth of her students with Bookworms. Loeb shared, “Ms. Moffitt is piloting Bookworms for our school as we prepare to launch Bookworms in full next year. She has done it all on her own, getting other teachers excited about the program along the way. It has been a joy to see Bookworms in her classroom and we are so proud of her hard work and the growth she is helping her students achieve!”

Moffitt shared her favorite thing about the Bookworms K–5 Reading & Writing curriculum. She told us, “I love the shared reading routine and how involved the students are each step of the lesson. Engagement in lessons skyrocketed and I saw so much growth in my students.”

And she offered some insight for those thinking about trying Bookworms: “This curriculum is set up to let you focus on the teaching. Routines are set, content is set, and teachers can do what they do best – meet the needs of the students in front of them without spending hours and hours searching for and/or developing their own resources.”

Open Up Resources is a non-profit on a mission to increase equity in education by making excellent, top-rated curricula freely available to districts. You can learn more at www.openupresources.org.