Despite the fact that she never wanted to step foot in a school again after graduation, there is no where else she’d rather spend her days. You will find her dancing with students in the hallways in the mornings with her JammyPack, and in classrooms throughout the day. She doesn’t have a chair at her desk because you won’t often find her there.

Allyson’s background includes being certified in William Glasser’s Choice Theory, being a Certified Trauma-Informed Practitioner in Education, and she is the author of The Path to Serendipity. In addition, she serves on the Executive Board of Directors for the Michigan Elementary and Middle Schools Principals Association as the State and Federal Relations Coordinator.

Allyson is a dynamic speaker who fills the room with energy. She specializes in captivating presentations that are emotional journeys for all present. The participants are laughing, crying, surprised, and reflecting throughout their time together. She often incorporates multimedia technology tools to support the interactive format. There is no doubt that participants walk out of her keynotes or presentations changed, with new perspectives, new goals, and strategies to implement right away.

Popular topics from Allyson Apsey:

Finding Your Own Path to Serendipity

The origin of the word serendipity comes from a Persian tale, “The Three Princes of Serendip.” In the story, three princes tried to impress their father by traveling as everyday people rather than as nobles. During their travels, the princes saw the hardships people went through as well as the good in the world. They learned a life without hardships was a life devoid of valuable lessons.

Serendipity is a way of living, but not one that came naturally to me. When I was younger and trying to figure out how life worked, I thought life just happened to us. We woke up each morning, stuff happened, we dealt with it, and then we went to bed to repeat the same process the next day.

This presentation is about embracing all experiences, particularly our challenges, and allowing them to make us better. It is about stumbling upon the fortunes of life and looking at every experience as a treasure—those moments that bring us more pain than we thought possible, more joy than we feel we deserve, and everything in between.

Outcomes:

• Five basic needs drive all behavior.
• All behavior is purposeful, and all behavior is information.
• We get to decide who we want to be and how we react to what life throws at us.
• The only person who controls you is you.
• We can’t always get what we want, and there are three things we can do when we don’t.
• Respect means meeting our own needs without interfering with someone else trying to meet their needs.
• Strong, positive relationships are essential to our well-being, and they take work!

This presentation is a journey of reflection and self-discovery. The interactive format features innovative technology tools. The participants will feel big, ask themselves important questions, laugh, maybe cry, and be compelled to improve for tomorrow.

Supporting Students, Staff and Families Affected by Trauma

Many of our students, staff and families have been affected by trauma, which makes becoming a trauma-informed educator an important part of setting our students up for success. In addition, the CDC discovered that exposure to trauma increases the likelihood of 7 out of 10 of the leading causes of death in the United States. As educators, not only do we have a responsibility to support students affected by trauma, we must make sure that our school environments are not trauma-inducing for any of our students. Our staff may come with their own background of trauma, and are at risk for trauma-fatigue as they give everything they have to their student. The good news? The supports that are required for students affected by trauma are good for all students.

Outcomes:

• Identify indicators of trauma
• Understand the crisis cycle and how to support students through it
• Learn strategies to support students who have been affected by trauma
• Understand how the strategies are good for all students
• Recognize trauma-fatigue in staff, and learn strategies to counter the impact of student trauma
• Value taking care of yourself so you can serve others

This presentation is a journey of reflection and self-discovery. The interactive format features innovative technology tools. The participants will feel big, ask themselves important questions, laugh, maybe cry, and be compelled to improve for tomorrow.

Embracing Challenges

The true test of our character comes not from surviving through the hard times, but thriving because of the hard times. Challenges give us an opportunity to test the strength of our spirit. Embedded in every experience we face is a beautiful opportunity to inch closer toward the person we want to become. Allyson will guide participants on a journey to uncover the lessons the boulders in our path present, to allow ourselves to experience the great joys bestowed upon us, and to live in the moment because, as Gretchen Rubin says, “The days are long, but the years are short.”

Outcomes:

• Understanding what is within our control, and what is not.
• Reflecting on challenges we have faced and the beautiful lessons embedded in them.
• Learn strategies to live in the moment so you can present your whole self to the people right in front of you.
• Identify the boulders in our path and take action to crush them, avoid them, or allow the person who created the boulder to keep it for themselves.

This presentation is a journey of reflection and self-discovery. The interactive format features innovative technology tools. The participants will feel big, ask themselves important questions, laugh, maybe cry, and be compelled to improve for tomorrow.

Building Strong, Positive Relationships

Nothing is more important in an organization than strong, positive relationships built on trust. In this presentation, Allyson will share the components necessary for strong positive relationships, strategies to develop these relationships, and allow participants to reflect on their relationships in their workplace and their personal lives.

Outcomes:

• Understand the five basic needs.
• Self-evaluate the strength of your own needs.
• Reflect on what motivates your own behavior and the behavior of others.
• Explain what trust is and how it is developed.
• Accept what is within our control and what is not.
• Develop strategies to contribute to the important relationships in your life.

This presentation is a journey of reflection and self-discovery. The interactive format features innovative technology tools. The participants will feel big, ask themselves important questions, laugh, maybe cry, and be compelled to improve for tomorrow.

Creating Need-Satisfying Environments Where People Thrive

Allyson’s interactive session will focus on creating a need-satisfying environment in your classroom for both students and for YOU. You will see behavior through a new lens as you explore the purpose of behavior and the information we can learn from behavior.

Outcomes:

• Learn about Dr. William Glasser’s five basic needs and assess the strengths of your own needs.
• Identify ways students’ motivation to meet their own needs impact your classroom and/or school.
• Learn that all behavior is purposeful and that all behavior is information.
• Develop strategies to give your students opportunities to meet their needs within the functions of your classroom.
• Learn how to CRAFT a need-satisfying classroom and school environment.
• Identify ways adults attempt to meet their own needs in school and the impact that has on the culture, positively and/or negatively.

This presentation is a journey of reflection and self-discovery. The interactive format features innovative technology tools. The participants will feel big, ask themselves important questions, laugh, maybe cry, and be compelled to improve for tomorrow.

Leading Through Learning

When we are transparent learners, everyone in our organization benefits. This exciting and interactive session will help you with every step of the process. We will dive deep into strategies to be transparent and vulnerable learners with our students and/or staff, and share ideas to be reflective learners through blogging, journaling, podcasts and/or video. This presentation will allow us an opportunity to write a reflection of recent learning that you can post on your own blog. In addition, this session will utilize new tools to use in staff meetings to model what we are looking for in the classroom.

Outcomes:

• Develop strategies to model continuous learning for your students and/or staff.
• Reflect on recent learning and create a journal entry or blog post about it.
• Learn various ways to be transparent with your learning.
• Recognize the value of being a connected leader.
• Support others in reflecting on their own learning.

This presentation is a journey of reflection and self-discovery. The interactive format features innovative technology tools. The participants will feel big, ask themselves important questions, laugh, maybe cry, and be compelled to improve for tomorrow.

Bringing the Fun Back to our Hard Work

Can you imagine a job you look forward to just as much as you look forward to the weekends? Can you imagine waking up on Monday morning excited about the day ahead instead of dreading it? As unlikely as it seems, it is possible. In environments where hard work is expected, building in fun makes the workload sustainable and the environment joyful. In this session, not only will participants learn the value of fun in the workplace, they will have fun themselves as they learn strategies for incorporating fun into the hard work we do.

Outcomes:

• Understand the value of fun in the workplace.
• Discover the various ways fun can be infused into our hard work.
• Learn new inclusion activities to begin meetings.
• Explore innovative approaches to relationship-building and fun.
  • Identify an area to infuse fun into your workplace tomorrow.

This presentation is a journey of reflection and self-discovery. The interactive format features innovative technology tools. The participants will feel big, ask themselves important questions, laugh, maybe cry, and be compelled to improve for tomorrow.

A Grateful, Hopeful, and Joyful Life

When we have hope, we have everything. And, as long as there is breathe in our lungs, we can have hope. Presenter Allyson Apsey will lead participants on a journey to explore the benefits of gratitude and how gratitude can lead to hope and joy. This multimedia, interactive presentation will leave participants feeling renewed and re-energized, ready to conquer their next challenge.

Outcomes:

• Explore the benefits of gratitude.
• Identify things in your life you are grateful for.
• Learn the value of hope and why “hope is everything”.
• Experience how gratitude and hope can strengthen us.
• Learn that joy is created by a grateful heart.

This presentation is a journey of reflection and self-discovery. The interactive format features innovative technology tools. The participants will feel big, ask themselves important questions, laugh, maybe cry, and be compelled to improve for tomorrow.

Leading the Whole Teacher

When we ask teachers what they do to fuel their creativity and passion outside of education, we quickly learned that for many, education is their profession and their hobby. Knowing that teachers give everything they have and more to their students, leaders must support the whole teacher.

Let’s take the Whole Child Tenets from ASCD and replace “student” with “teacher”:

• Each teacher enters school healthy; practices a healthy lifestyle.
• Each teacher learns in an environment that is physically and emotionally safe.
• Each teacher is actively engaged in learning and is connected to the school and broader community.
• Each teacher has access to personalized learning and is supported by qualified, caring leaders.
• Each teacher is challenged academically and prepared for success.

Leading adults is hard, and it is so important to keep the complex needs of our teachers in mind as we help them move forward. Teachers need leaders who help them feel strong and positive, challenge their thinking, and help them continuously improve in order to meet the needs of their learners.

Outcomes:

• Supporting teachers in practicing a healthy lifestyle.
• Maintaining a healthy school environment for adults.
• Ensuring emotional safety for adults at school.
• Helping teachers stay actively engaged in their own learning.
• Supporting teachers in connecting to the school and broader community.
• Personalizing teachers’ professional learning.
• Identify common roadblocks that teachers face.

This presentation is a journey of reflection and self-discovery. The interactive format features innovative technology tools. The participants will feel big, ask themselves important questions, laugh, maybe cry, and be compelled to improve for tomorrow.

Own Your Story

As they say, in the absence of information, others often form their own conclusions about you, about your school, about your students, and about your staff. In this interactive and engaging session, you will explore ways to own your story. Participants will have an opportunity to explore the benefits of various social media platforms, blogging for different purposes, and making videos that reflect the values of your school. Be ready to laugh, to collaborate, and to have a great time as we grow together!

Outcomes:

• Participants will explore the purpose and audience of various social media platforms.
• Participants will consider the value of telling their story through videos.
• Participants will discover their own “why” that motivates sharing their own story.

This presentation is a journey of reflection and self-discovery. The interactive format features innovative technology tools. The participants will feel big, ask themselves important questions, laugh, maybe cry, and be compelled to improve for tomorrow.

In addition to this list of topics, Allyson can customize a presentation for your organization or event.