Funny, witty, poignant, challenging and inspiring.

Noted British educational expert Sir Ken Robinson argues that “in any list of what it means to be human, empathy, intuition, imagination and compassion would surely be at or near the top. Yet, many systems of education pay little or no attention to cultivating these vital qualities. Instead, they promote a narrow view of academic ability and impersonal principles of standardization and conformity. We pay a high price for the exile of feeling in education. Emotional, social intelligence and inner well-being, as well as academic excellence, should be carefully cultivated. For the future, it's vital to rethink the dynamic relationships between heart and mind within human consciousness and their essential place in the education of all our students.” Following his powerful presentation Sir Ken Robinson will join developmental psychologist Dr. Kimberly Schonert-Reichl, and moderator Maria LeRose, for an engaging discussion about social and emotional learning and creativity, and how educating the mind must be balanced with educating the heart. Dr. Schonert-Reichl has been conducting research in the area of the child and adolescent social-emotional development for over 20 years. LeRose is an award winning television producer who has moderated panels featuring the Dalai Lama, Mikhail Gorbachev and, most recently, Daniel Siegel.

About Sir Ken Robinson Sir Ken Robinson, PhD is an internationally recognized leader in the development of education, creativity and innovation. He is also one of the world’s leading speakers with a profound impact on audiences everywhere. The videos of his famous 2006 and 2010 talks to the prestigious TED Conference have been seen by an estimated 200 million people in over 150 countries. He works with governments in Europe, Asia and the USA, with international agencies, Fortune 500 companies and some of the world’s leading cultural organizations. In 1998, he led a national commission on creativity, education and the economy for the UK Government. All Our Futures: Creativity, Culture and Education (The Robinson Report) was published to wide acclaim in 1999. He was the central figure in developing a strategy for creative and economic development as part of the Peace Process in Northern Ireland, working with the ministers for training, education enterprise and culture. The resulting blueprint for change, Unlocking Creativity, was adopted by politicians of all parties and by business, education and cultural leaders across the Province. He was one of four international advisors to the Singapore Government for its strategy to become the creative hub of South East Asia. For twelve years, he was professor of education at the University of Warwick in the UK and is now professor emeritus. He has received honorary degrees from the Rhode Island School of Design, Ringling College of Arts and Design, the Open University and the Central School of Speech and Drama, Birmingham City University and the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. He was been honored with the Athena Award of the Rhode Island School of Design for services to the arts and education; the Peabody Medal for contributions to the arts and culture in the United States, the LEGO Prize for international achievement in education, and the Benjamin Franklin Medal of the Royal Society of Arts for outstanding contributions to cultural relations between the United Kingdom and the United States. In 2005, he was named as one of Time/Fortune/CNN’s ‘Principal Voices’. In 2003, he received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II for his services to the arts. He speaks to audiences throughout the world on the creative challenges facing business and education in the new global economies. His book The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything (Penguin/Viking 2009) is a New York Times best seller and has been translated into twenty-one languages.