Developing Critical Thinking Skills

Betsy Hill is an experienced educator and has studied the application of neuroscience to teaching and learning with Dr. Patricia Wolfe and other experts and works with educators, clinicians and corporate trainers on using neuroscience research to address some of the most perplexing problems in education, including closing the gap for historically underperforming students. She addressed issues of college and career preparedness as a trustee and board chair at Chicago State University. She holds a Master of Arts in Teaching and an MBA from Northwestern University and teaches strategy at Lake Forest Graduate School of Management and the University of Illinois Chicago.

I like to describe myself as a "recovering" educator, but the truth is that I am more excited than ever about what neuroscience is uncovering about the brain and how we can use that information to enable each individual to reach his or her cognitive potential. I'm here to share what I've been learning over the last ten years and to continue learning from others in this amazing and fast developing field.

Lemi-Ola Erinkitoal is an author and award-winning educator. She provides parent coaching and fosters students’ academic achievement through cognitive brain development and critical thinking skills. Her brain training boot camp program was featured on ABC News. Erinkitola is also the founder and Executive Director of the Children’s Reading Foundation of Greater Chicago. There, she collaborates with community partners to provide literacy support and free books while sharing a love of reading.
Ms. Erinkitola serves as an Ambassador for By Kids For Kids (BKFK), helping to improve educational technology and promote innovation among today’s youth. Erinkitola is an invited conference speaker at the local, national and international levels on early literacy, gifted education, cyber safety and critical thinking. Holding a Master’s degree from Rush University in Chicago, a Bachelor of Science from the University of Illinois and specialized training in critical thinking from the University of Edinburgh, she is also the proud mother of three gifted children.