Dara Feldman

Background

About Dara Feldman

Dara is a passionate educator, speaker, author, coach & consultant whose life-long goal is to transform our schools & the systems that support them into environments that embrace the love of learning with the recognition of self-worth. A champion for social justice, she is the author of,"The Heart of Education: Bringing Joy, Meaning and Purpose Back to Teaching and Learning." Dara and her husband, Dave, founded Virtues Matter, a non-profit committed to uplifting humanity by helping people bring out the best in themselves and others. As an ASCD Faculty Member, Restorative Practices Facilitator, Success Principles Trainer, & Virtues Project Master Facilitator, Dara has the honor of creating & delivering personal, professional & organizational development around the world, inspiring individuals to live more authentic, joyful lives, families to raise children of compassion & integrity and educators to create safe, caring & high performing learning communities. Dara was honored as Disney’s 2005 Outstanding Elementary Teacher of the Year & Educator of the Year for the National Association for Self Esteem in 2009. She is one of 10 teachers featured in the book,"One on One with America’s Most Inspiring Teachers." In addition to 16 years as a classroom teacher, 5 years as an instructional technology specialist & 3 years as an instructional coach, Dara was the Dir. of Curriculum Development for PowerUP, an expert consultant with the USDE's Web-based Education Commission & helped write "The Power of The Internet for Learning", she is co-creator of the Early Childhood Technology Literacy Project, which was nominated by Steve Jobs of Apple Computer & won the Computerworld Smithsonian Award in Education & Academia in Dara is Nationally Board Certified in Early Childhood, certified in Restorative Justice, founding chair of VPIA, past pres. of The Maryland Center for Character Education, past pres. of NAEYC's Tech Special Interest Forum, a member of the NETS Writing Team for Teachers, a Google Certified Teacher, a commentator for Ashoka’s Changemakers’ Competition, an Apple Distinguished Educator & Maryland's 2015 Mother of the Year.