Inclusion for a Better Future | The Worthy Educator

"Wow! What a day! This is the best training

I have ever attended. I can't wait to try

some of the strategies shared!"

-Katie P.

Come meet with special education innovator and author Savanna Flakes and explore the pros and cons of publishing with a hybrid/assisted press versus a traditional academic imprint. Drawing from her own publishing journey, she will unpack the benefits of hybrid publishing - such as greater creative control, faster timelines, and higher royalty shares - while also weighing its challenges, including upfront author investment and variable marketing reach. On the other side, she will highlight the strengths of publishing with a traditional imprint, including professional editing, established distribution, and academic credibility, while also addressing trade-offs such as less creative control, and longer production cycles. By comparing these paths, Savanna will equip aspiring authors with the insight they need to choose the publishing model that best aligns with their goals, audience, and vision.

Inclusion for a Better Future’s goal is to engage educators in Professional Development that is guided by their needs. Our commitment is to help school communities seamlessly integrate evidence-based instructional strategies and technology into curriculum and instruction to support the Whole Child. Through interactive, hands-on, and collaborative based workshops, educators explore pedagogical principles, tools, strategies and best practices to increase student learning.

Savanna Flakes is an internationally recognized education consultant, author, and dynamic speaker specializing in Inclusive Practices, Special Education, and Co-teaching. As CEO and Lead Consultant of Inclusion for a Better Future, she partners with school communities worldwide to “shake up” instructional practices and create classrooms where students with exceptionalities have meaningful access to rigorous, engaging learning. Her expertise has been celebrated with numerous awards, including the prestigious U.S. Department of Education-White House Outstanding Educator Honor, National Association of Special Education Teachers Outstanding Special Educator Award, Sontag Prize in Urban Education Award, recognition as one of EdTech Magazine’s 2025 Top K-12 IT Influencers, and national distinctions for her leadership in advancing equity for students with disabilities.

📗 I Have Special Needs AND That’s Not Why I’m Special

“Beyond labels, toward strengths - empowering kids to see what truly makes them special.”

In her second book, I Have Special Needs AND That’s Not Why I’m Special, is an inspiring, interactive resource for families and educators that shifts the focus from disability labels to student strengths. With activities and reflection prompts, this book empowers young people to embrace self-advocacy, confidence, and the understanding that they are special because of who they are - not a diagnosis.

A TEDx speaker, Savanna delivered “Inclusion and Fast Food: Designing a Meaningful Learning Experience,” a talk that challenges educators to design learning with creativity, empathy, and impact. She is also the author of Shaking Up Special Education: Instructional Moves to Increase Student Achievement - named one of the “100 Best-Selling Special Education Books of All Time” - and I Have Special Needs AND That’s Not Why I’m Special, an interactive guide that empowers families and educators to champion self-advocacy and celebrate student strengths beyond labels. Holding an Ed.S. in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Virginia and advanced credentials in leadership, social-emotional learning, and instructional design, Savanna continues to coach, present, and inspire change so that every child is seen, supported, and given the opportunity to thrive.

📘Shaking Up Special Education

“Practical moves. Powerful results. Redefining what’s possible for every learner.”

In Shaking Up Special Education: Instructional Moves to Increase Student Achievement, Savanna Flakes equips teachers with practical, research-based strategies to transform classrooms into spaces where all students can access rigorous, engaging learning. Hailed as one of the “100 Best-Selling Special Education Books of All Time,” this book is a must-have for educators ready to elevate inclusion and student success.

Together, Savanna's books offer a roadmap to reimagining special education - building classrooms and communities where every learner is valued, supported, and celebrated.

In this session you will: