We are proud to present our keynotes for our second annual conference on student-centered education, Inspire 2014: Engaging Today’s Students. Conference speakers include authors, teachers, psychologists, specialists and professionals in the education field who are committed to student-centered education best-practices.
Learning in a Networked World: For Ourselves and for Our Students
Will Richardson, Author, Why School?: How Education Must Change When Learning and Information Are Everywhere
A former public school educator of 22 years, Will is an author of the highly ranked and read edublog and an independent presenter and owner of Cennective Learning, LLC, where he promotes the implementation of read/write technologies in K-12 classrooms. He is also the co-owner, of Powerful Learning Practice, a company that delivers job-embedded, year-long professional development to schools worldwide around the pedagogies of Web 2.0 tools.Will has authored four books, most recently Why School? How Education Must Change When Learning and Information are Everywhere (September, 2012) published by TED books and based on his most recent TEDx talk in Melbourne, Australia.
Will was recently named to the National Advisory Board for the George Lucas Education Foundation. Along with Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach, he is co-owner of Powerful Learning Practice, a company that delivers job-embedded, year-long professional development to schools worldwide around the pedagogies of Web 2.0 tools.
Differentiation for Real Life
Amy Carrier, Founder and CEO of Empowerment Through Education
Amy Carrier’s mission is to create systematic change in public education to teach every child the skills needed to navigate adulthood and the new global economy. Since 2000, her unique voice and message of bringing together schools with the resources in their communities has resonated throughout her work in the classroom and the world. Amy is a pioneer in the development of programs, new initiatives and collaborative partnerships in education which bring together businesses, parents and students. She has developed organizations, missions and programs all focused on connecting the resources of the business community with schools in order to better prepare students for life post-high school. She brings a breadth of experience and perspective from her work building collaborations in a classroom, a school district, several states, a national organization and East Africa. Amy is an excellent speaker, communicator and motivator for the cause of access to resources and equity in education.
Teaching Creatively: Building the Classrooms Our Students Deserve
Diana Laufenberg, TED Speaker, Lead Teacher and Managing Director, Inquiry Schools
Before landing at Inquiry Schools, Diana Laufenberg taught at the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia, an inquiry-driven, project-based high school. Prior to her work in Philadelphia, she was an active member of the teaching community in Flagstaff, AZ where she was named Technology Teacher of the Year for Arizona and a member of the Governor’s Master Teacher Corps. Diana was featured on TED.com for her “How to Learn? From Mistakes” and recognized for earning National Board Certification. She blogs at Living the Dream. Her publications include the New York Times Learning blog, co-authoring a chapter in an educational leadership book, the Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy and regular contributions to teachinghistory.org.
Laufenberg earned a bachelor’s degree in social studies from University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, and received her masters degree at Northern Arizona University.