Alternative approaches to special education will be the focus of a one-day conference on Wednesday, May 22, at Antioch University New England (AUNE). AUNE’s Department of Education will introduce its new master’s concentration in Holistic Special Education at the conference, titled Can We Do Better? Alternative Approaches to Special Education.
Kim John Payne, MEd ’01, the author of Simplicity Parenting and The Games Children Play, is the keynote speaker. There will also be workshops and a panel discussion by leaders and practitioners in the field who have experience with inclusive models.
Payne is a consultant and trainer to more than 110 independent and public schools in the United States and has consulted for educational associations in South Africa, Hungary, Israel, Russia, Switzerland, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. He is co-director of the Simplicity Project, a multi-media social network and is the founding director of The Center for Social Sustainability.
Topics at the conference will include:
- the changing landscape of special education
- what we know;mining our cognitive capital
- benefits and challenges of collaborative models
- transformative teaching and leading;from ablesim to inclusion
- creating holistic and healthy classrooms;holding space for diversity
Cost of the conference is $125. With a discount for school teams and AUNE students/alumni, the cost is $100. The conference will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Register here for the conference.
The Holistic Special Education concentration, part of AUNE’s Teacher Certification master’s program, will offer students dual state certification in elementary and special education. It is set to begin in fall 2013. Contact Laura Andrews, AUNE Admissions, to learn more about the degree program.
