Lauren Porosoff

Lauren Porosoff is an educator, instructional designer, and author focused on making school a source of meaning, vitality, and community for students and teachers. She is the founder of EMPOWER Forwards (also referred to as The Teacher Nerd), a collaborative consultancy practice that supports schools through keynotes, professional development workshops, and leadership consulting on instructional design and values-guided school culture. An educator since 2000, Porosoff has approximately 18 years of classroom teaching experience, having taught elementary and middle school students in New York, Washington, D.C., and Maryland, including roles at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School, the Maret School, and the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School. She has also served as a diversity, equity, and inclusion coordinator, grade-level dean/team leader, and leader of curricular and professional development initiatives. Porosoff holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Wesleyan University and a law degree from the George Washington University.

Porosoff is the author of multiple books on instructional design and values-centered teaching, including Teach for Authentic Engagement (ASCD, 2023), which focuses on designing instruction that allows students with diverse identities, interests, and values to connect meaningfully with their learning. Her other works include *Curriculum at Your