NAESP's 90th Annual Convention & Exposition 2011

Sir Ken Robinson
Friday General Session

Out of Our Minds: Learning to Be Creative

Urging schools and colleges everywhere to urgently rethink basic assumptions about intelligence and achievement, Sir Ken Robinson focuses on the vital questions: Why is it essential to promote creativity? What’s the problem? Why do so many adults think they’re not creative? Most children are buzzing with ideas. What happens to them as they grow up? What should be done? Is everyone creative or just a select few? Can creativity be developed? If so, how? In exploring these questions, Robinson argues for radical changes in how we educate all students to meet the extraordinary challenges of living and working in the 21st century. National education systems worldwide are being reformed to meet the challenges of the 21st century. As a respected adviser to governments in Europe, Asia, and the United States, he argues in this powerful presentation that many countries are pushing reforms in the wrong direction. Drawing from his groundbreaking book, Out of Our Minds: Learning to Be Creative, Robinson explains why too many are locked into a model of education shaped by the Industrial Revolution and a narrow idea of academic ability.

Takeaways include:

How education wastes more talent than it saves.
The three core objectives of 21st century education.
Why we’re all smarter than we think.
What schools should do, and how government should help.

Sir Ken Robinson, Ph.D., is an internationally recognized, award-winning leader in the development of creativity, innovation, and human resources. He has worked with governments worldwide, international agencies, Fortune 500 companies, and some of the world’s leading cultural organizations. In 1998, he led a national commission on creativity, education, and the economy for the U.K. government and was the central figure in developing a strategy for creative and economic development as part of the Peace Process in Northern Ireland. He was one of four international advisors to the Singapore Government for its strategy to become the creative hub of South East Asia. Robinson speaks throughout the world on the creative challenges facing business and education in the new global economies. His 2009 book, The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything, was a New York Times best seller.

Vernice Armour
Sunday General Session

The Three Ps of Success: Passion, Purpose, and Positive Steps

Vernice aka “FlyGirl” Armour will talk about how passion, purpose, and positive steps relate to school leaders and the empowerment they have over student success and teacher excellence. She will also talk about how in today’s climate of educational change, we have to be cognizant of the obstacles that need to be overcome and embrace them to our benefit. Armour will relate experiences from her own education and talk about the mentors who have made a difference for her.

Vernice Armour knows a little something about focus, commitment, and defying the odds. After accomplishing her dream of becoming a police officer, she decided, at age 24, to become an officer in the Marine Corps and a combat pilot. Only three years later, she was the United States Marine Corps’ first African American female pilot and, shortly after, was recognized as America’s First African American Female Combat pilot by the Department of Defense. Upon completion of two tours in Iraq and her military career, Armour leveraged her experience and conceptualized the Zero to Breakthrough™ Success Model and launched VAI Consulting and Training, LLC. By applying the Zero to Breakthrough™ Success Model to her own company, she produced over six figures in revenue within the first 12 months. Her passion is helping others create similar results.