Building a Better Teacher the Focus of New York Education Conference

NEW YORK, September 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Teacher quality, support and retention are on agenda at conference created by The New York Times in collaboration with Richard Attias and Associates

Former US Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra is the keynote speaker at The New York Times Schools for Tomorrow conference, which opens tomorrow morning in New York.

The conference, in collaboration with Richard Attias and Associates, takes Building a Better Teacher as its theme. Also among the 40 speakers for the event are two Chancellors of Education, Dennis Walcott of New York City Department of Education, and Kaya Henderson of District of Columbia Public Schools, as well as Linda Darling-Hammond, recognised as the world's leading authority on teacher education and quality.

Gerald Marzorati, the Times editor overseeing the conferences, said: "Teachers, most of them, are already doing a great job. But education must change to meet the needs of the 21st century. And if the changes are to be the right ones, the most meaningful and productive ones - it will depend on teachers.

"How can we develop strategies for maximizing teachers' skills and strengths so their students can ultimately do better in the classroom, their careers, and as participants in the global economy?"

The conference will bring together more than 500 educators, government officials, philanthropists and investors to participate in panel discussions and debates on stage and in the audience. Panellists will debate how to attract the best teachers from college (or earlier), through training and ongoing professional development. Sessions will address teacher support networks, compensation, unions and measurement and bonus structures, as well as the technologies that function as tools to help evaluate and enhance the skills of teachers.

The conference will also feature an Inventors Lab, showcasing six technical applications curated by the program team, and three Inspiration presentations from high-achieving young teachers.

Richard Attias, executive chairman of Richard Attias and Associates, said: "The role of a teacher is changing, from educator, to mentor and social worker. Yet the profession has lost some of the esteem in which it was held, so we need to look at what measures can be taken to restore the status of teaching as a career, to ensure we attract some of our brightest graduates into the field."

New York Times Op-Ed columnists David Brooks and Nick Kristof will join former Times executive editor, and now Op-Ed columnist, Bill Keller to moderate discussions. Other speakers at the conference include:

• Lori Breslow, Director of the Teaching and Learning Laboratory, M.I.T.
• Ted Brodheim, C.O.O., ePals
• James G. Coulter, Founding Partner, TPG Capital
• Mark Edwards, Superintendent, Mooresville Graded School District
• Adam Frankel, Executive Director, Digital Promise
• Thomas Kane, Professor of Education and Economics, Harvard Graduate School of Education
• Deborah Kenny, Founder and Chief Executive, Harlem Village Academies
• Sharon Robinson, President and C.E.O., American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education
• Martina Roth, Director, Intel's Global Education Strategy, Research and Policy
• Daniel Russell, Uber Tech Lead, Google

Carnegie Corporation of New York and College Board are sponsors of the event. It is now in its second year and is one of a series of conferences from The Times, covering issues as diverse as mergers and acquisitions and energy.

The conference will be streamed live on the Web and free to the public. Follow @NYTedtech for the latest on Twitter and join the conversation at #NYTedtech. To view the live stream and for more information about the conference, including the agenda and full speaker lineup, please go to NYTSchoolsforTomorrow.com.

About Richard Attias & Associates 

Richard Attias & Associates is a strategic communications firm that provides private consultancy, idea initiatives and live experiences. Our mission is to help leaders, corporations and nations build their global influence, catalyze innovation and lead the global exchange of ideas.

Using our strategic and operational expertise, we craft unforgettable experiences: interactive platforms, living laboratories of human capital, and historic cultural exchanges that help foster positive change for the global community. 
http://www.richardattiasassociates.com

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