About Dr. Taylor

Dr. T. Roger Taylor

Roger Taylor is one of the most sought-after experts in the areas of interdisciplinary, integrated curriculum, differentiated instruction, critical thinking skills, character education, multiple intelligence, gifted education, school-to-career education, and brain-based learning. Dr. Taylor has helped thousands of school districts apply local and state standards to their curriculum so that, “teachers are teaching students for lifelong learning rather than teaching for the test.” In his 36 years as a classroom teacher, administrator, professor and internationally known educational consultant, Roger has authored/co-authored thousands of integrated, interdisciplinary, thematic curriculum units for grade levels K-12. The units are written based on the AHA!(Analyzing Human Activities) model he created. This unique model includes specific application of the most recent brain research, multiple intelligences and constructivist hands-on project-centered learning in alignment with state defined benchmarks and standards. Over 36,300 teachers have attended Dr. Taylor’s summer weeklong curriculum-writing workshops where they create integrated, interdisciplinary, thematic units for their students. The best of these curriculum units are available on his Web site.

In addition, Roger has assisted school districts throughout the United States with incorporating a team approach to address the latest standards-based curriculum alignment. Roger specializes in differentiated curriculum design for special needs “at-risk” learners and the highly gifted student. School districts, universities, state departments, educational service centers, and professional educational organizations continue to engage Roger as a featured keynoter because of his ability to present research-based information in a humorous and entertaining manner. Topics that Dr. Taylor presents are: critical thinking skills, character education focusing on Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development, the socio-emotional needs of at-risk students, creativity, school-to-career connections, applying standards to the curriculum and his own integrated, interdisciplinary model for curriculum development. Roger is a popular “back to school” keynoter because of his ability to “motivate with meaningful information” and set a positive tone for the return to school.

In the Chicago area, Dr. Taylor served as Director of the Area Service Center for Educators of Gifted Children and served on the Executive Board for the National Association for Gifted Children for over ten years. Thousands of gifted programs and gifted children have directly benefited from Roger's expertise. In addition to curriculum development focusing on integrated, interdisciplinary learning, Roger focuses on gifted program planning, identification, staff development training, and curriculum development for "mainstream" and "pull-out" program models. He has traveled internationally with his unique and highly successful model for inclusion of special needs learners. Many community colleges and universities are using Dr. Taylor's curriculum not only for school to career connections but also to strengthen the academic teaching strategies of their professors.

Dr. Taylor conducts workshops for at least 220 days per year with teachers, administrators, parents, and students. He has given keynotes, workshop sessions, and motivational speeches for such organizations as the Association of California School Administrators, Indiana Association for Elementary School Principals, Kentucky Association for Secondary School Administrators, The National Council for Teachers of Mathematics, The Ohio Psychologists and Counselors Association, ASCD Middle School Consortium, British Columbia Primary Teachers Association, Association for Childhood Education Int'l (ACEI), the International Reading Association, National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), Association for Supervision of Curriculum and Development (ASCD), and was named by the Institute for Development of Educational Activities, Inc. (I.D.E.A.) as one of the BEST OF THE BEST during its 25th year celebration. Many educational and service groups have duly recognized Dr. Taylor. The Jaycees named him as one of the "Outstanding Young Men of America" and his name has been added to "Who's Who in America," "The International Who's Who of Intellectuals," "Who's Who in the World," and "Who's Who in American Education."

Recently, Roger received recognition from Phi Delta Kappa as the "Educator of the Year". He was a Distinguished Lecturer at the ASCD Annual Conference in Baltimore and a keynote speaker for the ASCD Standards and Assessment Conference in Nashville. The AHA! Model for creating integrated, interdisciplinary, thematic curriculum units is being used by teachers all over the world and has proven to raise achievement test schools while preserving the excitement and joy of authentic teaching and learning. He has been a featured consultant with the Bureau of Education and Research (BER) for 22 years.

Through the National School Conference Institute (NSCI), Dr. Taylor conducted eight 85-minute programs on the topic of integrated, interdisciplinary curriculum to serve at risk children and highly gifted students. These programs were broadcasted in real time via satellite. He also appeared on a special program focusing on the tropic of Best Practices in Teaching and Learning that was televised on The Learning Channel. Roger has traveled to England, Japan, Germany and Saudi Arabia to work with teachers and administrators working for the Department of Defense. In American Schools abroad, he has presented major keynotes and sessions at conferences in Rome, Nairobi, Athens, Nice, Bali and worked with teachers at the Sotogrande International School in Spain.