Wednesday, July 21, 2010 Opening Session   5:45-7:30 p.m.

Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative

Sir Ken Robinson, Ph.D, world renowned educator, author and governmental advisor, will deliver a thought provoking and insightful message regarding the need for radical change in our schools.Too many educational systems are locked into a model of education shaped by the Industrial Revolution and a narrow idea of academic ability.  Radical change is needed to educate all students to meet the extraordinary challenges of living and working in the 21st century.  Schools everywhere must urgently rethink their basic assumptions about intelligence and achievement. Attendees will leave this general session with a solid understanding of the following:

• Three core objectives of 21st century education

• How education wastes more talent than it saves

• What schools and colleges should do

• How government should help

Sir Ken Robinson, Ph.D is an internationally recognized leader in the development of creativity, innovation and human resources. He is author of Out of Our Minds: Learning to Be Creative and the newly released The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything. As a governmental advisor, he works with the U.S., Europe, Asia, numerous international agencies, and has led a national commission on creativity, education and the economy for the U.K. government. The Robinson Report, the result of that work, was published to wide acclaim in 1999.  He’s also been a central figure in developing strategy for the Peace Process in Northern Ireland and Singapore becoming the creative hub of South East Asia. 

The Global Achievement Gap

Dr. Tony Wagner, co-director of the Change Leadership Group at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and author of The Global Achievement Gap: Why Even Our Best Schools Don't Teach the New Survival Skills Our Children Need -and What We Can Do About It.

In his presentation, Wagner will discuss what skills students will need in order to get—and keep—a good job in the new global economy. He will further explore if these are the same skills students will need in order to be active and informed citizens. Are we teaching and testing the skills that matter most?  How do we prepare teachers to teach in new ways?  And how do we motivate the “net generation” to excellence?  In this provocative talk based on his just-released book, Tony Wagner asks and answers some of the most essential questions for teaching and learning in the 21st century.  He will also address some of the policy implications of his surprising findings.

Wagoner has worked for more than thirty-five years in the field of school improvement, and he is a frequent keynote speaker and widely published author on education and society.  Prior to assuming his current position at Harvard, Tony was a high school teacher for twelve years; a school principal; a university professor in teacher education; co-founder and first executive director of Educators for Social Responsibility; project director for the Public Agenda Foundation in New York; and President and CEO of the Institute for Responsive Education.

Wagner will also present an education session July 22 at 10:45 a.m., Teaching and Assessing 21st Century Skills

Zap the Gap

Bright Funny Delightfully Obnoxious, Meagan Johnson is known as the “Generational Humorist”.  If you think you’ve heard all there is to hear about the four different generations in the workplace, you have not heard Meagan’s comical spin on how to attract, market, manage and communicate with people from every generation without strangling someone in the process. 

During this session, you’ll laugh while acquiring tools you can use immediately to improve your multi-generational relationships with clients, co-workers and in your every day personal life.

While working in a sales environment for various large companies, Meagan became discouraged to hear all the negative comments about generation X and began to research successful ways to work with her younger generation.  From that, Zap the Gap was born.  In 2003, Meagan received her C.S.P. (certified speaking professional) currently, only ten percent of professional speakers hold this designation. As a Gen Xer, Meagan was extremely proud to be one of the youngest recipients of the CSP designation.

Wayne Young, Executive Director
Rhonda Caldwell, Deputy Director
Clyde Caudill, Legislative Liaison
Shirley LaFavers, Director of Professional Development
Wanda Darland, Communications Specialist

Fax (502) 875-4634