Keynote Speakers


TEACH 2024 Keynote Speakers


MORNING

Dr. Susan Neuman

Former Assistant Secretary, Secondary & Elementary Education

Sponsored by TBD

Susan B. Neuman is passionate about the science of reading, and how it may support children’s opportunities to learn. Her latest book, the Handbook on the Science of Early Literacy co-authored with colleagues Cabell and Patton-Terry, describes how young children can be nurtured early on to ensure their success in reading development. She is also the author of Giving Our Children a Fighting Chance: Poverty, Literacy, and the Development of Information Capital (2014), which explores the knowledge gap between children from affluent circles and those from poorer neighborhoods and how that gap can be closed by increasing access to literacy resources. She is also the author of such widely read titles as All about words: Vocabulary instruction in the age of Common Core Standards, preK through grade 2 (Teachers College Press, 2013); Changing the Odds for Children at Risk; Educating the Other America (2012); the best-selling Nurturing knowledge: Building a Foundation for School Success with Kathy Roskos; and Reading to your Young Child: A Parent’s guide (with Tanya Wright). She has written over 100 peer-reviewed articles focused on improving the odds of children who live in disadvantaged communities.

She has served on the IRA Board of Directors (2001-2003), and other numerous boards of non-profit organizations, and served as Co-editor of Reading Research Quarterly (2011-2018), ILA flagship research journal. Her research and teaching interests include early childhood policy, curriculum, and early reading instruction, prek-grade 3 for children who live in poverty. 

Neuman has received two life-time achievement awards for research in literacy development, and is a member of the Reading Hall of Fame, and a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association. She has authored and edited 12 books, including the Handbook of Early Literacy Research (Volumes I, II, III) with David Dickinson, “Changing the Odds for Children at Risk” (Teachers College Press, 2009) “Educating the Other America” (Brookes, 2008) and “Multimedia and Literacy Development (Taylor & Francis, 2008) 


AFTERNOON

Vincent Taylor

Educator

Sponsored by TBD

Vincent Taylor is an educator of 28 years as well as a nationally acclaimed educational consultant. He has presented his keynote If Instruction Isn’t Engaging, I QUIT to over 60,000 educators in over 15 school districts, 8 national conferences, and 5 universities. He is also the author of eleven books including the popular children’s chapter book series Cornbread.

Mr. Taylor is a graduate of the University of North Florida where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. His professional growth continued at the University of Florida. There he earned his Master’s Degree in Curriculum & Instruction.

Vincent Taylor has received numerous awards and recognition for his work: 2022 NAACP’s Olivia Gay-Davis Education Award; 2021 Literacy is a Legacy Award; 2020 nominee for Image Award in Education Excellence; 2020 Literacy Pros of Jacksonville Prestige Award; 2012 Outstanding Graduate Leadership Award from the University of Florida; 2006 Teacher of the Year; 2005 Touching Hearts & Changing Lives Award from the Florida Association of School Social Workers, and a letter from Mayor Alvin Brown for his Young Gentlemen’s Club, a school-based mentoring group he founded in 1998.

Mr. Taylor is also proud to be a board member for the prestigious READ USA, Inc. organization. He is married to his lovely wife Dina, and they have two beautiful daughters.

PREVIOUS SPEAKERS

2023

  • Ralph Smith
  • Sonia Manzano

2021

  • Talithia Williams
  • Ron Clark

2019

  • Wes Moore
  • Hamish Brewer

2018

  • Pedro Noguera
  • George Couros

2015

  • Mary Ehrenworth
  • Drew Dudley

2014

  • Marcia Tate
  • Kim Bearden

2013

  • Barnett Berry
  • Ron Clark

2012

  • Lucy Calkins
  • Brad Cohen