Speaking & Workshops

We’re here to help with what’s next.

Inspire and invigorate your team on the possibilities of education and leadership to design a powerful learning future.

Services

Experiences

Like our other services, we personalize speaking experiences based on who is in the room, what your goals are and what you want your attendees to do next. Some of our most frequently requested formats include:

Keynote

A keynote presentation is the perfect way to inspire, energize and inform the path forward. We specialize in speaking to rooms of district leaders, workplace leaders, educators and much more.

Webinar or Virtual Experience

We believe virtual experiences can be a powerful way to interact with and engage viewers, a place to personalize big trends and data and a way to introduce you to some of the most innovative leaders and locations in education.

Panel Facilitation

One of our strengths is our ability to connect some of our favorite partners, districts and organizations and put together an incredible panel on a theme. Because we’ve called the group to assembly, we then are able to eruditely moderate the conversation to get to the highlights of each persons’ unique experience.

Workshop

The power of the workshop is the ability to get an outside perspective, a set-aside time for internal alignment and collaboration and a unique space for design thinking, creativity and ideation. We’re here to catalyze your next best step.

Our Specialties

The Getting Smart Team is knowledgeable about a wide range of topics from artificial intelligence and poetry to competency-based models and career and technical education. Below, we’ve listed a few of our favorites:

Education + AI

What leaders and young people should know and be able to do in the wake of the ethical, economic and educational impacts of artificial intelligence. 

Leadership

Leading community conversations, facilitating agreements in support of iterative development, distributing leadership, and balancing improvement and innovation.

Learner Experience

Personalized and project-based learning, design thinking, social and emotional learning, competency-based progressions, and credentialing capabilities. 

Learning Models

Design principles, school and system designs that leverage community connections, advisory systems.

Credentialing

Creating systems and agreements that enable young people to show and articulate what they know.

Pathways to Purpose and Career

Helping connect young people to work that matters and providing support and guidance along the way, work based learning, and experiential learning opportunities.

Building a Learning Culture

Building a growth mindset culture for all, power of productive self-talk, mindset shift in action, identifying and changing your inner voice, teaching self-talk, productive struggle.

New School Development

Creating innovative educational environments that integrate modern teaching methods, technology, and community partnerships. 

Futures

Explore emerging trends and innovations to anticipate and shape the evolving landscape of teaching and learning. 

Storytelling

Crafting compelling narratives that resonate with audiences to enhance communication, marketing, and brand strategy by making messages memorable and impactful.

Meet Our Speakers & Facilitators

Tom Vander Ark

CEO & Partner

Rebecca Midles

Vice President of Learning Design

Nate McClennen

Vice President of Strategy & Innovation

Caroline Vander Ark

CEO

Shawnee Caruthers

Vice President of Advocacy

Victoria Andrews

Director of Learning Design

Mason Pashia

Creative Director

What People Are Saying...

“Tom did an excellent job. His approach of connecting remarks directly to attendee experiences brought relevance to the presentation. Tom was engaged and committed to sharing remarks timely for the current charter school landscape in Missouri. Tom’s investment of additional time visiting with attendees and particularly meeting with the State Commissioner of Education and members of the Missouri Charter Public School Commission were of great value and assistance.”

— Douglas Thaman, Missouri Charter Public School Association

“Tom Vander Ark’s national prominence as a thought leader on personalization of learning was a draw for participants at the National Conference on Education. He inspired engaging dialogue with the diverse panelists, asking provocative questions that fostered discussion at a high level. Tom’s Now What/So What? style helped attendees learn first and then ponder what their next leadership move will be to advance opportunities for youth in their school districts.”

— Valerie Truesdale, AASA

“Tom’s caring demeanor and encouragement generated ideas from the audience about how they are or how they envisioned moving learning forward at an accelerated pace. Tom built community in one short hour!”

– Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Digital Learning Academy

“Collaborating with the GS team was a catalyst in our model building efforts to elevate outcomes for all students. Everything from instructional design to local context was considered in order to deploy the best model … our team felt challenged and respected.”

— School Leader

You guys were very energetic and inclusive of the audience so keep it up!” – Student

“I loved how you helped us have a clear understanding of the connections between mindset, self-talk, and working to change habits. The experiences were key to our understanding, and you scaffolded things well for us. I also loved your ability to stay connected to us by using names, reiterating points made, and showing your understanding of school culture.”

— School Leader

Pricing & Requests

Pricing for every engagement is tailored to meet the needs of our partners. We quote fees based on staff requested, travel time required, size of the audience, length of engagement, preparation needed and organization type.

If you are interested in having a member of our team speak at your next event, please fill out our speaking engagement form below.

What is a challenge or set of challenges you feel Getting Smart can support? We personalize all of our projects in order to meet each individual partner’s needs.