Barbara Bray is a creative learning strategist who has been on a journey to transform teaching and learning for over 30 years. Her story goes down multiple paths that helped her find what she is passionate about and been fighting for. Through her work as a teacher, adjunct professor, instructional designer, speaker, coach, and writer, Barbara has been exploring ways she can make a difference in teacher and children’s lives. 

Starting in 1997, Barbara wrote a professional development column for CUE for 17 years, created her platform, My eCoach, and posted often on her website Rethinking Learning. In 2012, she co-founded Personalize Learning, LLC, and co-authored Make Learning Personal and How to Personalize Learning. Barbara realized that she was focusing on the WHAT and HOW to change teaching but the rationale, the WHY,  for teachers to want to change was missing.

In 2017, Barbara started her Rethinking Learning podcast and the #rethink_learning Twitter chat with her co-host, Shelly Vohra. She found that the stories inspired and impacted her. She wasn’t living her life on purpose until she told her story and listened to the stories from inspirational thought leaders. She has been an advocate for educators for years through coaching and providing resources. Now she takes the stories deeper. She wrote Define Your WHY to help anyone who is searching to discover or rediscover their WHY so they can live and learn on purpose. #DefineYourWhy

Then the pandemic changed everything. All of our WHYs were being tested. When teachers and parents had to shelter-on-place, many reached out to Barbara to discuss re-defining their WHY during this crisis. This presentation includes ideas, resources, and stories Barbara learned and is still learning as the pandemic continues.