Learning Forward Colorado Annual Conference

Dr. Robert Kegan
January 26, 2012 Conference

Why is personal change so difficult? How can we close the gap between our intentions, things we actually want to carry out, and what we are actually able to accomplish? What keeps us from making important changes in our lives?

Dr. Kegan, Harvard professor, author, and international consultant addressed questions like these at our conference. He guided us through an “Immunity to Change” model focusing on the individual. A significant thing about this model is that it recognizes that a tipping point in organizational change is that it is inseparable from personal change. Participants worked through this model from a personal perspective. They worked in partners, listening and supporting each other through the process. It was an important day of introspection, uncovering our assumptions, and focusing on one personal goal that we want to achieve and the hidden assumptions that are keeping us from achieving it.

It truly was a powerful day of learning and networking! Participants included representatives from many organizations, role responsibilities, and areas of the state. The following include a few comments from the conference evaluations:

• Thanks for the great learning! This was very personal, which was unexpected and a good thing.
• I am taking away a resource that I can use both personally and professionally.
• I plan to apply this content to our district work.
• This conference was excellent, inspiring and transformative!
• Awesome! I found the workshop to be very engaging and motivating.

Kegan’s content was extremely relevant for Learning Forward Colorado as we work through a transition process as an organization in order to better meet the needs of 21st Century educators.

Each year at our annual conference Learning Forward Colorado recognizes one exemplary leader of professional learning & collaborative practices who has significantly impacted the learning of educators. The award is named for the late Dr. Bill O’Rourke, a distinguished Colorado educator. This year we were honored to present the 11th annual award to Annie Patterson. Congratulations to Annie who serves as the Director of Education at the Public Education and Business Coalition (PEBC).

Thanks to the volunteers who helped make this conference a success. And thank you to all who were able to attend. It was an invaluable day of learning and networking with educators from around the state.