Events


Parent Camp: Family School Community Engagement


February 22, 2023

Join Kathleen in ParentCamp to discover how your kids learn using the on UDL (Universal Design for Learning) Lens of Access, Engage and Express that is grounded in the cognitive neurosciences.


The 2023 UDL-IRN International Summiit: 10 years of UDL Community

Empower the Learner: Creating Pathways for All Learners to Achieve Agency using the UDL Lens
Pre-Conference presented by Kathleen McClaskey
March 13th, 1-4pm

Research tells us that “identity is at the core of adolescent social and emotional learning”. Participants will step into the learner’s shoes to discover their own identity by creating an Empower the Learner (ETL) Profile that includes Who I Am, How I Learn (using the UDL Lens of Access, Engage and Express), and What I Aspire to Be. By creating their own ETL Profile, they will understand the value of knowing their own strengths, challenges, and aspirations as a foundation for empowering learners with the lifelong skills and practices of self-understanding, agency and self-advocacy.





Ocaliconline 2022
Ocaliconline 2022

Empower the Learner:
Creating Pathways for Agency and Self-Advocacy

presented by Kathleen McClaskey

November 15-18, 2022

For all learners to be valued, seen, heard and understood, they need to understand and give a voice to their own identity so that they can develop the skills and practices to become agents and self advocates of their learning.


https://www.cast.org/products-services/events/2022/07/8th-annual-udl-symposium-learner-voice

July 28, 2022

Learners with Voice: Creating Pathways for Agency and Self-Advocacy
in a Pre-recorded Session

presented by Kathleen McClaskey and Hillary Goldthwait-Fowles

When every learner is empowered to know, value and share their voice about their variability and uniqueness, new pathways can be created for agency and self-advocacy. By developing skills and practices with tools/apps to support and enhance their learning in either the classroom or remote learning environment, learners are better prepared for today’s world of community, collaboration, and connection.


ISTE Live22 – New Orleans, June 26-29

Learners Empowered: Creating Pathways for Agency and Self-Advocacy for All Learners

presented by Kathleen McClaskey and Andelee Espinosa

Tuesday, June 28, 2 – 3 PM

Discover that when every learner is empowered to know and value their variability and uniqueness, new pathways can be created for agency and self-advocacy by developing skills with tools and apps to support and enhance their learning in either the classroom or remote learning environment.



Webinars and Podcasts

https://barkleypd.com/blog/parent-podcast-building-conversations-with-your-child-about-learning-strengths-and-challenges/

Parent, educator, and CEO of Empower the Learner, Kathleen McClaskey, shares the need for parents to empower learners with knowing their strengths and challenges in order to take actions that lead to their hopes and dreams. She highlights her personal parenting and educating experiences that provide clear understanding of our important role.

Building Conversations with your Child About Learning Strengths and Challenges

Steve Barkley Ponders Outloud
Empower the Learner Profile
https://barkleypd.com/blog/empower-the-learner-profile/

June 16, 2022

Kathleen McClaskey, CEO of Empower the Learner and co-author of Make Learning Personal” and How to Personalize Learning,” identifies the need to develop student capacity to support their own learning, achieve agency, self-advocate for their learning and realize their hopes and dreams.


Empowering Learners & Educating Their Guides

December 7, 2021

The Empower the Learner team met with Dr. Maureen O’Shaughnessy from Education Evolution for this podcast that tells our story on why we need to Empower the Learner. Enjoy!

You can also listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!

Empowering our Learners: Using Book Creator to create a one-page profile
October 13, 2021

The Empower the Learner team and Jon Smith from Book Creator joined forces to present the Empower the Learner Profile template. This FREE template will help guide you and your learners to identify who they are, how they learn and what they aspire to be, packaged into a 1-page profile that learners can use to be advocates for their own learning. Access to the ETL Profile Template and An Introduction to Empower the Learner can be located at https://read.bookcreator.com/library/-MR4YfziA1CU6E1-6C7

Jon Smith from Book Creator and the ETL Team: Kathleen McClaskey, Julie Hartman and Hillary Goldthwait-Fowles.

Podcast

A Conversation with Kathleen McClaskey about “Stop Judging Students”

from Coaching You Through All Things Education by Ann Hlabangana-Clay

No one likes to be judged, especially our kids. Listen to the #100StopSeries episode with Kathleen McClaskey for more about judging kids, personalized learning, UDL and so much more!



Past Events

Register at https://summit.udl-irn.org/preconferences

Dive into how you can have your learners lead their own learning (and IEP meetings) by empowering them with tools, skills and practices to become agents and self-advocates of their own learning during the UDL-IRN Summit pre-conference session with @khmmc and @hillary_atp!


Christa McAuliffe Technology Conference

Thursday, November 29, 2021 (Virtual), Friday, November 30, 2021 (onsite)

Identity: The On-Ramp to Learner Empowerment

presented by Kathleen McClaskey and Andelee Espinosa

The research from the learning sciences tells us that “Identity is at the core of adolescent social and emotional learning.” Knowing one’s identity includes who I am, how I learn (using the UDL Lens) and what I aspire to be. With this understanding, each learner is empowered to know and value their variability and uniqueness so they can develop the skills and practices to support and enhance their learning in the classroom or remote learning environment. In this session, participants will learn how to create an Empower the Learner Profile of a learner they know so they discuss how they can empower the learner with tools, skills and practices to become agents and self-advocates of their own learning.


Christa McAuliffe Technology Conference

Thursday, November 4, 2021

Identity: The On-Ramp to Learner Empowerment

presented by Kathleen McClaskey

The research from the learning sciences tells us that “Identity is at the core of adolescent social and emotional learning.” Knowing one’s identity includes who I am, how I learn (using the UDL Lens) and what I aspire to be. With this understanding, each learner is empowered to know and value their variability and uniqueness so they can develop the skills and practices to support and enhance their learning in the classroom or remote learning environment. In this session, participants will learn how to create an Empower the Learner Profile of a learner they know so they discuss how they can empower the learner with tools, skills and practices to become agents and self-advocates of their own learning.

A conversation to empower your kids this school year

Let’s get kids off to a great start!

JOIN US in a conversation on how to empower kids this year!

FREE Reading App license for those who attend!


ISTE 2021

Monday, June 28, 12:30-1:15 p.m.

The Empowered Learner: Future Ready with Agency and Self-Advocacy Skills

presented by Kathleen McClaskey

Discover how the learning sciences can be used to empower each learner to understand the what, why and how of their learning so that they can value their variability and uniqueness and then be empowered to develop the skills to become agents and self-advocates of their own learning.

The Mediating Role of eTwinning in Small School Communities

April 22, 2021, 10:30-11:45am ET

Use the UDL Lens to Empower the Learner to Become an Agent and Advocate of their Own Learning

Workshop presented by Kathleen McClaskey

As we try to educate all children to become independent and self-directed learners so they have choices in college, career, and life, our promise should be for each child to develop agency. But how can we as educational leaders fulfill that promise to create learner-centered environments where all learners can develop agency, prepared to pursue their passions and interests, take ownership and be advocates of their learning so that they are future ready? Participants will work in pairs to learn how to use the practical 3-step “Empower the Learner” process by employing the research of the learning sciences to understand the value of knowing a learner’s identity that includes who they are, how they learn and what they aspire to be as foundational for acquiring the lifelong skills of agency and self-advocacy.

April 22, 2001, 10:00 – 10:30am ET

Empower the Learner through The Power of Story

Keynote presented by Kathleen McClaskey

Story is where we came from and where we’re going. It is in the story that we make meaning of our lives. Our story is what defines us, sets us apart and allows us to connect and build relationships with each other and to be known. Story is powerful and essential in creating learner-centered environments! The question is: In what ways can we empower our learners of all ages to share their story of who they are, how they learn and what they aspire to be so they can be known, understood and valued?

2021 UDL-IRN Summit

April 13th, 1:15-2:15 p.m.

The Empowered Learner: Future Ready with Agency and Self-Advocacy Skills

presented by Kathleen McClaskey and Hillary Goldthwait-Fowles

Discover the ways to empower each learner to understand the what, why and how of their learning so that they can value their individual variability and uniqueness. With this rich understanding, each learner can then identify and develop the skills to support and enhance their own learning using ways to access, engage, and express in order to achieve equity among their peers in an inclusive environment and then become agents and self-advocates of their own learning.


South by southwest conference EDU with feature guest Oprah Winfrey

March 9-11, 2021

SXSW EDU Mentor Program

by Kathleen McClaskey

Join me at the SXSW EDU Online 2021 mentor program!

Again I am privileged to mentor up to 6 participants who have a focus on pedagogy and innovation.

SXSW EDU’s aim is to elevate the voice and leadership of those working to improve the learning landscape. laboration, idea-sharing, and inspiration.

ISTE 2020 Live

November 30th, 5:00-5:45 EST (Virtual presentations)

Empower Learners With the UDL Lens: Build a Backpack for Agency

presented by Kathleen McClaskey and Andelee Espinosa

How can you empower every learner to develop agency? Discover how your learners can use the UDL lens to develop learner profiles to share the strengths and challenges of their learning and build a personal learning backpack of tools and apps so they can become agents of their own learning.

https://relearnfestival.com/

November 12, 2020, 12:45 – 1:30pm ET (16:45-17:30 CET)

Empower the Learner through The Power of Story

Keynote with Q&A presented by Kathleen McClaskey

Story is where we came from and where we’re going. It is in the story that we make meaning of our lives. Our story is what defines us, sets us apart and allows us to connect and build relationships with each other and to be known. Story is powerful and essential in creating learner-centered environments! The question is: In what ways can we empower our learners of all ages to share their story of who they are, how they learn and what they aspire to be so they can be known, understood and valued?

https://relearnfestival.com/

November 12, 2020, 1:30-2:30pm ET (17:30-18:30 CET)

Use the Learning Sciences to Empower the Learner to Become an Agent and Advocate of their Own Learning

Workshop presented by Kathleen McClaskey

As we try to educate all children to become independent and self-directed learners so they have choices in college, career, and life, our promise should be for each child to develop agency. But how can we as educational leaders fulfill that promise to create learner-centered environments where all learners can develop agency, prepared to pursue their passions and interests, take ownership and be advocates of their learning so that they are future ready? Participants will work in pairs to learn how to use the practical 3-step “Empower the Learner” process by employing the research of the learning sciences to understand the value of knowing a learner’s identity that includes who they are, how they learn and what they aspire to be as foundational for acquiring the lifelong skills of agency and self-advocacy.

Vermont Fest 2020
https://vita-learn.org/vermontfest/

October 29th, 4:30-5:30 pm & October 31st, 11:30am-12:30pm (Virtual presentations)

Personalize Learning with the UDL Lens: Empower All Learners with Agency

presented by Kathleen McClaskey

As we try to educate all children, our promise should be for each child to develop agency. But how can we as educators fulfill that promise? Discover how you can empower your learners with profiles using the learning sciences so that they can share who they are, how they learn and what they aspire to be and then identify and develop lifelong skills with tools and apps to become agents of their own learning.

October 28, 2020, 1-2pm ET (Virtual Presentation)

Using the Learning Sciences to Empower the Learner to Become an Agent and Advocate of their Own Learning

presented by Kathleen McClaskey and Andelee Espinosa

How can we use the learning sciences to empower every learner to become agents and advocates of their own learning? In this session, you will participate in a practical process in how to develop a Learner Profile that can empower learners to share who they are, how they learn, and what they aspire to be, their identity. Learn from a special education case manager who implements Learner Profiles with her high school learners how they advocate for their learning and lead their own IEP meetings.


October 28, 2020, 1-2pm ET (Virtual Presentation)

Using the Learning Sciences to Empower the Learner to Become an Agent and Advocate of their Own Learning

presented by Kathleen McClaskey and Andelee Espinosa

How can we use the learning sciences to empower every learner to become agents and advocates of their own learning? In this session, you will participate in a practical process in how to develop a Learner Profile that can empower learners to share who they are, how they learn, and what they aspire to be, their identity. Learn from a special education case manager who implements Learner Profiles with her high school learners how they advocate for their learning and lead their own IEP meetings.

October 6, 2020, 6:25 ET (Virtual presentation)
Rihadj, Saudi Arabia

Implementing Successful Personalisation Programmes at Scale
presented by Kathleen McClaskey