Angela Maiers

Angela Maiers is a public speaker, author, educator, consultant, and founder of Choose2Matter and Maiers Educational Services.
==Choose2Matter==
In 2011, Maiers founded Choose2Matter, a global movement that seeks to empower students to change the world and encourages teachers make their students feel valued. Through Choose2Matter, Maiers stresses that everyone has a unique gift to give to the world and that students will be more successful if they believe that they matter. Maiers encourages teachers to send "Mattergrams," messages with the words #YouMatter on them, to encourage and empower students. Choose2Matter was born from the response received on Maiers' viral TED Talk on the two words "you matter."
Since then, Choose2Matter has reached more than 1 million students in 65,000 classrooms in over 50 countries, including Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Africa, and the United States. The movement has since expanded to military leaders, business executives, and members of Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament as well.
Choose2Matter has previously partnered with companies like SMART Technologies Inc. and Microsoft, as well as schools such as the University of Denver.
==Genius Hour==
Maiers launched the idea of Genius Hour in 2010, which was inspired by Google's 20% Time policy. Genius Hour is a program that allows students to pursue their passions for at least one class period per week, under the supervision of a teacher.
Framework for Genius Hour can be found in The Passion-Driven Classroom: A Framework for Teaching & Learning, co-written by Maiers and Amy Sandoval. Liberating Genius in the Classroom, an eBook partnership between Choose2Matter and Microsoft, also provides a guide for the first 20 days of Genius Hour.
==Public speaking==
Maiers has spoken at in-person and virtual events in multiple countries, and one of her most well-known keynotes is her “You Matter” Ted Talk|TED talk in June 2011, which has been viewed more than 218,000 times on YouTube. Other conferences she has spoken at include:
* Smart Technologies|SMART Technologies Finding Genius in All Leaders and Learners 3-part Webinar Series 2018
* Learning Forward Maryland Common Ground Conference 2018
* Learning & the Brain Science of Innovation 2018
* NWEA Fusion Portland 2018
* Microsoft TCEA Education Conference 2016
* ISTE Edtech Conference 2020 and 2016
* Desire2Learn Fusion Conference 2016
* Canvas InstructureCon 2016
==Publications==
Maiers has written multiple books, including:
* Classroom Habitudes: Teaching Habits and Attitudes for 21st Century Learning
* The Passion-Driven Classroom: A Framework for Teaching and Learning
* Liberating Genius
*Liberating Genius: The First 20 Days eBook
==Previous experience==
Maiers was an elementary school teacher for 14 years in Des Moines, Iowa and also has 10 years of experience as a literacy coach, special programs facilitator, and professor. She was also a contributor to the Huffington Post from 2013 to 2017, writing articles on education and technology.
Maiers graduated from University of Iowa|The University of Iowa with a bachelor's degree in Education and a minor in Neuroscience. She also completed a master's degree in Education and Curriculum at Drake University. 
==Accolades==
She has also been named in online lists:
* Engati: 200 Most Powerful Thought Leaders to Follow in 2021
* Engagedly: Top 100 HR Influencers of 2020
* Forbes: Top 5 Edupreneur Voices 2017
* TrustED: 20 Education Thought Leaders 2017 and 2016
* Onalytica: Top 25 Female EdTech Influencers 2017
*Tech.co: 18 Most Influential People in Ed Tech 2015
*HuffPost|Huffington Post: Top 100 Business, Leadership and Technology Twitter Accounts You Must Follow 2012
Category:Public speaking
Category:Authors
Category:Educators