Speaking Topics
- Teaching in 360 Degrees: Seeing Education as Human Work through Reflection
- Early career teacher development
- Interdisciplinary social justice centered, project based learning
- Using stories to incorporate current events into English classrooms
- Using culturally sustaining pedagogy to empower Black boys
Speaker Profile
Patrick Harris II is the author of the award-winning book, The First Five: A Love Letter to Teachers. Hailing from Detroit, Patrick is a human first and national award-winning teacher and dynamic storyteller next. He works to help early career teachers navigate educational structures by reframing teaching as human work. He is most known for his innovative, student-centered approaches to social justice project-based learning. Patrick has been honored by national teaching organization's for his innovative approaches to the teaching of English by the National Council of Teachers of English, Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) Emerging Leader program, and the International Literacy Association’s 2021 30 under 30 list for innovative approaches to literacy instruction. He was the host of the nationally recognized Common Sense Podcast (over 100k downloads), sharing the real stories of current educators and allies navigating the education system. His thoughts and achievements in education can be found on EdSurge, Education Week, ABC, CNN, GQ, Huffington Post, and more. Patrick is currently a 6th grade English teacher and the co-director of the Michigan Council of Teachers of English Early Career Teacher of Color Leadership program.
Grades: K–12
