As a school founder and educational leader, Ted Spear has devoted his career to inviting parents, educators and the community at large to imagine a deeper, richer and better way to operate our schools. He began by engaging the parents in his own school community and -- since the publication of his book entitled Education Reimagined: The Schools Our Children Need -- has recently been connecting with wider audiences. He has found that there is a real appetite out there to look at schools differently with a view to offering students -- particularly secondary students -- something more powerful and compelling. Here are some of the talks scheduled for the near future, along with a sample of previous presentations:
2020
Jan 23, 2020 ISABC Heads of School Meeting
Preparing for Tomorrow Today: Education Reimagined
Feb 5, 2020 Terminal City Club Dinner Salon
Education Reimagined: The Schools Our Children Need
Apr 1, 2020 Quest University Colloquium [Covid-19 Cancelled]
Liberal Education Reimagined: Unlocking the Purpose and Potential of the Next Generation of Schools
Apr 5, 2020 CAIS Leadership Convention [Postponed to 2021]
Education Reimagined: From Principles to Practice
May 21, 2020 Calgary Academy Video Seminar
Reimagining Education for the Next Generation of Schools
Previous
Feb 5, 2016 FISA Anniversary Convention
What Education Could Be: Reformulating Education One Remarkable Initiative at a Time
Nov 2, 2016 Public EdTalk
Schooling & Parenting in the 21st Century: What’s Good and Not So Good
Jan 24, 2017 Parent Coffee Party
The Real Purpose of Schools
June 6, 2018 Parent Information Meeting
Finding the Right School For Your Child
May 1, 2019 Keynote: IPS “Equip & Inspire” Conference
Cultivating Ethics, Values and Humanity
Oct 1, 2019 Community Book Launch - Bowen Island
Education Reimagined: The Schools Our Children Need
Nov 25, 2019 EdTalk Panel Presentation
Education Reimagined: Creating the Schools Our Children Need
In addition to addressing the themes suggested above, Dr. Spear would be pleased to facilitate a guided discussion on any of the following topics:
The Purpose of Education: Figuring Out Why Before How
Ten (Big) Questions For Parents
Education’s Achilles Heel: Student Assessment and Reporting
The Possibilities and Pitfalls of Personalized Learning
What We Can Teach Our Kids “When Things Go Wrong”
The Seduction of “21st Century Skills”; What Makes Sense and What Doesn’t
Inviting Teachers to Become Educators
The Schools of Tomorrow: Five Case Studies
How Parents Can Become Allies in Transforming Schools For the Better
High School Reimagined
In general, Dr. Spear likes to start with a substantive overview of the topic at hand and then invite participants to reflect upon, question, and contribute to the ideas that have been presented. He has found that the follow-up questions and discussion typically yield the most important insights. His goal is to invite parents and educators together to change the way we think about the purpose and practice of schooling.
Dr. Spear is able to initiate these conversations by way of any of the following formats:
Traditional Group Presentations
Group size of 25 or more
45-75 min presentation, with time left for questions and discussion at the end
Venue and technical support arranged by host organization
Small Group “Living Room Chats”
Group size of 8-18 participants
20-40 min of presentation segments, with time for questions and discussion
Typically hosted in the evenings at a home or small conference room (e.g. in a public library) between 6:30-9:30 pm
Capacity to present audio-visual material required (i.e. screen or blank wall)
Roundtable Lunch or Dinner Discussions
Group sizes of 8-18 participants
20-40 min of presentation segments, with time for questions and discussion
Private or semi-private dining venue and menu arranged by host
Capacity to present audio-visual material required (i.e. screen or blank wall)