Erik M. Francis
Maverick Education, United States
Erik M. Francis, M.Ed., M.S., an international author and presenter with over 25 years of experience working in education as a classroom teacher, a site administrator, an education program specialist with a state education agency, and a trainer who produces and provides professional development for teachers and school leaders. He is the author of Deconstructing Depth of Knowledge: A Method and Model for Deeper Teaching and Learning published by Solution Tree and Now THAT'S a Good Question! How to Promote Cognitive Rigor Through Classroom Questioning published by ASCD. He is also ranked consistently as one of the World's Top 30 Education Professionals by the research organization Global Gurus.
Erik specializes in providing academic professional development, consultation, and coaching to K-12 schools, colleges, and universities on how to develop rigorous learning environments and deliver engaging educational experiences that will prompt and encourage students to demonstrate different levels of thinking and understand and use their depth of knowledge (DOK) in diverse contexts, new situations, and their own unique way. He has extensive experience working with diverse populations of schools, staff, and students at all grade levels from pre-kindergarten to post-graduates.
Erik's seminars and workshops have been featured at national, state, and regional education conferences hosted by organizations such as ASCD, Learning Forward, the College Board, the Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE), the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), the National Teacher Center, and the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB). He has led and facilitated in person and virtual professional development trainings at K-12 schools, colleges, and universities throughout the United States and internationally in Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, and Dubai.
Erik received his Master’s in Education Leadership from Northern Arizona University and Master’s of Science in Television/Radio/and Film Production and Management from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. He also holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in Rhetoric and Communication and English from the University at Albany.
Erik lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, with his family. He enjoys football (Go Arizona Cardinals!), basketball (Go Phoenix Suns!), working out, Peloton (#Maverik70), playing guitar, classic rock music (I'm a huge Van Halen and Led Zeppelin fan!), and watching films (The Godfather films, Jaws, and Star Wars series are my top three favorites). You can connect with Erik at the following social media sites:
Twitter: @Maverikedu12
Keynote
Inquiring Minds Want to Learn: Posing Good Questions to Promote Student Inquiry
What is a good question – or rather, how does a good question promote cognitive rigor and prompt inquiry? What does it mean to have an inquiring mind? How could educators and students address and approach teaching and learning with an inquiring mind? In this keynote, participants will learn how to plan and provide inquiry-based teaching and learning experiences driven by good questions that will activate, advance, assess, and augment learning for students. Most importantly, they will learn how students can acquire foundational knowledge, demonstrate conceptual understanding, deepen awareness, and develop personal expertise through inquiry and by questioning.
Expert Workshop
The Rigor Is in the Response: Teaching and Learning with Depth of Knowledge (DOK)
What exactly is Depth of Knowledge? How does DOK as a concept and framework clarify the depth and extent students must comprehend and communicate their learning? In this session, participants will learn how Depth of Knowledge clarifies the cognitive demand of academic standards, curricular activities, and assessment items. They will also learn how the DOK levels can be used as a multi-tiered systems of support for delivering instruction and differentiating instruction. Most importantly, participants will learn how DOK ensures teaching and learning is standards based, socially and emotionally supportive, and student responsive.