Take your professional learning to the next level by listening to these inspiring speakers!
With amazing thought leaders in math and literacy, this year’s The National Institutes (TNI) are the perfect professional learning events for educators looking to learn, collaborate, and grow! If you’re looking for a rejuvenating PL experience at a luxurious resort location, TNI is the perfect destination for your summer getaway.
One of the many benefits of attending is the opportunity to hear from amazing speakers in math and literacy, who’ll be sharing spirited Power Talks. Here’s who you have to look forward to.
LONG + LIVE + MATH
LONG + LIVE + MATH presents a dream professional learning experience for administrators and teachers in mathematics who are passionate about the future of math learning. If that sounds like you, make sure to check out these stellar speakers you can expect to see at LONG + LIVE + MATH: The National Institute. You can choose from two event options: Scottsdale, Arizona, from July 10th to the 13th, or San Antonio, Texas, from July 24th to the 27th.
Dr. Christopher Emdin
Professor of Education, Best-Selling Author, and Founder of the #HipHopEd Movement
Dr. Christopher Emdin is the Robert Naslund Endowed Chair in Curriculum Theory and Professor of Education at the University of Southern California, where he also serves as Director of Youth Engagement and Community Partnerships at the USC Race and Equity Center.
He previously served as Director of the Science Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University, and alumni fellow at the Hiphop Archive and Hutchins Center at Harvard University. He has served as STEAM Ambassador for the U.S. Department of State and Minorities in Energy Ambassador for the U.S. Department of Energy.
Dr. Emdin holds a Ph.D. in Urban Education with a concentration in Mathematics, Science, and Technology; Master's degrees in both Natural Sciences and Education, and Bachelor’s degrees in Physical Anthropology, Biology, and Chemistry.
He is the creator of the #HipHopEd social media movement and Science Genius BATTLES. He was recently named one of the 27 people bridging divides in the United States by Time magazine.
He is the author of numerous award-winning works including the award-winning book, Urban Science Education for the Hip-Hop Generation and the New York Times bestseller, For White Folks Who Teach In the Hood… and the Rest of Y’all Too. His latest books, Ratchetdemic and STEM, STEAM, Make, Dream are currently available wherever books are sold.
Sandy Finocchi
Chief Mathematics Officer at Carnegie Learning
Sandy Bartle Finocchi has spent more than 30 years devoted to student success in mathematics—as a teacher, department chair, and math coach, as a professional development leader and trainer, and as the head of the Carnegie Learning Instructional Design Team, developing math curriculum that combines cognitive and learning science with practical instruction to develop conceptual math understanding and deeper learning skills. She has worked with thousands of teachers from across the country to transform math learning for their students. Sandy believes that all students are capable of becoming strong, confident math learners.
Laila Nur
Educator, Quality Manager, Vulnerability Advocate
Laila Nur served as an educator for the Los Angeles Unified School District for nine years: six as a high school teacher and three as an instructional coach. She is currently exploring the field of healthcare software but continues to stay connected to mathematics education. She is serving on NCTM's Professional Development Services Committee and NCTM's Program Committee for the Annual Meeting and Exposition in D.C. this year. Laila is also an Implementation Support Specialist for College Preparatory Mathematics (CPM). Her mission is to change the narrative of teacher mental health through laughter, vulnerability, and deep introspection. She uses her experiences as a teacher, coach, and friend to inspire and empower others, especially women of color, to use the most vulnerable parts of themselves to be leaders in their respective communities.
LITERACY FOR ALL
LITERACY FOR ALL is the perfect conference for administrators, teachers, and advocates of ELA who know the importance of literacy for every student. If you dream of a world where every student is a passionate reader, you won’t want to miss these stellar speakers at LITERACY FOR ALL: The National Institute. This year’s conference will take place in Scottsdale, Arizona from July 17th to the 20th.
Natalie Wexler
Education Journalist and Author
Natalie Wexler is an education writer and the author of The Knowledge Gap. She is also the co-author, with Judith C. Hochman, of The Writing Revolution, and is a senior contributor at Forbes.com.
She has spoken and written widely on issues relating to literacy, cognitive science, and fairness. Her articles and essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, The American Scholar, and other publications, as well as on her free Substack newsletter, Minding the Gap.
Dr. Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz
Associate Professor of English Education, Poet, and Activist
Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of English Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her research has appeared in several top-tier academic journals. She is co-editor of four books and is co-author of the multiple-award-winning book Advancing Racial Literacies in Teacher Education: Activism for Equity in Digital Spaces, in which she examines her concept of Archeology of Self in education.
At Teachers College, she is the founder of the Racial Literacy Roundtables Series where for twelve years, national scholars, teachers, and students facilitate conversations around race and other issues involving diversity. Yolanda appeared in Spike Lee’s 2 Fists Up: We Gon’ Be Alright (2016), a documentary about the Black Lives Matter movement and the campus protests at Mizzou. Her first full-length collection of poetry, Love from the Vortex & Other Poems, was published in March 2020. Her sophomore book of poetry, The Peace Chronicles, was published in July 2021.
View her TEDx Talk: Truth, Love & Racial Literacy, and visit her website to learn more: yolandasealeyruiz.com.
Dr. Suzanne Simons
Chief Literacy and ELL Officer at Carnegie Learning
Suzanne Simons was most recently responsible for building the Carnegie Learning Literacy Design Collaborative (LDC) team and led the team for seven years. Under Suzanne’s leadership, the LDC team developed the instructional model that serves as the basis for our new literature program. Modules of LDC content based on the instructional model were extensively tested, including an independent research study in NYC and LAUSD in which more than 55,000 middle and high school students using just two LDC reading/writing modules achieved literacy gains of 10 months more than matched pairs in a single school year.
Altogether, Suzanne brings more than 20 years of experience to Carnegie Learning—in public schools, higher education, teacher training, school reform, disciplinary literacy, curriculum, assessment, district transformation, publishing, EdTech, and more.
We can't wait for you to join us at this year's TNI, where these Power Talk presenters are sure to stir your soul and move you to action!
Carnegie Learning is helping students learn why, not just what. Born from more than 30 years of learning science research at Carnegie Mellon University, the company has become a recognized leader in the ed tech space, using artificial intelligence, formative assessment, and adaptive learning to deliver groundbreaking solutions to education’s toughest challenges. With the highest quality offerings for K-12 math, ELA, literacy, world languages, professional learning and more, Carnegie Learning is changing the way we think about education, fostering learning that lasts.
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