College of Education will host statewide education conference

Educators from across the state of Georgia will converge upon the Georgia Regents University Summerville campus for the 17th annual Impacting Student Learning Conference on Saturday, March 21. The conference will offer teachers practical strategies for enhancing P-12 learning.

“The response statewide has been tremendous,” said Conference Coordinator Judi Wilson, professor of education in GRU’s College of Education. “We are excited to host original topics and new presenters from school systems and universities from all over the state.”

With sessions from a diverse group of presenters, topics will include – but are not limited to – Common Core, assessment, classroom management, differentiation, bullying, RTI, inclusion, content-based learning, and time and stress management. The conference is unique in scope because presentations are practitioner based, but include everyone from undergraduate students to practicing classroom teachers to university faculty. The goal is for participants to be able to implement on Monday morning what they learned on Saturday in the education sessions. The conference schedule and sessions can be viewed by clicking here.

Georgia’s Teacher of the Year for 2013, Lauren Eckman, will give the keynote address. Eckman is a teacher of the blind and visually impaired at the Georgia Academy for the Blind. A strong advocate of special education, Eckman works diligently to empower her students to achieve their highest levels of education and independence. She earned her bachelor’s, summa cum laude, from Wesleyan College; and her master’s, summa cum laude, from the University of Louisville. Currently, she is pursuing a doctoral degree from Nova Southeastern University.

“Eckman is a teacher at the Georgia Academy for the Blind in Macon, so she brings a unique perspective to education, the needs of the differently abled and on motivating and engaging students in ways that are culturally relevant. She’s very engaging and inspiring,” Wilson said.

In addition to professional development, the conference will host the largest educational vendor fair the conference has ever had. It will feature the latest products and technology for the P-12 classroom.

“Getting out of the classroom removes the pressure and isolation of teachers, which allows teachers to just share and learn,” Wilson said. “It’s a great, low-cost way to renew enthusiasm and find new inspiration.”

Registration: FREE for GRU faculty and students; and FREE for faculty in GRU’s Partner Network School Districts. Optional box lunch is $7. Registration for non-GRU students is $25 and includes lunch. Registration for all others is $50, and includes box lunch.

2015 Impacting Student Learning Conference

Saturday, March 21

Georgia Regents University

University Hall

gru.edu/isl