Ignite Talk: Leaders of the Class Traditionally, leadership training has been reserved for those in positions of formal power. But what if we transferred leadership development from the C-suite to the classroom? If every student – and every educator – received the leadership training that they need and deserve, how might that transform our schools, and ultimately, create a more equitable world? In this Ignite Keynote Address, Maureen Chapman and James Simons draw from their book Leaders of the Class to share inspiring stories, research-backed insights, and practical strategies from both education and leadership development. They invite the audience to imagine classrooms and schools where every individual is empowered to lead, not just a select few. Attendees will leave with

Activating Leadership: Reach More Students Through Collaborative Inquiry Join Maureen Chapman and James Simons together with collaborator Theresa Hirschauer, the Middle School Head of Cincinnati Country Day for their session at Learning Forward! Analyze a three-phase collaborative inquiry-based model initiative, a faculty-led project focused on teaching and assessing students’ leadership skills across all school classrooms. Participants will: Assess opportunities to drive forward key mission-aligned, student-centered initiatives in their own school settings; Define the skills of leadership, collecting and analyzing student data, and piloting instructional moves to support students’ opportunities to develop the defined skills;  Make a plan for utilizing collaborative inquiry to improve key student competencies; and  Become an active member of an educator network that centers around essential, mission-aligned

Traditionally, only those who hold formal power benefit from leadership training. But what if every student and educator in our school systems received the support they need and deserve to develop the identity and abilities of a leader? In what ways would the world become a more equitable place?  In this book talk, Maureen Chapman and James Simons present a framework from their book, Leaders of the Class, to help educators teach (and develop in themselves) the social-emotional skills of leadership. The authors outline four foundational leadership conditions and practices, present a sequence of leadership units that pair with one’s academic content, and introduce replicable routines to ensure every learner builds the skills to motivate, persevere, communicate, and collaborate in

Join Maureen and James at the NELMS 45th Annual Middle Level Conference & Exhibits where they will be presenting the keynote speech, 'Igniting Motivation'. Conference Strands include: A - Tools for Your Toolbox: Classroom Practices that Engage and Encourage Learning, B - SEL & Wellness: Meeting the Needs of the School Community C - Equity and Diversity: Creating Access for All D – Young Adolescents: What You Need to Know E – Leadership from the Middle F – Optimizing Technology: Tools and Approaches