Vermont Educator to Speak at UI&U in Montpelier

EDUCATOR BONNIE JOHNSON-ATEN TO PRESENT KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT UNION INSTITUTE & UNIVERSITY’S M.ED. RESIDENCY
Johnson-Aten empowers teachers and students to become leaders within the school

MONTPELIER, VT – Bonnie Johnson-Aten, a leading Burlington-based educator, will present the keynote address, “Opening Possibilities in Education: Ideas, Imagination, and Integration,” at Union Institute & University’s Masters of Education residency, at 5 p.m., Saturday, February 21, at The Chapel, Old College Hall, on the Vermont College Campus.

A 2003 graduate of UI&U's M.Ed. program and a 1999 graduate of UVM's Snelling Institute for School Leadership, Johnson-Aten is currently principal of Edmunds Middle School in Burlington, VT. For her talk, she will present a synthesis of personal experience and educational research as she explores the role of multicultural education in “opening possibilities” for all students. “She leads, in part, by creating a positive school climate and empowering both teachers and students to become leaders within the school,” said Dr. Perry Thomas, faculty chair of UI&U M.Ed program.

The vision of the UI&U M.Ed program is to provide a culture of inquiry, a center for renewal, and a community of educators. Learners think critically about models of education, reflect on practice, engage in meaningful dialogue, work collaboratively, and explore questions of personal concern and social significance. Its goals are to foster the development of educators who are inquirers, reformers, and leaders; to advance theory and practice in education; and to promote real school reform.
Johnson-Aten’s keynote address is free and open to the public. For information contact Dr. Elizabeth Perry Thomas at Elizabeth.thomas@myunion.edu, or call (802) 828-8587.