Hundreds of educators, business leaders and policy makers took part in the event at the Raleigh Convention Center in Raleigh, N.C., from Feb. 10-11, 2014.
Sponsored by The Institute of Emerging Issues, the forum focused on the theme “Teachers and the Great Economic Debate.” Attendees included more than 1,300 educators, business leaders and policy makers challenged to explore how to recruit, develop and keep the best teachers in North Carolina’s classrooms.
The event was a follow-up to the Fellows’ participation in January of academic seminars on national education policy and the media at The Washington Center in Washington, D.C.
The forum showcased Amanda Ripley, author of “The Smartest Kids in the World – And How They Got that Way”; Pasi Sahlberg, former director general of the Centre for International Mobility and Cooperation in Helsinki, Finland; and best-selling authors Dan Pink and Diane Ravitch.
The forum culminated with North Carolina Teaching Fellow and 2000 Disney National Teacher of the Year Ron Clark, who shared his story of the far-reaching influence of a world-class teacher. Closing remarks were made by former Gov. James B. Hunt, who challenged the audience to share its voice and work toward putting a world-class teacher in every classroom in North Carolina.