Dr. Justin Aglio is the Senior Director at the new Readiness Institute at Penn State University, and formerly a teacher, principal and curriculum director. He has much to say about student agency and career readiness. “Back in March, the world flipped upside down in education,” said Aglio. “Oh, my goodness, we have this change that's happening to us. How do we adapt to this change? And it made me think about the first episode of Mr. Rogers neighborhood. In that first episode of Mr. Rogers neighborhood, King Friday was totally against change. And when Charlie came back from Atlanta make-believe, he told Mr. Rogers, Hey, King Friday does not like change. Well, Mr. Rogers says, I knew someone that moved his bed from this side of the room to that side of the room. And they woke up the next day. They said, ‘Gee, you know what? I've got some new ideas and change is good.’ So, in the first ever episode of Mr. Rogers, he talks about how change is good and change leads to new ideas. And here we are right now, we took that message. We embraced it. We said, okay, what are some new ideas? People say, Oh my goodness, I have to rethink how I teach. I have to rethink how I learn. That's a good thing because we need these new ideas and we need to challenge each other. Unlock that box of potential, that agency that we have, and it really made us focus on not so much the tools, but the relationships, the best practices. The students can no longer sit there. And now the learning is the curtains pulled back, what's happening. And the classroom parents are watching. Students are watching and the conversation went from, what am I teaching to now, to what are the students truly learning? And how can I engage them?

Enjoy this totally fun, totally helpful presentation. It will take you to the moon and back, and you’ll enjoy the ride.