10,000 Teachers To Attend ‘World’s Fair of Teaching’

March 8, 2012 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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By Mary Frost

Brooklyn Daily Eagle

BROOKLYN — Hundreds of Brooklyn teachers and school administrators will join their associates from across the country at the Seventh Annual Celebration of Teaching & Learning 2012, a massive education conference presented by Thirteen/WNET and WLIW21. This two-day experience for educators takes place March 16 and 17 at the Hilton New York in Manhattan.

The celebration has been dubbed the “World’s Fair of Education” — the place where the best thinkers and practitioners come together to shape the future of schools and teaching. Every year more educators – and parents, as well — come to be inspired and re-energized — more than 10,000 are expected this year.

Throughout the two days, attendees from all 50 states experience a half-dozen plenary sessions, nearly 40 featured speaker sessions, over 100 hands-on “In the Classroom” workshops, and two filled exhibitor halls featuring the latest in educational tools, interactive events and book signings.

Speakers this year include: Sal Khan, Founder, Khan Academy; Yul Kwon, winner of CBS’ “Survivor” and host of the PBS miniseries ”America Revealed”; Wes Moore, author of The Other Wes Moore; Steve Spangler, the “Science Guy” from “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”; Dennis Walcott, chancellor, New York City Public Schools; Randi Weingarten, president, American Federation of Teachers; Henry Winkler, star of “Happy Days” and acclaimed author of children’s books, including Ghost Buddy: Zero to Hero and many more.

The Brooklyn Eagle is proud to be a media sponsor of this event. Sister Helen Herley, CSJ, who teaches math at Fontbonne Hall Academy in Brooklyn, attended the 2009 conference. “It was mind-expanding,” she told the Brooklyn Eagle at that time. “For example, Sir Kenneth Robinson, one of the plenary speakers, spoke about the spark of imagination. You can have talent, but it’s still just a job unless you bring passion to it. That was the keynote of the conference — to really spark passion in teachers.”

This year’s event will also feature several sessions focused on one of today’s most alarming social issues: the crisis in the education of Black and Latino males. Tavis Smiley will explore this topic from his recent national PBS documentary, “Too Important to Fail.” Peg Tyre, award-winning author of The Trouble With Boys: A Surprising Report Card on Our Sons, Their Problems at School and What Parents and Educators Must Do, will lead a panel discussion on this topic.

Other speakers focusing on the education of black and Latino males include Andres Alonso, CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools; Elizabeth Molina Morgan, executive director of the Grad Nation campaign for America’s Promise Alliance; and Pedro Noguera, Peter L. Agnew Professor of Education at New York University.

Wes Moore, author of The Other Wes Moore, will share his own experiences as a young black male and describe how he overcame his troubled childhood to become the Rhodes Scholar, decorated combat veteran, White House Fellow and business leader he is today.

In addition, Robert Balfanz, director of the Everyone Graduates Center at John Hopkins University; John Bridgeland, CEO of Civic Enterprises and member of the White House Council for Community Solutions; and others to be announced will address this urgent issue.

Visit thirteencelebration.org to get updates on the impressive lineup of speakers, access valuable public television resources and register for the event.