Speakers

As the context in which we teach and learn explodes, whether and how to use AI in education are near constant questions in our daily lives. But we can only answer them if we have a clear, compelling, hopeful vision of the ultimate end of learning—one informed by ancient wisdom and rooted in our experience as human beings. The notion of the irreducible and inherent dignity of every person has withstood the ebbs and flows of political, fiscal, and cultural upheaval across the centuries. And if, as Hannah Arendt articulated, the “essence of education is natality,” we as educators are the midwives to something sacred. While by no means a silver bullet, a robust frame of what we’re calling the dignity of learning can give us hope, cause for optimism, and perhaps even the running start we need to tackle these trying times together.

Engaging, content-rich conversations in the early grades are essential for developing students’ language skills and background knowledge—critical foundations for later reading success. In this session, we’ll explore how teachers can facilitate meaningful conversations that are both responsive to students and cognitively demanding. Grounded in current research, this keynote presentation will highlight why integrating language and knowledge can enhance learning. Using the Strive-for-Five framework, the presenter will model how to promote sustained, high-quality back-and-forth exchanges through open-ended questioning, intentional modeling of academic language, and differentiated scaffolding strategies. Participants will leave with practical tools and a clear understanding of how to create rigorous conversation opportunities that support comprehension and build lasting literacy foundations.