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ST. PAUL, Minn., Oct. 9, 2015 – Education Minnesota has revived an old name for its annual conference, which will feature speakers and sessions on topics that couldn’t be more relevant for today’s educators, parents and students.

The Minnesota Educator Academy, or MEA, conference is Thursday and Friday, Oct. 15 and 16, at the Saint Paul RiverCentre. The event is from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday. The conference is free and open to the public.

“Education Minnesota stopped calling its fall conference ‘MEA’ 17 years ago, but Minnesotans like their traditions and wouldn’t give up the name,” said Denise Specht, president of Education Minnesota. “We heard you, Minnesota. We’ve brought back MEA.”

Specht said the convention would continue to feature presenters and classes on the most pressing topics for Minnesota educators, including creating more equitable outcomes and opportunities for students of color and addressing the mental health needs of children.

“We’re offering a lineup of keynote speakers this year who bring a national perspective to issues facing many Minnesota schools and parents,” Specht said. “There’s something here for everyone.”

New York City math teacher and author José Luis Vilson is our keynote speaker, and will address the intersection between race and class in America’s schools at 11 a.m. Thursday.

Other speakers include Dr. Anne Gearity, a mental health practitioner known for her work with at-risk children, and Jonathan Friesen, a former special education teater and award-winning author.

The MEA conference is the largest professional development event in the state for educators. There are more than 110 sessions over two days. The theme of this year’s conference is “DevotED to lifelong learning.”

Some notable workshops with visual appeal include:

•   “It's Not Magic, It's Science: Hands-On Science for Teachers” 8:30 a.m. Thursday. Helping teachers integrate science into their already packed curricula.   
•  “Explore Robots on a Shoestring Budget” 8:30 a.m. Thursday. With a little ingenuity and some household items, teachers can introduce robotics in the classroom.
•   “BrainDance with Songs and Rhymes for Ages 4-6” 9:50 a.m. Thursday. Discover how to use BrainDance patterns and other age-appropriate movement for young students.  
•    “Animating Student Stories in the Early Childhood Classroom.” 9:50 a.m. Thursday. Learn to turn students’ stories into plays to encourage the development of expressive language.

For more details on these and other workshops, visit the MEA section of the Education Minnesota website and click on the Thursday and Friday workshop sections.

Thousands of educators, support professionals, parents and others attend the MEA conference every year. Educators attend the conference on their own time. Previous education conventions or conferences in Minnesota, which were known by different names, date back to 1861.

About Education Minnesota
Education Minnesota is the voice for professional educators and students. Education Minnesota’s members include teachers and education support professionals in Minnesota’s public school districts, faculty members at Minnesota’s community and technical colleges and University of Minnesota campuses in Duluth and Crookston, retired educators and student teachers. Education Minnesota is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association and AFL-CIO.