As an educational consultant I'm often explaining to parents and teachers that children really are the best people to make decisions about their own learning. I'm involved in many projects to reform schools, rethink teacher roles, examine how students spend their time in school, redesign environments that support student learning, and encourage everyone to give students more choice about their learning. 

1. Topic & Audience

My topic is Student-Centered Learning. My audience are the administrators, teachers, and parents who believe there are alternatives to the current public school system but often focus on changing one aspect instead of rethinking the design of schools to be centered around children- as in what children think instead of what adults think is best for children.

2. Core Messages

• Learning is important
• Students are at the center of learning
• Students can decide what school should be like

3. Visual metaphor & Presentation

When I think about students having choice I imagine a student surrounded by many arrows or pathways. I used this idea to show the journey a student takes in deciding what learning should be like.

Presentation: When I give this presentation I will offer research, evidence, and suggestions for each aspect of designing a learning system. 

Call to Action: Every adult who hears/sees this presentation asks a child they know what the child thinks school should be like. To start a converstaion that values children's ideas and doesn't presume that adults know best.