For over thirty years, Ian Gilbert has played a part in shaping the education practice of many thousands of teachers and the school experience of many thousands more children and young people.
Once described by the IB Magazine as one of its 15 most influential ‘education visionaries’, Ian is an educational speaker, entrepreneur, innovator and award-winning author, editor and publisher with a unique perspective on education across five continents.
Apart from being in demand for his keynotes and workshops that are always challenging, entertaining, eye opening and practical, Ian has also written several best-selling titles including Essential Motivation in the Classroom and Why Do I Need a Teacher When I’ve Got Google? both published by Routledge where Ian is also a newly appointed Series Editor.
He is also the man behind the ‘Thunks’ phenomenon, beguilingly simple little questions designed to make children’s brains hurt that grew out of his work on Philosophy for Children.
As a commissioning editor and publisher for the Independent Thinking Press, he has helped bring to market titles including When the Adults Change by Paul Dix, Independent Thinking on Restorative Practice by Mark Finnis, Oops! By Hywel Roberts and the two ‘game changing’ title, The Working Class and Square Pegs.
Originally trained as French teacher, he went into teaching in order to work with young peple on thinking, creativity, motivation and success skills – skills he wishes he had been taught when he himself was in school. Whilst running extra-curricular classes in helping his students use their brains more effectively, he was approached by a colleague who helped him set up a company as a vehicle for his work and to take it to a wider audience.
That company, Independent Thinking, has since become a fixture of education life in the UK and beyond, quietly reassuring educators, school leaders, students and their families that there is always another way. This unique organisation works as a platform for world-class speakers and practitioners to share their expertise, creativity, integrity and their passion with colleagues in all sectors and phases of education across the UK and internationally.
Currently based in Finland where his wife is the principal of the International School of Helsinki, Ian has lived and worked in mainland Europe, Asia, South American and the Middle East as well as the UK and has seen the international education world from the inside as an educator, speaker, parent and, of course, bag carrier to his wife.