Dr Michael Gurian

The people’s philosopher, psychologist Dr Gurian has an uncanny ability to bring together people and scientific ideas. He has pioneered efforts to bring neuro-biology and brain research into the lives of parents and teachers through stunning research-based publications such as The minds of boys, Boys and girls learn differently, and The wonder of boys.  An engaging speaker, Dr Gurian is passionate about sharing his knowledge in an effort to help parents and teachers create the right learning environments for boys, to develop deeper understanding on how boys’ are motivated to learn, and to offer strategies for using the arts and athletics to teach boys (whether or not they are sensitive boys, aggressive boys, restless or bored boys).  He also considers the potential options for separate sex education at crucial periods of a boy's life.

Michael Gurian is Opening Keynote Speaker on Sunday October 10, 2010. His website is www.gurianinstitute.com

Dr  Michael Carr-Gregg

We are delighted to bring back Dr Carr-Gregg as one of our keynote speakers. His Conference Dinner Presentation at our 2008 National Boys' Education Conference is still being talked about; such was the candour and openness of his presentation. Dr Carr-Gregg specialises in the area of parenting adolescents and adolescent mental health and to this end, his presentation will focus on the impact of good parenting on boys' learning. A prolific writer, Michael’s most recent book When to really worry centres on what to look for when it comes to signs of mental health problems in young people and what to do about them.

Always an inspiring speaker, Michael is one of Australia’s highest profile psychologists whose ability to change the way you think on issues such as bullying, cybersafety, grief and loss is refreshingly straightforward. Michael's website is  www.michaelcarr-gregg.com.au

Prof Jeffrey Wilhelm

Author of Reading don’t fix no chevys, You gotta BE the book, Going with the flow and Fresh takes on the literary elements, Professor Wilhelm will stir us to re-think the strategies we use to bring boys to reading.   He will share new and powerful ways to build strong literacy habits in boys, and encourage us to trial new ways of communicating with adolescent readers and writers.  Professor Wilhelm has extensively studied struggling adolescent readers and his findings make up the core focus of his current research on students who intensely engage with non-traditional, and often marginalized, texts within the school context, such as graphic novels, fantasy and serial fiction, non-fiction and video games.  Professor of English Education at Boise State University in Idaho, Jeffrey is currently on sabbatical in Tasmania, Australia.

Jeffrey's website is www.jeffreywilhelm.com/default.aspx

Mr Kevin Sheedy, AM

Kevin Sheedy is one of the Australian Football League’s [AFL] most enduring figures. A player and coach over five decades, Kevin has an unsurpassed record of involvement in 1000 games and eight premierships. But that is only one facet of the legendary coach. 

Mr Sheedy knows boys! He has motivated and encouraged and nurtured young boys from debutantes on the AFL field to inspiring and motivating business leaders. He has the gift of storytelling, which he mixes expertly with humour and honesty. We are honoured to be able to have Mr Sheedy as our Conference 2010 Dinner Speaker.