Elevate Spotlight:
From Mentorship to Partnership with Keynoters Amy Speidel and Latoria Marcellus
There is something profoundly unique about a mentoring relationship; even more so when it evolves into a deep and true partnership as like-minded colleagues. This is exactly what happened with Amy Speidel and Latoria Marcellus.
Amy Speidel’s 35+ years of experience as an educator and a parent coach within a pediatric practice, and Latoria G. Marcellus’ 18+ years of experience as an educator, a non-profit founder and an equity coach put the two of them in overlapping lines of work within the state of Ohio.
With 20+ years as a Conscious Discipline Certified Instructor and a heartfelt belief that Conscious Discipline truly is a better way to parent, teach, lead and live, Amy invited Latoria to attend several Conscious Discipline events. Latoria repeatedly declined, sending several of her coaches instead. After positive feedback from her coaches, Latoria decided it was time to see for herself what Conscious Discipline was all about; first at a 2-day workshop, then a Conscious Discipline Institute. By the time she attended the Advanced Institute, Latoria knew Conscious Discipline was exactly what she had been missing. Now, she joins Amy in her passion for spreading the word about the effective practices of Conscious Discipline; especially when it comes to sharing it with teachers and students of color who may have some of the same reservations she did.
Together, Latoria and Amy bring to the stage a wealth of skill, experience and wisdom that can only come from a working relationship built on deep trust. Their ability to complement each other is highlighted in their roles as co-hosts of the Conscious Discipline podcast Real Talk for Real Teachers and whenever they have the opportunity to share the stage at an event; just like they will at Elevate 2023.
Amy and Latoria delighted audiences with their first joint keynote at Elevate 2022 last year. When asked about the overall experience, Latoria shared her enthusiasm. “It is so exciting to have people from all over the country—and some from out of the country— together in the same room,” she said. “From elementary school teachers to high school teachers to infant and toddler teachers, it is not often you can gather everyone together!” Latoria says the pull of Elevate for both educators and administrators is knowing your niche will be represented and spoken to directly by a professional working in a similar capacity while implementing Conscious Discipline. “The Elevate conference is truly an opportunity to elevate your personal practice at one place, at one time, with practitioners who are the real deal,” she said.
Amy and Latoria are both passionate about focusing on how “we’re all in this together” in their upcoming Elevate keynote. While this concept sounds familiar and simple, Amy says it can also be one of the most complicated. “As long as everyone is in the same room, we think we’ve mastered inclusion,” Amy says, “but being included is different from belonging. Everyone can be invited, but it needs to be communicated that everyone is also a vital part of our community.”
It’s easy for inclusion to become a buzzword without unpacking its true application. “Just because we feel as though someone should feel included, doesn’t mean that they always do,” Amy said. “To foster a true sense of belonging in a School Family and elsewhere, we need to be asking ourselves how we can stay curious rather than defensive. In a society where we believe we’re ticking the right boxes; we’re not always accomplishing the final goal.” In their keynote, Amy and Latoria intend to shine light on the power of the School Family and inspire attendees to create environments in which “we are all in this together” on a deep and abiding level.
Join this insightful duo and other experienced practitioners at Elevate Conscious Discipline: Renew Your Passion and Purpose at Orlando teacher conference, FL from Oct 12-14.
Jenny Shannon
Jenny Shannon has a B.A. in English, an M.A. in Educational Leadership, and an abiding commitment to believing that what you focus on, you get more of. With a strong background in education and communications and the love of a good story, she is thrilled to work on Conscious Discipline’s Marketing Team as copywriter. She lives in a 200-year-old home in northern New Jersey where she moonlights as chauffeur for her two daughters, can be caught singing showtunes in the kitchen and has strong opinions on the best place to grab a cup of coffee.
