The Future of Education

This presentation introduces Becoming New and the ASCEND model, a research-informed pathway for growing emotional intelligence in real, lived settings, not just in theory. The work behind this model evolved from several years of coaching with more than 100 adults who completed pre- and post-assessments using the MSCEIT, a standardized measure of emotional intelligence. Over time, participants demonstrated meaningful growth, not just in scores, but in how they understood themselves, related to others, and responded under pressure.

As we tracked both assessment data and coaching conversations, clear patterns began to emerge. Growth consistently clustered around six practical capacities, now captured in the ASCEND framework: Awareness, Seeing Clearly, Choosing a Response, Empathizing, Navigating Emotions, and Developing Beyond. This session provides a brief overview of the study context, explains how qualitative themes from real coaching relationships were integrated with ability-based EI data, and illustrates how these insights ultimately crystallized into the ASCEND model.

Special attention is given to how early experiences, trauma, and family systems shape emotional habits over time. Rather than simply teaching people to have “better reactions,” this approach focuses on disrupting long-standing patterns by helping individuals understand what their emotions are doing and why. Participants will learn a usable, human language for guiding students, clients, or leaders from raw emotional reaction toward reflective, intentional choice. The session also includes concrete practices and reflection prompts drawn directly from the applied sections of the book.

Ultimately, the future of education and leadership is not just about mastering content, but about developing the emotional capacity to connect well with peers, students, and the people we are called to serve.