International Presenters
James Nottingham (UK)
James Nottingham is the creator of the Learning Pit, one of the most widely used models for teaching to emerge in the last 20 years. He is also the author of 12 books, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and is listed in The Future 500, a ‘definitive list of the UK’s most forward thinking and creative innovators’.
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James is driven by the desire to make education a better experience than the one he encountered. After volunteering at makeshift schools in South African squatter camps, he saw a different possibility for education; one that could inspire and transform lives. James has worked closely with professors Carol Dweck (Growth Mindset) and John Hattie (Visible Learning). James is an independent author-consultant, a sought-after keynote speaker, workshop leader, and in-school consultant.
Susannah Cole (Bermuda)
ISusannah Cole is the co-author of Flexible Mindsets in Schools: Channelling Brain Power for Critical Thinking, Complex Problem-Solving and Creativity. She's on a mission to rethink how we educate students to ignite a deeper love of learning that will future-proof them for the world of tomorrow. As a Student Success Consultant and Trainer, she works with schools (K–12) to create cultures of learning that centre responsiveness, relevance and curiosity and where we can bring all of ourselves to our learning. She holds an MEd in developmental psychology and she's grown her expertise throughout the past 25 years working in the field of education. For decades, she has worked in educational settings as an early childhood educator, middle school teacher, specialised autism therapist, learning support teacher and college professor.
Michelle Hughes (USA)
Michelle Hughes has been a teacher, team leader, and school leader in public and independent schools for more than thirty years. Her focus has been creating multiple pathways to understanding and success for a diversity of learners and building positive and inclusive school culture. In 2022, Michelle launched Learning Arts Coaching and Consulting, LLC (LARC), an education coaching and professional development consultancy. Having utilized Habits of Mind in designing advisories in her school, she had seen the impact they can have on teaching practices and the academic and social development of students. She sought to make them a central feature of her work and gained certification in the Individual Practitioner program with the Institute for Habits of Mind. Inspired by the professional development work she was doing with Bena Kallick and the courses she was teaching at the Mid-Hudson Teachers Center, Michelle authored The Habits of Mind Playbook: Small and Smart Lessons for PK - 12, an E-Book for individual teachers, teams, and schools seeking to integrate the Habits of Mind into the academic and cultural life of the classroom.
Paul Main (UK)
Paul’s professional interests are rooted in the science of learning. He develops tools and strategies designed to enable children to "think for themselves." His work is centered on understanding how children learn most effectively and sharing these insights with schools and teachers. Paul’s research and resources empower his community to enhance classroom practice and ensure that learning is accessible for all students.
He founded Structural Learning, where he creates classroom tools and publishes frameworks for a diverse range of global schools. His goal is to help children think critically and take ownership of their learning process. Paul believes that "learning is learnable"—everyone has the potential to think creatively and solve problems effectively.