Big Ideas aren’t just about heady, abstract ideas. Some of our recent conversations with teachers who plan to attend the Fest provide a glimpse into their school site challenges and what they hope to take away from the Fest. For example, two of these teachers explained that their school is struggling to support the learning needs of its English learner population. They plan to use the Big Ideas Fest to develop a prototype plan for improving outcomes for English Learners, specifically focused on a non-traditional approach to teaching vocabulary and academic concepts to this population. They hope to take this plan back to their school site and refine and finalize it through collaboration with their colleagues and principal.

The Big Ideas Fest is meant to encourage knowledge sharing among participants. The idea is for participants to think about how they can best leverage what is working in their own environments, and explore new options for meeting educational challenges that we face as change agents in the education systems we serve. Come roll up your sleeves, and join us.