Steve Silvern, professor of early childhood education in the College of Education, has been invited to participate in the spring 2007 Oxford Round Table.  Held in Oxford, England, this prestigious conference's goal is to promote human advancement and understanding through the improvement of education. 

Participants are selected through several screening processes, including nominations by previous Round Table participants and recommendations by Round Table directors.  The first Round Table met in August 1989; attendance was limited to ministers of education from several nations and numerous governors from the United States.  Since its inception, the Round Table has grown to include members of Parliament, executive officers of international corporations, educational administrators, attorneys and academicians from major universities.

Silvern will be presenting his paper entitled "Co-developing Mind and Spirit." He is one of only 10 presenters at the conference.  This paper explores how educators can pay attention to the child's developing spirit and improve reasoning by engaging children in interactions that respect the developing logic of the spirit and of the logic of others. 

Silvern, a faculty member in the Department of Curriculum and Teaching for nearly 30 years, conducts research on children's learning through play, social environments and constructive learning principles.  He has also taught in private and public schools and consulted internationally.