Nikki Drury

Literacy Trainer

What I like most about my role within the Center is…

Every day I get to immerse myself in my favorite topic: Literacy!

What I believe in

I believe language is powerful, and when we give students the ability to use language, we empower them to shape the world with their words, learn more about themselves and others, and delight in the pleasures of great literature.

Previous work highlights

Before coming to the Center, I was a classroom teacher and literacy coach.

Favorite book

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

Fun fact

At 10 years old I was the Texas state baton twirling champion.

Education

BS Interdisciplinary Studies, Sam Houston State University

M.Ed. Educational Leadership, Texas A&M

June 23, 2025 Heather Rodman, Literacy Trainer

Beyond Right and Wrong: Cultivating Deep Comprehension Through Teacher Listening

What do you listen for during comprehension conversations? The answer to this question might be the key to facilitating conversations that evoke and foster deep, meaningful, stimulating discourse during whole group, small group, and individual conversations.

June 13, 2025 Linda Murphy, Associate Director of Literacy Programs

AI Prompting with Purpose: 5 Tips for Teachers

AI has been increasingly integrated into our daily lives. As we learn how to use AI in productive ways with students and for instructional planning, an important skill to develop is effective prompting.

May 28, 2025 Wendy Vaulton, Associate Director for Reading Recovery & Early Interventions

Rethinking Reading Proficiency

As educators, our understanding of proficiency shapes the way we teach, assess, and support learners. If we define proficiency narrowly, we risk overlooking not only important aspects of literacy, but the larger purpose of education itself. We seek not only to prepare students to perform well on tests, but to help them build the skills to engage critically with the world around them.