Nichole Wilson
AP® English Literature Educator & College Board Consultant
ELA Department Chair, William Mason High School
Nichole Wilson has taught AP® English Literature and English 4 at William Mason High School in Cincinnati for 28 years. As an ELA Department Chair, a Teacher Leader Liaison and Ambassador for the state of Ohio, and a former co-chair of the Ohio Teacher Leadership Summit teacher committee, she is deeply committed to educational leadership.
She serves as an AP® English Literature Consultant, Mentor, Exam Reader, and Exam Table Leader, and has contributed to literature textbooks, including the Bedford Literature and Composition Teacher Edition (3rd). She is currently working on instructional planning activities for the Fourth Edition, finding great joy in re-reading texts such as Fences by August Wilson, The Awakening by Kate Chopin, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, as well as many new poems, short stories, and plays.
Having taught abroad through the J. William Fulbright program at East Norfolk Sixth Form College in England, and with prior experience as a journalist and a Public Relations Director, she brings a wealth of diverse perspectives to her work.
Beyond the AP® classroom, she cares deeply about preparing students for the interdisciplinary and collaborative thinking they’ll encounter well beyond high school.
Presentations and Collaborations
7 recent sessions at national and state gatherings, presented with 7 fellow educators and authors.
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Annual Convention
November 2026
- What If Janie Had Stayed in Eatonville?: Harnessing Conditional Thinking to Imagine, Innovate, and Inspire in the ELA ClassroomPresented with Dr. Brandon Abdon; Rebecca McFarlan
More about this session
What if Janie had stayed in Eatonville? What if Romeo checked his messages? Conditional "what if" thinking invites imagination but can actually undermine rigorous analysis. This interactive session explores innovative pedagogical strategies that harness speculative questioning, from sentence-level writing to creative projects, empowering students as critical and creative communicators who think both imaginatively and rigorously.
- From Recipe to Remix: Chaos Cooking and Innovation in the Writing ClassroomPresented with Kristy Seidel; Susan Barber, author of 100% Engagement and The Norton Guide to AP® Literature; Nichole Dandrea-Russert, award-winning author of Real Superfoods Cookbook and Powered by Plants
More about this session
Experience the "sensory bustle" of kitchen-inspired lessons with presenters including English teachers and an award-winning cookbook author. This session explores how chaos cooking translates to chaos writing: both honor foundational techniques while encouraging improvisation. Participants tackle a "Mystery Basket" challenge, applying culinary innovation strategies to student writing in an AI era.
- Pure Imagination: Transforming Critical Thinking in the English Classroom Through Tactile and Kinesthetic LearningPresented with Kristy Seidel; Susan Barber, author of 100% Engagement and The Norton Guide to AP® Literature
More about this session
This session demonstrates how kinesthetic and tactile learning strategies transform English classrooms into spaces where complex analytical thinking becomes tangible. Participants explore hands-on activities that increase accessibility, deepen retention, and help students achieve sophistication in literary and rhetorical analysis while combating passive learning in rigorous courses.
NCTE Annual Convention
2025
- Leveraging Social Media Trends to Enhance Learning and Habits of MindPresented with Kristy Seidel, AP® Language Assistant Chief Reader
More about this session
This session will explore how educators can leverage social media trends to enhance learning and social-emotional health using practical, research-based strategies. By incorporating trends from various multimedia sources, students develop critical thinking and digital citizenship skills while building student-teacher relationships and enhancing student understanding through relevant connections.
- Dream Big, Write BoldlyPresented with Blake Taylor, Walnut Hills High School
More about this session
Dreams offer creative inspiration, but how can we, like great writers and artists such as William Blake, Angela Carter, and Francisco Goya, tap into them to spark creative writing in the classroom, especially when recent studies suggest that high school students are more sleep-deprived than ever? This session explores techniques that utilize the power of dreams to enhance student learning and engagement.
Ohio Teacher Leadership Summit
Poster sessions
- The Science of Art: An Exploration of the Impact of Personalized Learning Pathways in Teacher Professional Development at William Mason High SchoolPresented with Dee Dee Messer, AP® Physics E&M
- The Table Set for All: Engaging Multilingual Learners in Complex Literary Analysis
What Participants Say
Nikki was, by far, the most informative, engaging and receptive presenter I have ever encountered. Her dedication for the teaching profession shines through in her lesson delivery and preparation. She truly cares for the future of our course and students who enroll in it. Nikki's goal is not to teach kids how to pass a test, rather to teach kids the skills necessary for life that naturally translate to the course objectives.
Nikki was a phenomenal presenter with both the knowledge and enthusiasm to help those taking her workshop feel competent and inspired to develop an engaging curriculum for our students!
This workshop was one of the most beneficial professional development experiences of my career. Nichole is a highly engaging and effective presenter. She is also extremely organized, resourceful, and goes the extra mile for the participants.
Nichole was absolutely wonderful. Clearly deeply knowledgeable, personable, and very intuitive to her room and flexible to meet everyone's needs. She spaced out the information in ways that allowed time for processing and digesting, while also making sure that we covered a wide expanse of valuable information. I am starting as a new AP® teacher next year, and the AP® grader, 6th year teacher next to me was able to take just as many notes and "aha" moments away from the experience as I was.
Workshop History
24 AP® English Literature and Composition workshops since June 2024.
2026
- September 2026Session 1: Planning Initial Instruction and PacingVirtual
- August 2026APSI Online, Manhattan UniversityBronx, NY · Virtual
- July 2026New Teachers APSI, University High School, West VirginiaMorgantown, WV · In person
- July 2026APSI Online, Manhattan UniversityBronx, NY · Virtual
- July 2026St. Louis APSI hosted by Western Kentucky UniversityBallwin, MO
- July 2026Experienced Teachers, Northwestern University APSI OnlineChicago, IL · Virtual
- June 2026Experienced Teachers, Western Kentucky University APSI OnlineBowling Green, KY · Virtual
- June 2026APSI for New and Experienced Teachers, Plainfield SD202Plainfield, IL
- February 2026Teacher Support: Assessing Student UnderstandingVirtual
2025
- October 2025Understanding and Planning the Course
- August 2025APSI Online, Manhattan UniversityBronx, NY · Virtual
- July 2025APSI In Person, Manhattan UniversityBronx, NY · In person
- July 2025APSI Online, Manhattan UniversityBronx, NY · Virtual
- July 2025St. Louis APSI hosted by Western Kentucky UniversityManchester, MO
- July 2025Experienced Teachers, Northwestern University APSI OnlineChicago, IL · Virtual
- July 2025New and Experienced Teachers, University of Arkansas at Little Rock APSI OnlineLittle Rock, AR · Virtual
- June 2025Experienced Teachers, Western Kentucky University APSI OnlineBowling Green, KY · Virtual
- June 2025APSI, Capital High School, West VirginiaCharleston, WV · In person
2024
- August 2024APSI Online, Manhattan CollegeBronx, NY · Virtual
- July 2024APSI In Person, Manhattan CollegeBronx, NY · In person
- July 2024St. Louis APSI hosted by Western Kentucky UniversityChesterfield, MO
- July 2024Experienced Teachers, Northwestern University APSI OnlineChicago, IL · Virtual
- July 2024Western Kentucky University APSI OnlineBowling Green, KY · Virtual
- June 2024APSI, Plainfield SD202Plainfield, IL
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