Jarred

Amato

Award-Winning Teacher

Author & Literacy Activist

Travels from: Newark, NJ

“Time and time again, Jarred Amato has proven himself to be an educator who successfully manages to get the most reluctant of students to choose reading and engagement with literature over myriad other forms of entertainment. In Just Read It, we get an inside view of his methods and practices presented in ways that are easy to emulate. This book should be required reading for every middle- and high school ELA teacher.” — Nic Stone

Dr. Jarred Amato is an award-winning English teacher, the author of Just Read It: Unlocking the Magic of Independent Reading in Middle and High School Classrooms, and the co-founder of Project LIT Community, a grassroots literacy movement. Jarred is an avid reader and writer who enjoys collaborating with fellow educators to improve literacy access, attitudes, and outcomes in our schools and communities. Dr. Amato is a two-time MNPS Blue Ribbon teacher and the recipient of the Penguin Random House Teacher Award for Literacy and the Nashville Public Education Foundation Inspiring Educator Award. He received his B.A. in English and History from Vanderbilt University, his M.A.T. from Belmont University, and his Ed.D. from Lipscomb University. After teaching middle and high school English for 13 years in Tennessee, Dr. Amato recently relocated to New Jersey, where he and his wife are attempting to keep up with their two boys.

Jarred's Featured Titles

Just Read It: Unlocking the Magic of Independent Reading in Middle and High School Classrooms (Corwin Literacy)

Corwin |

March 1, 2024

Education & Teaching

Read widely and read often – create a classroom environment where independent reading thrives

Independent reading is more than just “drop everything and read” – it is a gateway to writing, critical thinking, discussion, and deeper learning. Author Jarred Amato, an accomplished middle and high school English teacher and founder of Project LIT Community, believes in the power of independent reading not only to turn around the reading attitudes of students but also to help them achieve huge gains in all areas of literacy, learning, and civic engagement.

Many teachers have pushed aside independent reading in the time crunch to teach all the content and skills in the curriculum ― or because of pressure to stay true to a traditional literary canon. Instead of looking at it as either/or, Just Read It shows teachers how to make independent reading “yes, and.” Dr. Amato’s Read and WRAP (write, reflect, analyze, participate) framework helps teachers cultivate meaningful learning experiences with daily dedication of independent reading time, followed by writing, reflection, conversation, and community-building lessons and activities.

With thoughtful, student-centered structures and strategies to sustain independent reading success, this book

Provides detailed insights on transforming the principles of access, choice, time, and community into actions
Shows how to support student interests and varied reading levels
Offers ready-to-go activities to initiate Read and WRAP routines at the start of the school year, keep momentum going, and finish the year strong to ensure continued literacy growth
Demonstrates how to leverage student feedback to fine-tune the Read and WRAP routines
Discusses various options for incorporating independent and whole-class novels into the curriculum
Offers a game plan to “level up” IR, including how to launch and lead a Project LIT chapter

We live in a time when choosing what we read is critically important, and this book offers all the tools teachers need to guide students along the path to true literacy. Just Read It is perfect for anyone who believes in the power of books to change students’ lives and nurture a life-long love for reading.

Academics & Education, Creative Nonfiction, Kid-Lit: Middle Grade, Kid-Lit: Young Adult, Nonfiction

Just Read It

Educator and author Dr. Jarred Amato will reflect on his literacy journey and reveal how he continues to refine his game plan, particularly in today’s algorithmic age, to reach readers of all ages – one book and one conversation at a time. Specifically, Jarred will touch on the big ideas – including the independent reading (Read and WRAP) framework, Article of the Week protocol, poetry, authentic grammar and vocabulary instruction, and more – from his book, Just Read It: Unlocking the Magic of Independent Reading in Middle and High School Classrooms.

Maximizing our Literacy Block

As middle and high school literacy educators, we want to do ALL the things: independent reading, whole-class novels, nonfiction/informational texts, grammar, vocabulary, poetry analysis, writer’s workshop, and so much more. Join Dr. Jarred Amato as we explore how to structure our ELA block – from a daily, weekly, and yearlong lens. Specifically, Dr. Amato will provide concrete strategies and resources in order to empower and engage all students as readers, writers, and critical thinkers from the first day of the school year to the last.

Cultivating a Schoolwide Literacy Culture

In this collaborative breakout session, Dr. Jarred Amato is excited to share the Project LIT Community journey and provide ideas and inspiration on a wide range of topics: developing a classroom and schoolwide literacy culture, strengthening teacher/librarian partnerships, launching and/or elevating book clubs, increasing book access, empowering student leaders, strengthening family and community engagement, and more.

“Jarred Amato was a hit!. . . They said, “Loved him, very inspiring”, “wish he had more time to speak”, “I loved him. I got his book and hope to do a staff read with it.” He was generous with his time and signed for attendees as long as it took. He spoke with the other authors in attendance, had lunch with us and engaged with everyone.” — NC School Library Media Assoc (NCSLMA), 2025

“On behalf of the Middle School Reading/English Language Arts Department, | want to extend our heartfelt gratitude for your inspiring keynote address at our 2024 Prince George’s County Public School’s Summer Literacy Institute. Your presentation on your book, Just Read It: Unlocking the Magic of Independent Reading in Middle and High School Classrooms, was not only enlightening but also profoundly motivating for our educators. Your passion for fostering a love of reading and your innovative approaches to improving literacy outcomes resonated deeply with everyone in attendance. Your dedication to enhancing literacy access and attitudes, as well as your experiences from Project LIT Community, provided invaluable insights and practical strategies that we are eager to implement in our classrooms. The feedback from our teachers has been overwhelmingly positive, highlighting how your ideas have reinvigorated their enthusiasm for independent reading and their commitment to creating engaging literacy environments for their students. We greatly appreciate you taking the time to share your expertise and personal experiences with us, and we wish you continued success in your endeavors in New Jersey and your two boys. Your work has left a lasting impression, and we look forward to staying connected through your newsletter and following your future contributions to the field of education. Thank you once again for your generosity and inspiration.” — Prince George’s County Public School, 2024

Jarred’s Substack Link

Just Read It Goodreads Link

Honors, Awards & Recognition

Just Read It: Unlocking the Magic of Independent Reading in Middle and High School Classrooms achieved Corwin’s Bestseller status
Recipient of the Penguin Random House Teacher Award for Literacy
Two-time MNPS Blue Ribbon teacher
Recipient of the Nashville Public Education Foundation Inspiring Educator Award