The ASCD Virtual Leadership Summit—taking place January 18–20, 2022—is almost here. This year’s theme, “Lead to Flourish: Serving the Whole Child & Whole Educator,” highlights how a holistic community flourishes when working collaboratively. The event is an excellent opportunity to connect, network, and share ideas on the most pressing issues (and their solutions) affecting leaders today.
To prepare for the occasion, we’ve compiled some of the most relevant articles and books that our featured session speakers have recently published. There’s no better time to immerse yourself in the ideas of today’s eminent education thought leaders.
Andy Hargreaves & Dennis Shirley
As a scholar, Andy Hargreaves is not short on acclaim (he’s currently advisor to the First Minister of Scotland), especially on topics surrounding student engagement and well-being.
His most recent work, “The Future of Learning Lies in Engagement,” a December/January article for Educational Leadership magazine, recommends the right paths—and missteps to avoid—to move forward during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Hargreaves has a new book out on well-being coauthored with Dennis Shirley (who will also speak at the summit) titled Well-Being in Schools: Three Forces That Will Uplift Your Students in a Volatile World, which is available for preorder. Shirley and Hargreaves delve into the ideas, research findings, and implementations behind well-being to leverage restorative and ethical practices in schools.
Andy Hargreaves
Opening Session: Thursday, January 20
Dennis Shirley
Opening Session: Thursday, January 20
Baruti Kafele
As a school-leadership expert, Baruti Kafele has received more than 150 educational, professional, and community awards. He has led the turnaround of four New Jersey schools—one of those earning recognition as one of America's best high schools by U.S News & World Report. He is a renowned motivational speaker and author of 12 books.
In May, ASCD published Kafele’s most recent book The Equity and Social Justice Education 50: Critical Questions for Improving Opportunities and Outcomes for Black Students, which suggests questions to deeply reflect on as a teacher of Black students. With more than six ASCD bestsellers to his name, Kafele has also published multiple leadership-focused works, including The Aspiring Principal 50, Is My School a Better School Because I Lead It?, The Assistant Principal 50, and "The Mental Balancing Act for School Leaders" (from the December 2020 issue of EL).
Baruti Kafele
Opening Session: Tuesday, January 18
Douglas Reeves
Douglas Reeves has published more than 100 articles and 40 books on educational leadership and student achievement. He has worked with numerous education, business, nonprofit, and government organizations.
His latest publication, "The Engagement Illusion," an EL article on student engagement coauthored with Neil Gupta, unpacks the illusions that may lead teachers into thinking students are engaged—and how to address them. In August 2020, Reeves published the book The Learning Leader: How to Focus School Improvement for Better Results, a reminder to all leaders to continue growing and learning for the betterment of the school community.
Douglas Reeves
Opening Session: Wednesday, January 19
Tiffany Anderson
With more than 28 years of experience in school leadership—the majority of that time as superintendent—Tiffany Anderson has been a proven champion of equity in schools. She received the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Living the Dream and Living the Legacy award in 2021, and was a 2020 Kansas Superintendent of the Year finalist. Anderson has opened a school district homeless shelter, placed hospital clinics in public schools with physicians on staff, expanded mental health services in schools, and implemented systems to reduce homelessness and break the school-to-prison pipeline.
She authored an article in a September 2014 issue of EL on how leaders can engage parents in high-poverty settings, providing insightful self-reflective questions and concrete advice for becoming a vehicle for the community. For more on Anderson, check out these quick videos on her educational journey and her unique perspective on teaching attire.
Tiffany Anderson
Opening Session: Wednesday, January 19.
Virtual Leadership Summit 2022
Are you interested in registering for the summit? There’s still time. The early bird rate ends on December 17.
