Deborah Jurkowitz   Director of Special Projects

Deborah Jurkowitz oversees LitLife's special projects. This work currently consists of curriculum creation for a pilot program involving parents and their children, helping them become more comfortable reading together.

In her work as a LitLife Team Leader, Deb consults with middle and high school teachers, individually or in groups, and also enjoys the opportunity to model that work in the classroom. Her literacy work is guided by a commitment to helping all students discover their voice through effective tools and strategies, an understanding of craft and purpose, and exposure to rich texts in a variety of forms and genres.

In past years, Deb was involved in creating and synthesizing the workshop model with strong and integrated preparation for statewide exams that are part of a yearlong curriculum. She has worked with teachers and students on diverse units of study ranging from ELA test prep, the short story, and revision. Her in-depth knowledge of editing and revision comes from extensive editorial experience in the publishing world, as does her love of language and her emphasis on the importance of word choice and the writing process itself.

Deb's most recent work in schools has focused on providing specific and comprehensive strategies for struggling writers and readers, and creating supportive structures, assessments, and effective conferring techniques for their teachers.