Program: School Improvement
Audience: K-12 General Education, Social Studies, Special Education & Intervention Teachers, Instructional Coaches, and Administrators
Dates: 9/25/2024
In Person
Lunch Included
Featured Speaker
Biographical Sketch: Kent has taught, coached, and occupied several leadership positions at the middle-school level over the past twenty years. He is a recipient of various honors, including the Margot Stern Strom Teaching Award from Facing History and Ourselves and the NAIS Teacher of the Future designation. He earned his Ed.M. in Learning and Teaching from Harvard University. In partnership with the Better Arguments Project, Kent created a curriculum to encourage civil discourse among middle- and high-school students. He has helped envision and execute programming for the K-12 sector of the National Week of Conversation, and he serves on the Education Advisory Team for Courageous Rhode Island. Kent has also worked with a number of schools to help educators navigate the complexities of political polarization. By virtue of temperament and experience, he is well suited to gently, purposefully, and humorously leading students and faculty members through difficult discussions.
Description: As the election approaches, your school and community may be more politically active than ever. Join School Improvement and Kent for an entire day dedicated to learning and engagement, aimed at "depolarizing" and assisting students, staff, and community members in engaging in meaningful political discussions. These discussions are designed to understand a diverse set of perspectives. Rather than seeking to change or alter opinions, Kent's approach integrates media literacy, civic engagement, and social-emotional learning into a comprehensive toolkit for educators and districts. This toolkit addresses the challenges of political discourse in the 21st century. Our students are poised to enter a politically divided society, and Kent will work with us to help students "disagree better" and engage in respectful conversations with those who hold different views.