Zac Chase

I love learning and teaching. For eight years, I got to teach 8-12 grade students English - --first in Sarasota, Florida, and then in Philadelphia at Science Leadership Academy (SLA).

I am a National Fellow for the Institute for Democratic Education in America and an original Freedom Writer Teacher, which has given me the chance to work with teachers nationally through the Freedom Writers Foundation.

Beyond that, I get to work with teachers, schools, and school districts across the country as a consultant focused on reflective practice and the thoughtful combination of pedagogy and technology for teaching and learning. I've also had the privilege to work internationally with schools and systems in Canada, Kenya, Malaysia, South Africa, and Pakistan to consider the intersection of learning, inquiry, reflective pedagogy, technology, and project-based learning. I love investigating the role and importance of creativity, improvisation, and care in teaching and learning.

When not engaged directly in the work of helping schools and teachers improve their practice, I usually have my head down in a book, a blog, or the latest piece of education research.

As far as schooling, I earned my M.E. in education policy and management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, a master of teaching and learning in curriculum and instruction at NOVA Southeastern University, and my B.A. in English education from Illinois State University.

A founding co-chair of SLA's EduCon conference, I have presented at conferences around the world including FETC, NCTE, IntegratED PDX and SF, and I've been able to write for the Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, and the Education Week blog, and co-wrote and edited the New York Times bestseller Teaching Hope.

I blog regularly at autodizactic.com and have taught and performed improvisational comedy since 1999.

As a day job, I work as an instructional technology coordinator in the St. Vrain Valley School District in Colorado, where I get to dig in with other district leaders as well as within schools to help leverage technology in support of learning and teaching.

Through 2014-2015, I am on detail to the U.S. Department of Education Office of Educational Technology as a ConnectED Fellow.

Most importantly, no matter the system, I am committed to creating deep, authentic, and engaging learning for all through the innovative use of resources.

You can find me on twitter at @MrChase.