November 4, St. Christopher's School, Richmond

 

Empower excellence like never before. At the Annual Conference, we will delve into the essence of what makes independent education extraordinary. Topics to reshape your approach to teaching and leadership will include:

  • Emotional Climate
  • Learning Spaces
  • Instructional Design
  • Arts and Technology Integration
  • Equitable Assessment Strategies
  • Working and Leading in Community

ANNUAL CONFERENCE KEYNOTE: Dr. Pooja K. Agarwal, Cognitive Scientist, Educator, & Author, Powerful Teaching: Unleash the Science of Learning

Pooja K. Agarwal, Ph.D. is a cognitive scientist, conducting research on how students learn since 2005. She is the author of the book Powerful Teaching: Unleash the Science of Learning and an Associate Professor of Psychology at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, teaching psychological science to exceptional undergraduate musicians. Dr. Agarwal is also the Founder of RetrievalPractice.org, a source of research-based teaching strategies for more than 20,000 teachers around the world. Dr. Agarwal’s research has been published in leading peer-reviewed academic journals; featured in The New York Times, NPR, Scientific American, and Education Week; recognized by the National Science Foundation; and highlighted in numerous books, podcasts, and videos. Dr. Agarwal received her Ph.D. from Washington University in St. Louis. Her love of learning formed at the outset of her career as a 4th and 5th grade teacher in St. Louis, Missouri.

Deep Dives: R.E.A.L. Discussion Skills 101
We see today’s kids struggling to communicate – especially live, in-person, and across any kind of difference. The good news? These skills ARE teachable – but faculty need methods designed to meet the new needs of students growing up in a polarized, screenbound world. In this Deep Dive Session, join R.E.A.L. Discussion and educators to reflect on our own experiences engaging students in face-to-face discussion; explore the research behind why, exactly, live conversation can be hard for Gen-Z/Alpha students (especially when they disagree!); learn proven methods for teaching discussion (and listening!) skills in any content area; and practice applying them to familiar scenarios.

CONCURRENT SESSION TITLES & DESCRIPTIONS Click Here

SCHEDULE 

HOTEL/ROOM BLOCK INFORMATION: VAIS has a room block at the nearby Residence Inn. Please use this link to reserve a room. 

REGISTRATION:

 
Registration/refund deadline: October 18

To access the member rate, you must log into the website using your school email. If you are registering someone else at your school, you must use the "Linked Profile" feature. Anyone who registers a participant using the guest option will not be given the member rate. 


If you are a member school looking for group registration, please email Laura Godwin.