CEO of All Kinds of Minds to Present at ASCD Annual Conference on Bold, New Models for Learning.

DURHAM, N.C. -- Mary-Dean Barringer, CEO of All Kinds of Minds, will be speaking in the Distinguished Lecture Series at the 2008 ASCD Annual Conference in New Orleans on Sunday, March 16, 1:00-2:30 p.m.

Along with Dr. Art Levine from The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, the team will guide attendees through the topic, Paradigm Shift: From Teaching to Learning. The presenters will lead a dialogue about transforming the preparation of teachers so they become the "lead learning experts" in the school community.

Questions that will be covered include the following: What are the new core competencies required of teachers to transform classrooms and think boldly about new models of learning? How do we bring the growing knowledge base about learning gleaned from neuroscience research to current practitioners? What does teacher preparation look like as we shift the focus of professional preparation to learning about learners?

Barringer was a founding board member of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and then served as Vice President of Outreach and Mobilization for the non-profit education organization for more than a decade. During this time she designed and implemented new, innovative programs and led teams of educators to embrace change and innovation. She helped launch a teacher certification program that grew in volume from 200 in the first year to 14,000 six years later.

All Kinds of Minds, a non-profit institute, was co-founded in 1995 to translate the latest research on how children learn into programs, products and services that help students struggling in school become successful learners. Further information is available at: www.allkindsofminds.org.

The ASCD, a nonprofit association, is one of the largest professional development organizations for educator leaders. It provides education information services; offers cutting-edge professional development for effective learning, teaching, and leadership; and supports activities to provide educational equity for all students. ASCD's membership of more than 175,000 includes principals, teachers, superintendents, professors of education, and other educators from 119 countries. The Association also has nearly 60 affiliates throughout the world.