Meet the Keynotes-2021
Are you ready to transform?
The Quantum 10 (Q10): Sustaining Equity in Education International 2021 Conference keynote speakers reframed the challenges and opportunities of your schools by asking the hard questions that make change possible.
During our Q10 keynote sessions, participants were challenge and inspire educational leaders and change agents to think beyond talk and begin taking action to sustain equity in education. Participants focused on the challenges faced around the world and were challenged to rethink and redefine approaches to education.
Dr. Talisa Sullivan
Leadership and Beyond Talk about Equity: Amplify the Q10 to Build Sustainable Systems
In spite of decades of education reform, our current education system has inequitably established the measures required to ensure engagement, opportunity, access, and success for Black/African Americans, Latinos/as, Indigenous/Native Americans, Asian American Pacific Islanders, and other historically marginalized learners. With students, teachers, and staff returning to in-person instruction, now is the time for school and district leaders, and policymakers to go beyond talk and consider a forward-thinking, national framework that realigns school systems in a manner that break barriers and build bridges, disrupting the marginalization experienced by historically underrepresented students while cultivating engagement, access, opportunities, and success for all students. Quantum Ten (Q10) integrates (10) elements, (8) of which are found in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) with (2) additional components to encourage and identify evidence-based practices designed to support diverse learners. The intentional integration of Q10 will foster a more equitable system aimed at supporting all learners and their diverse needs towards success.
Dr. Katie Novak
Embracing the Co-Creation of Classrooms Through UDL (and eat more chips!)
It is no secret that teaching and learning have been disrupted by COVID-19. We are called to create equitable and inclusive classrooms despite considerable barriers. As an educator, it is likely you feel pulled in a thousand directions and some days, there is nothing more desirable than curling up on the couch with a bag of chips! Worry not – it does not have to be this way. Our students are capable of co-planning and co-creating learning experiences through the lens of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) that minimize planning for us and maximize outcomes. Learn quick and dirty strategies for implementing UDL tomorrow. And then you can snuggle up with your favorite snack and catch up on Netflix, a great book, or some zzzzzzz’s.
Dr. Karen L. Semien-McBride
Standing in an Unassuming Space: Positioning Your Self to Lead
As leaders we must believe we have the tools, the strategies and influence to advance ourselves and others. But the real position in leadership is in the unassuming space. This is the space where we only operate based on what we truly know, what information we have, what data we can provide. Questions: Have you ever walked into a room, looked around and decided who was unapproachable or have scheduled a meeting only to already know the outcome based on who was invited? Well, the moment we assumed, was the moment we miss an opportunity to learn, hear and grow. In this keynote we will uncover our assumptions and redirect them for our growth. Our goal will be to find our unassuming space and stand in it to lead.
Dr. Douglas Reeves
Fearless Schools
The world needs fearless schools. As the world slowly emerges from the global pandemic, fear and uncertainty plague schools. Students and staff members want to know the answers to these unanswerable questions: When will things get back to normal? How will I ever catch up? How can educators and administrators restore relationships with students and colleagues after a prolonged absence?
Educational leaders cannot provide certainty in an uncertain world. But they can provide an environment that is physically and psychologically safe. The essence of fearless schools, Dr. Reeves explains, is psychological safety. In this interactive keynote presentation, he explains how leaders and teachers build and maintain trust and psychological safety, and how sometimes these ideals are inadvertently undermined. Participants will engage in rich discussion and reflection based on a large body of 21st Century evidence. Special attention is paid to resilience – bouncing back from physical, emotional, and psychic injury. Dr. Reeves will share his observations about eight key national trends as leaders and educators deal with the aftermath of school closures during the pandemic.
Andratesha Fritzgerald
Honor as Power: The Practical Keys to Antiracist Teaching
The word antiracist carries with it a punch that demands attention. It is difficult to see the strongholds of racism that are embedded into school systems as tradition or practices that have been the bedrock of schooling for centuries. A truly antiracist learning environment empowers all learners to make decisions about their learning and leading in a welcoming and safe environment. What makes the difference honor as power. This session will empower participants with story and strategy that pushes each educator toward action and antiracism.