Speaking

Roxanna Elden speaks to audiences around the country about teaching, writing, teaching writing, and writing about teaching. Her experience includes a wide range of speaking engagements, from keynote speeches at national conferences to customized workshops.  To see an example of Roxanna’s speaking style, watch this TED-style talk on The Myth of the Super Teacher. To inquire about speaking availability and fees, please email roxannaelden@gmail.com.

“At the end of Roxanna’s keynote speech at New Teacher Center’s National Symposium, she received a standing an ovation. The audience not only loved the stories and anecdotes Roxanna told, they fell in love with Roxanna too. Her willingness put everything out there. . . combined with her candor and humor, endeared her to the audience.”—Kathy Raymond, Meeting and Events Manager for New Teacher Center
“Roxanna rocked the house at the Education Writers Association’s National Seminar with her witty, wry portrayal of the life of a teacher. Her talk received some of our best reviews and is — by far — the most popular video from the meeting. ”—Lori Crouch, assistant director of Education Writers Association
“(Roxanna Elden) should write more books about teaching and should also have her own sitcom, or at least a guest appearance on Glee.”—Elena Silva, Education Sector

Keynote Speeches

Stronger Than Chicken Soup: What the Souls of New Teachers Really Need

This keynote addresses the unique challenges of mentors and administrators who work closely with beginning teachers. It discusses how to help rookies on their worst days and how to keep the great teachers of the future in the classroom long enough to become great. Past audiences have included mentoring and teacher support programs around the country as well as the New Teacher Center National Symposium.

Becoming THAT Teacher

This keynote is for future teachers. It addresses the expectations teachers have going into the profession, the trial-and-error learning process, and how beginners can make it through their first years with their passion and sanity intact. Past audiences include commencement speeches at schools of education, teacher training programs, and the national conference of the Future Educators Association and Educators Rising.

New Teacher Orientation Keynote

This keynote is specifically designed for those getting ready for their first day of teaching. It addresses information overload, learning through trial and error, and preparing for inevitable bumps in the road. There is also a very specific focus on the first day of school. Audiences include school districts around the country.

Communication Workshops

How to Talk about Teaching

Teachers communicate for a living. Yet the same communication skills that help in the classroom can hurt in more public discussions about education. This workshop helps teachers adapt their skills so they can speak confidently and effectively in front of a microphone or TV camera.

LeNOIWTA: Let’s Not Overdo It With The Acronyms (and Other Secrets to Teacher Buy-In and Retention) 

This is for companies and organizations who want to improve their communication with educators. There are many catchphrases and buzzwords that sound different to the ears of educators. This can have long-term consequences for those whose success depends on building real relationships with teachers.

The Myth of the Super-Teacher 

This presentation, adapted from the TED-style talk of the same name, addresses the common stories we tell about teachers – in movies, in politics, in the media, and even in teacher training – and how those images affect real-life teachers.

Writing Workshops

  • Funny U: Humor Writing 101
  • Using Behavioral Science Research to Craft Better Scenes and Characters
  • Writing About Work

Interviews, Panels, and Other Media

More about those here.