Heather Wilde is an educator, author, and motivational speaker. For the past eleven years, she has specialized in social-emotional development, trauma processing, and core content with the middle and high school at-risk population. In February 2023, she became a published author, writing a gritty memoir to save herself and inspire others needing help. Her second book is due June 2023.
Heather has spent more than 20 years working in the education industry. She has worn the hat of middle and high school English educator, paraprofessional, At-Risk and Homebound Educator, and most recently as a substitute teacher. Her philosophy has always been “Kids First” and often focuses on the needs outside the core content.
Vulnerability is her superpower, and she brought that into her classroom and saw the miraculous results – lives were saved and changed. With that passion leading the way, she left the classroom this past school year and is blazing a trail to bring high-impact change to the climate of our public schools. She does this by talking to students about her own trauma processing, validating their experiences, and challenging them to wake up and do better for themselves.
Heather graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Superior, with a degree in 6-12 English Education. She continued her education at Lindenwood University, where she received her Master’s Degree in Education with a focus on Character Education. She also earned an Alternative Education certificate from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
Feel like you lost some footing in the classroom post-COVID? Are you seeing more students hiding behind overwhelm, apathy, or mental health? Can successful learning take place when students are distracted by phones, fears, and plain-old disconnect?
“School culture” has been an educational buzzword for over a century. This session is geared to refresh your philosophy as an educator and acknowledge the current state of your own district, as well as overall in the U.S. We will unpack the key elements of a positive school culture and steps that will bring you closer to creating the atmosphere that benefits students and staff.
I am not here to preach to the choir. I am a passionate educator and believe most people in their career understand school culture. Rather, I am presenting on behalf of the students. I want to encourage you to see them, understand them, and learn from the messages they are sharing. This session will also offer tangible, tool-box strategies that have worked with my at-risk populations.