The Educational Leader Conference 2022: Transforming Practices Towards Quality

THE EDUCATIONAL LEADER CONFERENCE 2022:  TRANSFORMING PRACTICES TOWARDS QUALITY

The role of educational leadership focuses on curriculum and pedagogy rather than on management and administration. As such it had been argued that educational leadership is, in effect, leadership for learning (NZCA, 2013). This inspiring conference, in its fourth year, is unique given it is focused on supporting those individuals in the role of educational leader. Join a stellar line up of speakers who will assist and guide you in considering ways of transforming the educational practices in your site towards improved quality outcomes.

OUR SPEAKERS

David Gilkes - David has been in early years education for over 25 years. The majority of this time he spent working as a teacher alongside four and five year old children and their families in Hobart and Canberra. His leadership roles include Director of an Early Learning Centre and an Early Years Network Leader in the Tasmanian Department of Education. The Reggio Emilia educational project and approach, and its provocation for the Australian context, has inspired and challenged David for many years. He is particularly drawn to their thinking around relationships, listening, research, participation, interdependence, rights and aesthetics. In 2014 David was awarded a National Excellence in Teaching Award for Innovation in Early Childhood and visited Nature Kindergartens in Denmark. David has published several articles and spoken at a number of conferences. He now works full-time as an Education Consultant, supporting individuals and teams of people around the country.

Wendy Lee - Wendy is currently the Director of the Educational Leadership Project Ltd, a professional education provider for early childhood teachers, in New Zealand. She has been involved in early childhood education (ECE) for over 45 years as a teacher, tutor, lecturer, manager, professional development facilitator and researcher. Wendy was co-director, with Professor Margaret Carr, of the National Early Childhood Assessment and Learning Exemplar Project that developed the Kei Tua o te Pae books on assessment for learning for the NZ early childhood sector. Wendy has a deep interest in curriculum, advocacy and leadership issues in ECE. She is very enthusiastic about the power of documentation to strengthen the learner identity of children. She has co-authored books on both Learning Stories and Te Whāriki and has presented at conferences on ECE curriculum, leadership and Learning Stories all over the world.

Anthony Semann - Anthony is one of the founders of Semann & Slattery. Often asked how Semann & Slattery was established, he often has a temptation to make up a story of some well-planned out business model and long-term investment strategy, but the truth is that the business was born out of a desire to make a difference. No long-term planning, no business model and definitely not an investment strategy. And this desire to make a difference has been the fuel that has kept Semann & Slattery going for 20 years. Qualified as an early childhood teacher Anthony spent the first part of his career working in long day care programs, eager to learn as much as he could about how to make a difference. It wasn't long after he began his career that he discovered the importance of equity and social justice as a driving force in social change. He remains committed to naming inequity, shifting practice towards justice and living a life that embodies all that he preaches.  

Louise Dorrat - Louise has worked in the early years profession for over 30 years. She has taught the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education at a number of universities and is currently teaching the Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Teaching at Melbourne University. Louise assisted in the set-up of the first Victorian Bush Kinder and worked in the bush setting for two years. She was an advisor for the NQS (2018) and is contracted by organisations such as Federal and State Governments, not for profit and private organisations to deliver keynotes, workshops and webinars across Australia and internationally. Louise's background in theatre results in presentations that are at once engaging and informative. 

Dr Karen Martin - Karen is a Noonuccal, Quandamoopah and Bidjara woman. She has extensive leadership experience in early childhood education, higher education and Aboriginal education. Karen's research has focused on understanding not just 'what', but 'who, how, why, where and when' of teaching, learning and leading. Karen has published and researched widely on these topics and is a renowned State, National and International speaker. Things a Google search won't tell you about Karen: she loves chocolate, the colour schemes of blue and red, and used to follow the Cowboys NRL team (until Thurston retired).