JOHN ANTONETTI

John Antonetti is a learner. He has had the great fortune to visit classrooms throughout North America in an effort to answer the question “What truly engages learners?” From thousands of students in pre-K through Graduate School, John has learned the three facets of powerful learning tasks—intellectual, academic, and emotional engagement.

John Antonetti is a teacher. He has taught A.P Chemistry and Kindergarten and most grades in between in his home state of Arkansas. Once described by Larry Lezotte as a “teacher’s teacher,” Mr. Antonetti works with schools across the country and Canada on student engagement, writing, rigor and relevance, and high–yield best practices. As the former Director of Curriculum in the Sheridan School District in Arkansas, he took what he learned in his home district and developed strategies and protocols that work across all school types. He has partnered with five school districts that were awarded the nationally–recognized Broad Prize for Urban Education. While hands-on work in schools is his passion, John is also a highly–sought keynote speaker. His humor and parables are recognized by teachers, administrators, and parents as relevant examples of the power of teachers.

Antonetti is the author of the book, Writing as a Measure and Model of Thinking which utilizes the engagement cube and practical tools to increase student thinking in all subject areas. With his late business partner and friend, Jim Garver, John co–authored the ASCD best-seller 17,000 Classroom Visits Can’t be Wrong: Strategies that Engage Students, Promote Active Learning, and Boost Achievement.

John is currently working with colleagues on a book about the power of technology to engage learners.

Whether he’s on the Kinder carpet or in front of 4000 teachers at an international conference, Antonetti continues to learn.