Eric Sheninger
Results Focused, Disruptive Thinking, and Empowering the Educator as We Build…
Eric works with schools throughout the world, helping educators meet and exceed their potential to improve outcomes for learners. He is the founder and CEO of Aspire Change EDU, a collaborative consultancy designed to provide personalized support to all educational systems. Prior to this, he was a teacher and the award-winning Principal at New Milford High School. Under his leadership, his school became a globally recognized model for innovative practices. Eric oversaw the successful implementation of several sustainable change initiatives that radically transformed the learning culture at his school while increasing achievement.
His work focuses on innovative and practical ways educators can transform teaching, learning, and leadership. Through his work with thousands of schools, Eric has emerged as an innovative leader, best-selling author, and sought-after speaker. His main focus is using research and evidence-based practices to empower learners and educators. Eric has received numerous awards and acknowledgments for his work. He is a CDE Top 30 award recipient, Bammy Award winner, NASSP Digital Principal Award winner, PDK Emerging Leader Award recipient, winner of Learning Forward’s Excellence in Professional Practice Award, Google Certified Innovator, Adobe Education Leader, and ASCD 2011 Conference Scholar.
He has also contributed to education for the Huffington Post, sits on the advisory board for many innovative companies, and was named to the NSBA “20 to Watch” list in 2010 for technology leadership. TIME Magazine also identified Eric as having one of the 140 Best Twitter Feeds in 2014. He now presents and speaks nationally to assist other school leaders and educators in transforming teaching, learning, and leadership. His blog, A Principal’s Reflections, was selected as Best School Administrator Blog in 2013 and 2011 by Edublogs. It was also recognized with an Editor’s Choice Content Award in 2014 by Smartbrief Education.
Eric began his career in education as a Science Teacher at Watchung Hills Regional High School, where he taught a variety of subjects (Biology, Chemistry, Marine Biology, Ecology) and coached several sports (ice hockey, football, lacrosse). He then transitioned into the field of educational administration as an Athletic Director/Supervisor of Physical Education and Health and Vice Principal in the New Milford School District. During his administrative career, he has served as a District Affirmative Action Officer and was the president of the New Milford Administrator’s Association. During his tenure as high school principal, he successfully implemented numerous initiatives, including a new teacher evaluation system (McREL), Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), oversaw Common Core implementation, and initiated a new grading philosophy. Eric received his M.Ed. in Educational Administration from East Stroudsburg University, his B.S. in Biology from Salisbury University, and his B.S. in Marine/Environmental Science from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
Program and Serivce options
PROGRAM OPTIONS
Keynote = UP TO 90 MINUTES
THIS OPTION IS BEST FOR SCHOOL/DISTRICT PD EVENTS OR CONFERENCES.
HALF -Day = 2 TO 3 HOURS
KEYNOTE + BREAKOUT
UP TO 3 HOURS TRAINING OR SESSION
Full-Day = 3.5 - 6 HOURS
THIS FORMAT HAS MANY OPTIONS, WE PROVIDE A SAMPLE SCHEDULE TO HELP GUIDE YOUR PLANNING OF YOUR PD OR FULL DAY CONFERENCE EVENT!
SAMPLE FULL-DAY SCHEDULE
BEST FOR FULL-DAY SCHOOL/DISTRICT PD EVENT
8:30 am - 10:00 am - Everyone
Disruptive Thinking in Our Classrooms: Preparing Learners for Their Future
10:15 am - 11:30 am - Elementary Teachers/Staff
Bringing Awe to Learning
11:45 am - 12:45 pm - Leadership
Pedagogical Leadership: Seeing the Bigger Picture
OR …. Efficacy-Based Leadership
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm - Secondary Teachers/Staff
BrandED: Tell Your Story, Build Relationships, and Empower Learning
2:45 pm - 3:45 pm - Everyone
Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times
Specialized services
Leadership coaching:
Coaching embodies a collaborative procedure. Leadership coaching will concentrate not solely on enhancing the leadership team's abilities but will also be tailored to address the distinct requirements of students and staff. Eric Sheninger will leverage their pertinent expertise and a curated array of top-tier resources to effectively address the needs of each leader in alignment with their unique objectives. Throughout this process, exemplary methods will be introduced and exemplified, accompanied by individualized guidance to guarantee that leaders can execute these practices to bring about transformation.
Instructional coaching:
Coaching entails a collaborative endeavor where coaches collaborate closely with individuals or small groups. Whether it's within planning periods, before or after school, during early release time, or directly in the classroom, this integrated approach offers teachers the necessary assistance to grasp new techniques or reinvigorate existing ones. Throughout this embedded approach, teachers engage in meaningful discussions to cater to the requirements of every learner. Eric Sheninger will leverage their pertinent expertise and a curated set of top-notch resources to effectively address the instructional requirements of each teacher aligned with their personal objectives. Throughout this process, exemplary methods will be introduced and demonstrated, coupled with personalized guidance, ensuring that teachers can devise and implement these tactics in their own teaching practices.
Speech Topics
BrandED: Tell Your Story, Build Relationships, and Empower Learning
If you don’t tell your story, someone else will. Regardless of your position or where you work, the digital age compels you to define yourself, your school, and your organization or be defined. Stories that pull on emotions while linking to successful outcomes can drive and sustain change. BrandED is a strategic mindset that harnesses the magic power of storytelling to showcase all the good that happens in our schools while building dynamic relationships. In this presentation, Eric will showcase ways that every educator can become the storyteller-in-chief while illustrating how feeling can be cultivated through image, promise, result, vision, belief, emotion, and value. The time is now to unlock the potential of brandED.
Instruction is what the teacher does, whereas learning is what the student does. Here is where a sole emphasis on instructional leadership might not lead to efficacy at scale. Pedagogical leadership, on the other hand, encompasses the many ways to support effective teaching and learning. The main differentiator here is a broader view that includes more attention to what the learner is doing and the support needed for success. During this immersive session, attendees will focus on strategies as well as numerous responsibilities and roles that work to ensure a vibrant learning culture that helps to meet the needs of all students.
Pedagogical Leadership: Seeing the Bigger Picture
Disruptive Thinking in Our Classrooms: Preparing Learners for Their Future
The world has and continues to change in ways that are difficult to predict. Regardless of the forces at hand, educators play a pivotal role in preparing students for success now and in the future. The best way to do this is to create a disruptive thinking culture in our classrooms and schools that future-proofs learning for ALL kids! Get ready for a roller coaster journey that weaves stories, practical ideas, and insights from thousands of classrooms to create meaningful learning experiences that will withstand the test of time. It’s time to challenge the status quo when it comes to teaching and learning in our classrooms. Our learners—and their future in a bold new world—depend on us.
Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times
Change isn’t coming, as it is already on our doorstep. Educators need to recognize this in order to prepare learners with critical competencies to thrive in a dynamic world. As the world continues to evolve, so must educational practice. Digital leadership represents a strategic shift in mindset and actions that work to usher in needed changes to improve teaching, learning, and leadership while building powerful relationships with stakeholders in the process. The time is now to work smarter, not harder, to achieve better results. Using the Pillars of Digital Leadership, a framework to assist all educators in implementing sustainable change, attendees will be exposed to actionable strategies to support and enhance current areas of professional practice through a digital lens.
Bringing Awe to Learning
Awe is a huge component of life—it’s hardwired into our brains. When we experience the sensation of awe, we are consumed by wonder, relevancy, emotion, engagement, inspiration, and real-world connections. Awe is a driving force for learning that will not just benefit our students now but also well into their future. It is also a driving motivational force that inspires educators to not only do their best work but also find greater purpose. It's time for everyone to experience the joy and power of awe as a catalyst for personalized learning as a way to improve outcomes and educator contentment. During this keynote, Eric will share innovative, research-based practices that you can implement to bring back a sense of awe to learning and love for the amazing work educators do for students.
Efficacy-Based Leadership
Moving from Ideas to Results: Our country spends billions of dollars on programs, professional learning, innovative ideas, and technology. Additionally, a great deal of time is spent trying to implement everything that has been purchased or heard about, as well as empower staff. How do you know that these investments are actually having an impact on learning and achievement? While it is natural to struggle with this, the end goal should be to achieve efficacy. This session will focus on developing evidence to support a Return on Learning (ROL) when investments are made to improve outcomes. Attendees will be exposed to a variety of proven strategies to not only improve pedagogy but also curate various forms of evidence to validate expenditures and garner stakeholder support.
Other Topic Options for Sessions or On-Going PD Work…
Personalized PLCs
Personalized Learning
Challenging, Authentic, and Innovative Blended Learning Environments
What People Are Saying?
I had been on the lookout for an expert to come and work with Quest for years. When I first met Eric, I knew that he would have the knowledge and expertise that we needed to take our school to the next level. Eric's feedback has been invaluable in refining our daily practices and adding more voice and choice for our students. Eric is an innovative, out of the box thinker with a mission to disrupt and improve the education system. Eric is a passionate partner who takes pride in forming relationships with his schools and personalizes the coaching experience based on your needs. He is also one of the most dynamic keynote speakers that I have ever heard. Me and my staff laughed, cried, but most importantly were able to take ideas he presented and implement them immediately to improve our learning culture.
— Nick Slaugh, Principal, Quest Academy Junior High School (West Haven, UT)
“Eric Sheninger has been a key asset throughout my administrative career in my efforts to build capacity and restructure my organizational practice through the latest pedagogical methods. His work has helped improve my teachers’ abilities and student achievement across the nation in urban and suburban districts. In education everyday can be yesterday if you don’t stay ahead of the curve and Eric has been able to do just that. ”
Because Eric has "been there, done that," his guidance had an irrefutable edge of authenticity that has inspired Fort Smith administrators to believe that they can change the way students learn in their schools.
— Mary Ann Johns, Ed.D Director of Elementary Education - Fort Smith Public Schools
“Eric's work in Kentucky has been very beneficial. Whether it's blended learning, online and virtual teaching and learning, or school and district leaders, his versatility and expertise has captured the attention of every audience. The resources, coaching and insights we gained are rooted in his continued work in schools around the world and are sure to be applicable in your context. He worked to customize a plan to fit our needs and was flexible enough to change directions when needed. It's been a great partnership over the years and our Kentucky teachers and leaders are better for it. ”
— Ben Maynard, Digital Learning Coach (Office of Education Technology), Kentucky Department of Education (Frankfort, KY)
“Eric Sheninger was one of the most knowledgeable and engaging presenters we have ever had at VCOE. I keep hearing such positive comments from people who were there. He inspired many to use new applications and to approach digital learning in a global and connected way. His presentation was authentic and resonated with many who at first, like him, did not know what to think of social media and its applications for education. Eric taught the audience to harness the power of Twitter, Facebook and blogs to make their work easier. In the end he lit a fire in Ventura County. My favorite comment, which I heard several times, is “My brain is exploding with new ideas after listening to Eric.”
— Claudia Frandsen Director | Leadership Support Services - Ventura County Office of Education
“Eric Sheninger pulled off the rare feat of both captivating and engaging a packed auditorium of educational leaders for nearly three hours while still offering substantial and relevant advice on how we can take our schools to the next level.”
— Jesse Lubinsky Technology Coordinator / Chief Information Officer - Irvington Union-Free School District”
“Our school has worked with Eric for several years and he has walked through several changes with us. We have experienced four school rezonings which impacted our student enrollment and staffing significantly. Eric has been able to work with us through these major changes to differentiate adult learning sessions to meet the needs of new staff and experienced staff as well as provide suggestions around pedagogical best practices grounded in research to support strong tier one instruction. Coupled with informal classroom observations that provide feedback to teachers in specific, actionable areas, the training cycles that Eric can provide generate tangible results that impact student learning in a very positive way. ”
“His three-day consultation enabled the District's Leadership Team to identify the current best practices, discuss areas of needed growth, and develop strategies to improve digital learning for all students.”
— Martin Mahan Director of Secondary Education - Fort Smith Public Schools
“Eric speaks from the heart in an authentic way, connecting the trials and tribulations of his own journey in digital leadership. . . . I've always found myself excited about trying something new after hearing him speak.”
— Dr. Joe Mazza Leadership Innovation Manager - University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education
“I have had the privilege to work with Eric over the course of several years as part of on-going, job-embedded professional development and consulting that he did with our school district. Eric is an innovative consultant who provided quality feedback to our teachers and administrators to improve practice and learning outcomes for our students. Through our work with Eric, we were honored as a Model School District by ICLE for 2021. His feedback and guidance has helped us improve our learning environment, better utilize our technology to help provide our students with a 21st century educational experience, and improve the overall learning outcomes for our students.:
— Dr. John Barnett, Principal, Corinth High School (Corinth, MS)
“I have worked with Eric in different capacities since 2016, and he has a unique ability to support and push administrators and teachers. In each situation, he has tailored his approach to the needs of the district and the practitioners, while always focusing on what is best for children.”