MKA's Valentine a Thought Leader in Independent School Education

Continuing to make an impression in the world of independent school education is MKA's Assistant Head of Upper School Stephen J. Valentine.

Author of the acclaimed book Everything But Teaching: Planning, Paperwork and Processing and of the widely followed refreshingwednesday blog, Valentine has increasingly been recognized as a thought leader in independent school education.

"The Professionalization of Independence: New Tensions and Opportunities for Independent School Teachers," Valentine's article published in the Summer 2011 edition of Independent School Magazine (http://www.nais.org/publications/ismagazinearticle.cfm?ItemNumber=155224), was read by the full faculty at the North Shore Country Day School, an independent school in Illinois, and by a mid-level leadership team at the Lakeside School, an independent school in Seattle, to help set the agenda for growth and change at the respective schools .  In addition, based on that article, together with Everything But Teaching, Valentine was invited to do a book talk for school leaders affiliated with SAIS, the Southern Association of Independent Schools; meanwhile NAIS, the National Association of Independent Schools, listed www.refreshingwednesday.com as a "favorite education-focused blog."
In October, Valentine, gave a lecture to a class at Columbia University's Klingenstein center about the responsibilities of independent school educators in shaping the agenda for independent schools of the future, and he continues to do additional work with the center as a Board member for its Klingbrief  publication.

We can expect to hear even more from Valentine, who bases his writings and reflections on his professional experiences with colleagues and programs at MKA, as his next article, an interview with bestselling author and researcher Tony Schwartz, is due to be published in the Spring issue of Independent School Magazine.