The Colorado Distinguished Speakers Series has proven to be a favorite among our state’s educators, with hundreds signing up to attend the live trainings and watch the recordings. While the live sessions might be finished, they are now accessible to you whenever and wherever you want. See below for all the details!
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Distinguished Speakers Series
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Despite the challenges we may face, educators throughout Colorado continue to show up and do the work each day, and there are stories of success around every corner.
The Colorado Department of Education is proud to sponsor the Distinguished Speakers Series over the past few years – and has now made those session available to you on-demand. Learn from some of the nation’s leading education voices who address the state’s most critical and important issues around the Landscape of Wellbeing and Belonging – all in the comfort of your own classroom, office, or living room. This series is brought to you through funding from the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFR) which is managed in the Health Education Services Office.
We look forward to seeing you!
What Attendees Are Saying:
”Some of the best trainings I’ve ever been to!
”Very inspiring and high positive energy!
”What exceptional resources and tremendous presentations!
DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER SERIES
All Sessions Hosted by Alex Kajitani
Alex Kajitani is the 2009 California Teacher of the Year, and a Top-4 Finalist for National Teacher of the Year. A highly sought-after keynote speaker, he is the author of several books, including Owning It, which was named “Recommended Reading” by the U.S. Department of Education. His “Rappin’ Mathematician” videos have received hundreds of thousands of views, and he has been honored at The White House, and featured on The CBS Evening News, where Katie Couric declared, “I LOVE that guy!”
Kim Strobel, Renowned Global Speaker & Author
The Science of Happiness: The Secret to Better Work & Life
In this thought-provoking and compelling session, Kim shares how we can reprogram our brains to become more positive and step into our power. When our happiness and well-being are at the forefront, employees are ten times more engaged, 31% more productive, and three times more creative. With emotions at the heart of what many employees do and why they do it, educators come to teaching with dreams of changing the odds for disadvantaged children and inspiring a love for learning. Unfortunately, research shows that about 52% of employees are unhappy at work, with disengagement and dissatisfaction levels reaching unprecedented levels.
- Learn how to support and strengthen your social and emotional skills to manage the stress that comes with the work you do each day, and over the long term.
- Unpack the positive psychology science and research that helps people pivot toward optimism and improve performance in the workplace and life.
- Reset your brain to become more engaged, creative, motivate, energetic, resilient and productive!
About Kim Strobel
Kim Strobel is a renowned motivational speaker with a global reach, inspiring schools, businesses, and organizations to prioritize happiness and strive for greater fulfillment in life. The renowned author of Teach Happy: Small Steps to Big Joy, she shows individuals how to reclaim happiness, ignite their passion, and lead with purpose. Drawing on her extensive 25-year education career as a former teacher and curriculum director, Kim has collaborated with educators at all levels that have resulted in increased academic achievement and the creation of positive school-wide environments.
Brian Butler, Award-Winning Principal & Author
Nurturing Each Student’s Unique Strengths, Passions, and Talents: 5 Powerful Strategies
In this highly engaging session, Brian will guide educators of all levels and job titles through the five essential shifts outlined in his award-winning book Every Student Deserves a Gifted Education. Using the FLOOR acronym as a framework, this session delves into the foundational principles and actionable strategies that empower educators to create an inclusive, dynamic, and supportive learning environment, including: The fallacy of fixed intelligence (F); getting rid of labels (L); the obligation of team (O); identifying our own superpowers (O); and addressing both resistance and inspiration (R). By thoroughly engaging with these five critical shifts, educators will be equipped to nurture each student’s unique strengths, passions, and talents, ensuring a limitless future for every learner.
- Gain an introduction to the five shifts, and a comprehensive understanding of the FLOOR framework.
- Assess your current reality within each aspect of the shifts.
- Outline actionable steps that you and your team can implement immediately to achieve your desired goals.
About Brian Butler
Brian Butler is an award-winning principal, author and former professional basketball player who has worked with thousands of schools throughout the United States, Australia and Canada. Under his leadership as principal, his school received the first annual DuFour Award for demonstrating exceptional levels of student achievement. His most recent book, Every Student Deserves A Gifted Education, is considered a must-have for educators looking to provide their students with a powerful, equitable and engaging education.
Mitch Weathers, Dynamic Educator & #1 Best-Selling Author
Executive Functions for Every Classroom – Creating Safe and Predictable Learning Environments
Now more than ever, schools are faced with addressing fallout from interrupted learning during the pandemic. While there are a multitude of issues to address, it has especially highlighted the need for educators to teach and foster highly effective executive functioning skills in students. Throughout this intriguing (and well-organized!) session, Mitch will guide us through a deep understanding of how executive functions are best learned when they are implemented as a true Tier 1 intervention, which allow students to see these skills modeled and get daily practice employing them in their learning environment.
- Gain a thorough understanding of what executive functioning skills are, and why they are the foundation for academic success.
- Understand how executive functioning skills are best taught in schools, and how they enable students to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully.
- Create a predictable learning routine that gives students daily practice with executive functions while engaging families in the process.
About Mitch Weathers
Mitch Weathers is a passionate educator who helps teachers create predictable learning environments that lead to students developing highly effective executive functioning skills. He is the author of the #1 best-selling book, Executive Functions for Every Classroom – Create Safe and Predictable Learning Environments, and the founder of Organized Binder. Mitch speaks both nationally and internationally to help educators develop their own executive functions and set their students up for success in school and beyond!
Jennifer Abrams, International Communications Expert & Author
Having Hard Conversations
As educators, we often come up against situations where difficult topics must be addressed. What do we know about the best strategies for those moments? What questions should we be asking ourselves before we speak, and what environments are best for when we do speak? Based on Jennifer’s highly acclaimed book, Having Hard Conversations along with her global work with conflict and interpersonal communication, this session will provide participants with action plans and scripting tools for having those necessary hard conversations.
- Identify why we often hesitate in having hard conversations, and questions we can ask ourselves before we choose to speak up.
- Articulate in professional language the challenges we face, and determine the goals of the conversation.
- Script the conversation (including the “where” and “when”) in a way that avoids putting others on the defensive.
About Jennifer Abrams
Jennifer Abrams is an international educational and communications consultant for public and independent schools, universities and non-profits. A powerful, no-nonsense speaker, Jennifer trains and coaches educators at all levels on how to support their students and colleagues, having hard conversations, collaboration skills and being your best adult self at work. She is the author many books, including the highly acclaimed and widely used, Having Hard Conversations and Stretching Your Learning Edges: Growing (Up) At Work.
Dr. Monica Burns, Education AI Expert & Author
Navigating the AI Revolution as Educators
The potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education is undeniable. But how do educators separate hype from reality? In this cutting-edge and need-to-know session, Monica Burns, Ed.D., author of EdTech Essentials, shares strategies for leveraging AI as an assistant, collaborator, and tool to personalize learning so educators in all roles can better prepare students for the “age of AI.” Gain essential knowledge and strategies needed to harness the power of AI in ways that truly enhance the student learning experience, while acknowledging the concerns and addressing the impact on creativity in the classroom.
- Understand the potential and the pitfalls of AI.
- Identify use cases to make the most of generative AI.
- Explore a variety of tools and resources to support teaching and learning.
About Dr. Monica Burns
Dr. Monica Burns helps educators leverage the power of technology in the classroom and beyond. She is a leading authority on using artificial intelligence in schools, and the author of EdTech Essentials: 12 Strategies for Every Classroom in the Age of AI. She is the host of the wildly popular Easy EdTEch Podcast, her Class Tech Tips Blog is read by educators across the country, and she is a widely respected education personality across social media.
Jose Luis Navarro, Founding Principal, Social Justice Humanitas Academy
Restorative Practices that Empower, Engage & Build Belonging
Restorative practices employ a strengths-based approach to form stronger relationships and realize greater equity in education. Join Jose Luis Navarro – an award-winning principal – for a highly engaging session on how he used restorative practices to lead his entire school to unprecedented success. Learn how to develop a culture in your classroom and at your school where everyone’s voice is heard and valued, and students engage in collaborative problem-solving and collective responsibility.
- Gain specific proactive strategies on how to create and facilitate community-building circles, and how to handle situations when things break down.
- Learn conflict resolution skills and peer-led practices that build a true sense of belonging.
- Leave with an expansive list of prompts you can use any (and every) day – so you know exactly what to say, when!
About Jose Luis Navarro
Jose Luis Navarro is a California Teacher of the Year who has dedicated over 25 years to the Los Angeles education system, serving as teacher, principal, support coordinator, and administrative director. His most notable achievement was as founder and principal of the Social Justice Humanitas Academy, which earned the 2015 National Community School Award. Mr. Navarro’s unwavering commitment to social justice stems from his belief that every student deserves the care and support we would provide our own children.
Dr. Douglas Reeves
Fearless Schools: Creating Psychological Safety for Every Student and Staff Member
In this interactive seminar, Dr. Douglas Reeves will share the evidence from his most recent book, Fearless Schools: Building Trust and Resilience for Learning, Teaching, and Leading. As students and staff recover from the global pandemic and the isolation that accompanied it, rates of anxiety, stress, and depression are at record highs. The good news is that there are specific actions that teachers and leaders can take to improve psychological safety and help students on the path to recovery. “When people are afraid, Dr. Reeves contends, they can’t learn. A fearless environment is essential for learning and effective teaching.” Participants will leave with action steps that can be implemented immediately and see results within 100 days.
- Learn the latest evidence on resilience and psychological safety for students and staff.
- Apply the action steps for psychological safety to their individual professional responsibilities.
- Evaluate alternative claims about psychological safety in order to become a critical consumer of research claims.
About Dr. Douglas Reeves
Dr. Douglas Reeves is the author of many acclaimed books on education and leadership, including Fearless Schools: Building Resilience and Trust for Teaching, Learning, and Leading. He has twice been named to the Harvard University Distinguished Authors Series, and received the Contribution to the Field Award from the National Staff Development Association. He was also selected as the Brock International Laureate for his global contributions to education.
Takeru “TK” Nagayoshi
A Foundation, Not An “Add On”: Integrating Social & Emotional Learning to Boost Academic Readiness and Performance
Character skills. Universal life skills. 21st century skills. No matter how we define it, the evidence is clear: Developing our children’s social-emotional learning (SEL) results in measurable success outcomes both in and out of school. And yet, educators often struggle to implement SEL in their classrooms, unsure of where and how to begin (let alone justify its pedagogy as worth the time and effort!). This engaging, interactive session addresses these challenges, sharing key insights and concrete strategies that approach SEL not as “add-ons” or another “nice-to-have,” but as a foundation that builds resilient students and integrates with our teaching.
- Define core tenets of SEL and identify its five competencies as defined by the Collaborative for Academic and Social Emotional Learning (CASEL) framework.
- Unpack the research and evidence behind SEL and its impact on key indicators of student success: academics, behavior, and school engagement (e.g., attendance and relationships).
- Explore concrete strategies and classroom activities that connect SEL to academic skills that are applicable to all grade levels and subjects.
About Takeru “TK” Nagayoshi
Takeru “TK” Nagayoshi is the 2020 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year, a fierce educator and advocate for our profession. He received the 2021 Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence, and his commentary and analysis on K-12 issues have appeared in hundreds of media outlets. He currently serves as an adjunct professor at Northeastern University, and as the Professional Learning Director of Community Events at Panorama Education, where he leads large-scale events focused on Social Emotion Learning.
Jay McTighe & Judy Willis, M.D.
Understanding By Design Meets Neuroscience
Based on their wildly popular book Understanding by Design Meets Neuroscience, best-selling authors Jay McTighe and Dr. Judy Willis will examine the intersection of the neuroscience of learning with the widely used Understanding by Design® curriculum framework. Participants will gain new insights about the application of neuroscience research to instructional planning, assessment, and application, as well as correlations of neuroscience research regarding emotions, stress and increasing learning and memory. You’ll finish this session with a deepened understanding of how to design instruction that promotes enduring understanding, increased brain effort, and transferrable long-term memory.
- Understand what the brain needs to maximize learning that lasts.
- Gain actionable ideas for hooking and holding students’ attention.
- Implement instructional strategies that engage the “executive functions” of learners’ brains in active meaning-making.
About Jay McTighe
Jay McTighe is a veteran educator and best-selling author of 18 books, including the highly acclaimed Understanding by Design with Grant Wiggins. His books have been translated into 14 languages and are being used around the world. A highly experienced professional development provider, he has served as a teacher, resource specialist, program coordinator, director of a state program for gifted students, and administrator for innovative programs at the Maryland Department of Education.
About Dr. Judy Willis
Dr. Judy Willis combined her 15 years as a board-certified practicing neurologist with ten subsequent years as a classroom teacher to become a leading authority in the neuroscience of learning. Dr. Willis has written nine books applying neuroscience research to successful learning and teaching strategies. She is an adjunct faculty at Williams College, and was selected by Edutopia as one of their “Big Thinkers on Education.”
Ken Williams
Ruthless Equity!
In this powerful, unvarnished, status-quo disrupting session, best-selling author Ken Williams take us on a deep examination of the internal obstacles that often prevent us from providing genuine, equitable opportunities for every student, and how to identify and defeat these “enemies of equity.” In this session, Ken provides a provocative, empowering look at the mindsets and practices that lead to equity, and what it takes to galvanize every educator to deliver on the promise of ensuring learning, excellence and achievement for ALL students, regardless of their background.
- Identify the four pillars of equity, what they look like in practice, how to measure them, support them, and ensure campus-wide implementation.
- Learn how to get teachers to engage in the kind of powerful equitable practice that results in improved student achievement.
- Understand different communication styles and learn strategies for dealing with resistance.
About Ken Williams
Ken Williams is the author of the wildly popular book Ruthless Equity, and the co-author of the best-selling book, Starting a Movement. He is a nationally recognized trainer, speaker, coach and consultant in leadership and school culture. A former principal, Ken is known for his powerful and engaging combination of “hear, humor and the hammer.” He is an expert in helping schools build capacity in the collective commitments required of learning for all cultures.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: What Matter Most & What Matters NOW!
A Special TED-Style Event Featuring Three Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Experts
In this fast-past and highly engaging session, three of the country’s top teachers will deliver a short, high-impact talk on a critical issue addressing DEI, then take live questions from the audience!
Kareem Neal, Arizona Teacher of the Year
Building True School Communities
Kareem Neal is the 2019 Arizona Teacher of the Year and a 2022 inductee in the National Teachers Hall of Fame. Currently a special education teacher in Phoenix, AZ, Kareeem also works as a restorative justice trainer for his district, and serves on the Board of Directors for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS).
Leigh Ann Erickson, Iowa Teacher of the Year Finalist
Talking About Race with White Students
Leigh Ann Erickson is a 2019 Iowa Teacher of the Year Finalist, and the author of the young adult novel What is White Privilege? She is the founder of Undone Consulting and the Undone Movement, which works with teachers across the nation to end educational inequity, including teaching predominantly white students how to dismantle systemic racism.
Jennifer Braverman, Burlington County Teacher of the Year
Creating LGBTQ & Gender Inclusive Schools
Jennifer Braverman is the 2016 Burlington County Teacher of the Year and an adjunct professor at the College of New Jersey. An educator and art activist, she combines her passion for social justice with education and has received numerous awards at the national level for inspiring her students to use their voice for change and reach beyond their potential.
Make Mattos
Taking Action: How to Systemically Close Learning Gaps AND Ensure High Levels of Learning for All Students
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, educators are facing an unprecedented challenge: How do we close the learning gaps created by months of school closures and uneven access to learning opportunities? In this session, Mike Mattos will discuss specific steps that schools can take to create a highly effective, multi-tiered system of supports to target learning gaps, and show how effective Professional Learning Communities implement a school-wide framework that creates a multi-tiered system of supports.
- Understand the guiding principles behind a multi-tiered system of interventions.
- Learn the essential actions that collaborative teams must consider at Tier 1 to effectively respond when students don’t learn.
- How to target interventions, extension, and remediation.
About Mike Mattos
Mike Mattos is an internationally recognized author, presenter, and practitioner who specializes in uniting teachers, administrators, and support staff to transform schools by implementing response to intervention and professional learning communities. As a principal, his school (with a large population of at-risk youth) won the California Distinguished School and National Title I Achieving School awards. Mike was named the Orange County Middle School Administrator of the Year by the Association of California School Administrators.
Tom Hierck
Trauma Informed Practice
As educators who work with students every day, we know firsthand the sharp increase of incidents of students experiencing trauma and mental health challenges due to the pandemic. We are not returning to the old normal, nor should we plan for a move forward to any sort of new normal. Instead, this session will show educators how we can plan for a move to a new better—so schools and districts can deepen their understanding of trauma and embrace the best of what we knew pre-pandemic, while incorporating the best of what we have learned during the pandemic, to better serve our students.
- Understand what trauma is and how traumatic situations impact the brain.
- Identify how experiencing a single traumatic event differs from experiencing complex trauma, and why understanding complex trauma is critical for educators to understand.
- Implement strategies that support students who have experienced, or are experiencing, trauma and further develop our awareness of our own traumatic experiences and how it impacts our work with students.
About Tom Hierck
Tom Hierck is an acclaimed educator, best-selling author, and a compelling presenter, infusing his message of hope with strategies culled from a career that has spanned all grade levels and many roles in public education. He believes that “every student is a success story waiting to be told” and is the author of 30 books, with Trauma-Sensitive Instruction receiving rave review. Recently, Tom was named as one of the world’s Top-10 Global Gurus for Education!
Monica Washington
Foundations of Educational Equity: Positioning Ourselves to Do the Work
In this highly engaging, timely and critically important session, teachers will explore the “why” behind the push for educational equity, as well as the impact of systemic racism and inequitable practices on education. Using concrete examples and strategies for building and sustaining equitable and transformative relationships with students, attendees will also have the opportunity to design or update one of their practices to make it more inclusive and transformative for all students, while connecting with their students’ important backgrounds and interests. Together, we can build a common language and explore high-leverage strategies to build equitable foundations in our classrooms, schools and education system.
- Identify the impact of systemic racism and inequitable practices in education.
- Explore and incorporate high-leverage strategies that create inclusive learning environments for all students.
- Assess individual, school and districtwide areas for improvement (and where to start!).
About Monica Washington
Monica Washington is the 2014 Texas Teacher of the Year, and a 2015 NEA Foundation Global Fellow. A passionate advocate for schools, Monica was inducted into the National Teacher Hall of Fame in 2023. A decorated educator for over 25 years, she currently works as the Director of Teacher Quality for the National Education Association.
Dr. Jamie Valenzuela-Mumau
Impactful Intervention: Meeting Students Where They Are & Getting Them to Mastery
The pandemic has resulted in unfinished learning for many students, especially our students of color and those living in poverty. Facing unprecedented gaps in student learning, it is critical for educators to meet kids where they are, and accelerate them to where they can be (and maybe even a little further). Through interactive activities, participants will explore the skills necessary to build student efficacy and effectiveness to close targeted learning gaps. Learn how intentional implementation of these skills can create intervention building blocks that result in visible student progress and deepened learning.
- Understand, explore and articulate the 16 Habits of Mind (Costa & Kallick, 2000) and 6 Habits of Heart (Lines & White, 2013).
- Create meaningful and impactful ways to integrate these habits as SEL dispositions in an intervention environment.
- Collaborate on and share ways attendees can apply these concepts to their own practice.
About Dr. Jamie Valenzuela-Mumau
Dr. Jamie Valenzuela-Mumau is the founder and CEO of Coherent Educational Solutions, which provides educators with innovative services and programs that promote a culture of belonging. Having served as a teacher and administrator at the site, district and county levels, Jamie passionately advocates to support educators who are student-focused, value continued learning, and are willing to engage in best practices to support all students.
* The Colorado Department of Education does not explicity or implictly endorse any particular program, resource, product, service, institution or opinion expressed in the resources or presentations, nor does CDE necessarily endorse views expressed or facts presented by the speakers. CDE and its employees do not make any warranty, express or implied, nor assume any liability for the services provided by any entity, program, speaker or resource identified on this site or assiciated presentations.
Have questions?
Contact Dr. James Hurley, Comprehensive Health & Physical Education Principal Consultant, Colorado Department of Education
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