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Keynote and Workshop Topics
The following topics are available as either a keynote or a workshop. The content of each would alter according to the time available, and according to the specific needs of the group involved. This is negotiated extensively with Tony prior to the event.
TRANSFORMATIONAL THINKING
Practical strategies for creating powerful learning environments
In the next ten years, we are likely to experience some of the most rapid transformations in human history. The young people who can think and learn effectively are the ones who will best thriving in these dramatic times.
Thinking will be the core meta-skill in all learning experiences during this dramatic future. To explicitly involve young people in rich higher order thinking tasks is the single most effective way to advance their learning.
This entertaining and practical workshop will provide you with a powerful set of critical and creative thinking strategies for enhancing the rich cognition of your students. You will be offered:
• Some perspectives on possible changes in educational practice over the next few years
• Overviews on contemporary pedagogical frameworks that clarify quality teaching practice
• A series of processes for directly building these frameworks into everyday teaching
• A large range of effective thinking strategies, known as Thinkers Keys, that can stimulate creative solutions to local and global issues
• Processes for the implementation of the Thinkers Keys within specific sequences of instruction
• Longterm strategies for enhancing your own intellectual capacity and ability to cope with dramatic changes
INSPIRING CLASSROOMS
Strategies for creating classrooms that inspire the students and YOU
Classrooms are all about learning. Let’s not distract ourselves here. In spite of the plethora of social and technological issues that are endlessly foisted upon school curriculum, our key focus must always be placed upon the quality of the students’ learning experiences. Yet, these learning experiences can no longer be fashioned by tedium and rote learning behaviors. The competition is too strong these days.
Our best response to all of this? One option is to develop energetic and spirited classrooms that actually encourage students to return, day after day. If you were a student, would you want to be in your classroom each day? In fact, even at your present age, do you want to be in your classroom each day??
The content for this highly practical session will include:
• Powerful processes that specifically help you to maintain your enthusiasm for daily teaching
• A large range of thinking strategies that can enhance the intellectual rigour within all curriculum areas
• Web 2.0 applications that can deeply engage children on a consistent basis
• Specific frameworks for sustaining and furthering your own learning throughout the year
TALKING IN CLASS
Practical strategies for encouraging your students to engage in meaningful dialogue
Once upon a distant past, many teachers longed for a silent classroom in which students quietly completed their work. Even today, the occasional quiet learning environment is probably necessary for the teacher’s sanity.
However, in most learning experiences, we must encourage all students to talk about their work. The neuroscience research clearly indicates that intellectual engagement is strengthened through consistent substantive conversation.
For most young people, they need to talk in order to learn. Effective teachers have always encouraged their students to engage in consistent intellectual dialogue all through the lesson.
This entertaining and practical session will provide you with a wide range of practical strategies for enhancing your students’ speech and dialogue.
THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
Practical processes for encouraging consistent involvement in everyday learning
The one wish of many teachers? To teach students who are fully engaged in their learning, and who can self-regulate their thinking and their behaviour. This is critical, because contemporary research clearly indicates that students who are engaged in their learning will be more successful in their studies.
In this highly practical workshop, you will be positively challenged with many powerful strategies for steadily developing the deep cognitive and emotional engagement of most students in your care.
The material will focus on:
• The use of self-assessment rubrics for everyday learning
• The development of self-talk capacity in students of all ages
• The neuroscientific basis for students engaging in ongoing dialogue about their learning
• Strategies for enhancing the intellectual rigour of their everyday learning conversations
• Processes for learning basic social skills such as listening to peers
• Everyday classroom strategies for maintaining higher levels of engagement
SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE
Strategies for steadily developing personal and social skills in students
Being ‘cool’ for young people (and for more mature ones as well) predominantly requires one skill: To be socially resourceful. Both online and offline, an enriching life is often determined by your capacity to create sustainable and supportive connections with your peers.
Most Web 2.0 applications are interactive, and encourage you to create community at every opportunity. Facebook, YouTube and Twitter (amongst 1000’s of others) are invariably about belonging to the group.
What impact, however, does this have upon everyday ‘real’ relationships, and the manner in which community is established within a classroom for an entire year?
This workshop will offer some practical strategies for steadily developing the personal and social skills of young people to engage in real classroom community. It also will focus on a series of viable applications of the Web 2.0 environments into everyday learning.
Amongst many other things, you will be offered:
• Ideas for managing personal stress and difficult personal issues (for students AND teachers)
• Strategies for engaging in authentic dialogue
• Processes for learning basic social skills such as listening to peers
• Practical activities for steadily creating a positive classroom climate
