Keeping Students and Teachers Motivated and Engaged

Madeline Will is a reporter for Education Week who covers the teaching profession.

Jennings, a professor of education at the University of Virginia, is an internationally recognized leader in the fields of social and emotional learning and mindfulness in education. Her research places a specific emphasis on teacher stress and how it impacts the social and emotional context of the classroom. Jennings led the team that developed CARE, a mindfulness-based professional development program shown to significantly improve teacher well-being, classroom interactions, and student engagement. A former teacher, school director, and teacher-educator, Jennings is the author of numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and several books. Her latest book, Teacher Burnout Turnaround: Strategies for Empowered Teachers, was released in December.

Lew is an assistant principal at Arcadia High School in Southern California. She has spent most of her 16-year career as a special education teacher, and her educational passion is infusing social and emotional learning into all aspects of school culture. She believes all students can reach their potential and is constantly looking for ways to give students more access and opportunities. Michele was the recipient of a Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching and spent time in the West Bank working with the government’s special education department. Outside of work, you can find Michele podcasting with her principal, hiking with her pups, or traveling the world.

Daarel Burnette II was an assistant managing editor for Education Week.

McCoy has been a school social worker for 16 years with St. Paul Public Schools and has worked in education for 24 years. In her current role, she provides direct support to youth in alternative educational settings and, for the past 11 years, works at Agape High School which serves pregnant and parenting teen mothers. McCoy has been actively involved with the Minnesota School Social Work Association since 2002, held leadership roles as president, secretary, and currently serves as legislative chair. She is the current president for School Social Workers Association of America (SSWAA) and was previously secretary and legislative chair. McCoy has presented statewide, regionally and nationally on a number of topics related to school social work, school crisis and mental health, childhood mental illness, and addressing equity issues.

Kevin Bushweller oversees coverage of educational technology and learning environments for Education Week.

Steinbrink, a teacher for 25 years, presents tech & instructional practices nationally. She is an educational consultant and the author of www.rockntheboat.com, a Feedspot Top 200 blog in Education. Laura has published articles for Matt Miller, author of Ditch That Textbook, Denis Sheeran, author of Instant Relevance; & articles for Kahoot, Getting Smart, Parent Square, the ISTE Educator Network newsletter, ISTE, & other EDU related companies. Follow Steinbrink on Twitter @SteinbrinkLaura.

Alyson Klein is an assistant editor for Education Week.

Morin is an author, parent advocate, and mom to kids who learn differently. She worked as a classroom teacher and as an early intervention specialist for 10 years. In her role at Understood, she leads efforts to build internal knowledge about learning and thinking differences, works toward establishing Understood as an authority in the field, and ensures that the organization’s work is evidence-based and reflects unique expertise and innovative perspectives. During her years as an early childhood educator, she taught kindergarten and worked with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities.

Schultz, is a clinical neuropsychologist on the faculty at Harvard Medical School in the Department of Psychiatry. He currently serves as an international consultant on issues related to the neuropsychology and education of children and young adults with special needs. His recent research and writing focus on the impact of stress and anxiety on students of all ages. He is a frequent contributor at understood.org, ADDitudemag.com, and impactADHD.com. His book, Nowhere to Hide: Why Kids with ADHD and LD Hate School and What We Can Do About It, examines the role of stress in learning, and has served as a practical guide for families and schools across the globe.

Arianna Prothero covers technology, student well-being, and the intersection of the two for Education Week.

Leslie Blanchard is the executive director the Leadership Development Institute at Louisiana State University where she directs her efforts toward improving outcomes in K-12 schools and districts through customized, strategic, and deliberate leadership development. Blanchard’s research focuses on the areas of leadership development and evaluation, particularly in K-20 education. Blanchard has developed and taught leadership courses at the undergraduate and graduate level for the past ten years, and has consulted and coached with individuals, teams, and large groups to facilitate organizational effectiveness and improved culture and climate. A former classroom English and Secondary Science teacher, Blanchard has worked in the field of education for more than 25 years.

Brackett is the founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and a professor in the Child Study Center at Yale University. His research focuses on the role of emotional intelligence in learning, decision making, creativity, relationships, health, and performance. He has published over 150 scholarly articles, received numerous awards, and serves on a number of boards, including CASEL. Marc is the lead developer of RULER, an evidence-based approach to SEL that has been adopted by over 2,500 schools across the United States and in other countries. Marc is the author of Permission to Feel, published by Celadon, a division of Macmillan.