Nearly 200 Project Ignite educators convened on Thursday, Feb. 8, in Dublin to connect with colleagues from across the state and to ignite their professional learning. Attendees were able to learn, share, and collaborate as they work to transform educational outcomes and opportunities for the students they serve.
That one kid: Attendees had the opportunity to learn from one of the best in the field of school discipline, behavior and classroom management, and student engagement, Brian Mendler, who delivered an impactful and inspiring keynote address.
A former special education teacher, best-selling author, and international motivational speaker, Mendler detailed his own experiences and struggles as a young student labeled as deviant and having a learning disability. His background ultimately led him to a career that has spanned decades of working with students who struggle with behavior and learning issues and the educators who serve them.
Mendler spent more than three hours talking with the Project Ignite audience, telling stories of how his teachers reacted to his own learning style and classroom behavior, how they made him feel in positive and negative interactions, and what lessons today’s educators can take to improve their classroom environments.
Mendler is the founder of That One Kid, a program that helps educators deal with challenging students and create positive learning environments. He is also the author of several books, including That One Kid, The Taming of the Crew, and Watch Your Mouth.
Connecting with role-alike colleagues: Attendees once again had the opportunity to connect with colleagues from across the state in collaborative Job-Alike Sessions, where participants were able to learn from and share with others who are facing similar challenges in their daily roles.
Engaging and interactive learning sessions: The day featured a slate of learning sessions, including ongoing tracks in the Ignite Your Learning Cohort Series and a collaborative session on strategies and tools for productive BLT meetings..
About Project Ignite
Through a partnership between the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and Battelle for Kids, Project Ignite provides customized support to school teams seeking to strengthen their capacity for improvement. Project Ignite includes on-site coaching, access to Battelle for Kids’ evidence-based resources, professional learning, and a statewide network to advance student success.
Project Ignite currently includes 75 schools serving more than 35,000 students across 45 districts in Ohio. The network features school representation from all 16 State Support Team regions.
