SOE and T/TAC host 20th Annual Inclusive Education Symposium
by Christine M. Baron | October 29, 2009
Dr. Jim Knight, an award-winning author, researcher, and consultant was the keynote speaker when about 300 educators from around the Commonwealth gathered in Williamsburg on Oct. 27 for the 20th annual William & Mary Symposium on Professional Collaboration and Inclusive Education.
The symposium was sponsored by the School of Education and the Virginia Department of Education Training and Technical Assistance Center at William & Mary.
The symposium was intended for educators, administrators, students, families, and other individuals who are interested in learning about instruction and support for students with disabilities and other struggling learners.
According to Prof. Lori Korinek, an event leader, the theme for the one-day symposium, "Powerful Partnerships: Connecting for Student Success," was chosen to "remind us that student success is the bottom line for all educational efforts. Working collaboratively and supporting one another in delivering effective programs is the best way to ensure that students will succeed - and that we not only survive, but thrive in the process."
The keynote speaker, Dr. Jim Knight, spoke on "Building Partnerships for Learning." Dr. Knight holds a Ph.D. in education and is currently a research associate at the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning. He has spent almost two decades studying communication and instructional coaching.
He has written or co-authored several books on the topic including Instructional Coaching: A Partnership Approach to Improving Instruction, Coaching Classroom Management, & Partnership Learning: Scientifically Proven Strategies for Fostering Dialogue During Workshops and Presentations. Dr. Knight also edited Coaching: Approaches and Perspectives.
He has authored numerous articles in publications such as "The Journal of Staff Development," "Principal Leadership," "The School Administrator," and "Teachers Teaching Teachers."
He is a noted grant writer and director for several research projects including a grant from the Institute for Educational Sciences to conduct a formal assessment of coaching, and Pathways to Success, a comprehensive, district-wide school reform project for the Topeka Kansas School District. Dr. Knight also leads the coaching institutes and the Annual Instructional Coaching Conference offered by the University of Kansas.
Dr. Knight has presented and consulted in more than 35 states, most Canadian provinces, and in Japan. He is the recipient of several university teaching, innovation, and service awards.
