innovate25: Full Schedule

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9:10am CST

Embracing the Mess: Transforming Classroom Chaos into Student Engagement

Tuesday February 25, 2025 9:10am - 9:35am CST

Learn: Discover how creative play can boost student engagement and recall by embracing messy, hands-on learning experiences. Explore effective classroom management strategies to maintain order while fostering a productive and stimulating environment.

Engage: Participate in discussions and activities that demonstrate how messy projects encourage deeper student reflection. Discover how these approaches inspire students to talk, write and think critically about their learning experiences.

Apply: Gain practical methods to integrate messy, creative projects across core subjects like science, history and language arts. Gain tools to connect art and creativity to academic goals, reinforcing the educational value of hands-on, interdisciplinary learning.

Speakers

Bryson Reid

Premier Charter School

Tuesday February 25, 2025 9:10am - 9:35am CST
Salon 2 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Culture

Audience All K-12 Educators, Building Principals, Classroom Teachers, Curriculum Coordinators, Specialist / Encore
Session Type Spark
School / Company Premier Charter School

11:10am CST

Connecting Your Content with Design Thinking

Tuesday February 25, 2025 11:10am - 11:35am CST

Salon 3

Learn: Explore the five stages of design thinking—Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test—to understand how they can be applied to encourage creativity, collaboration and problem-solving in K-12 education. Gain insights into how design thinking connects with your content to create deeper, more engaging learning experiences.

Engage: Participate in interactive discussions and activities that model the design thinking process. Collaborate with peers to brainstorm ways to incorporate design thinking into your classroom, while sharing ideas and challenges with fellow educators.

Apply: Develop a plan to integrate design thinking into your curriculum. Gain actionable strategies, resources, and a clear vision to make this innovative process a cornerstone of your teaching practice.

Speakers

Kara Sanders

My name is Kara Sanders and I am the makerspace teacher at Gotsch Intermediate School in the Affton School District. I started with a simple classroom makerspace in my 5th grade classroom. Fast forward a few years and I am the makerspace teacher for the building. I have been in this... Read More →

Tuesday February 25, 2025 11:10am - 11:35am CST
Salon 3 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Design

Audience Classroom Teachers, Specialist / Encore
Session Type Spark

11:10am CST

A Healthy Balance: Tech vs. Tradition

Tuesday February 25, 2025 11:10am - 12:00pm CST

Salon B

Learn: Explore how to achieve a healthier balance between technology and traditional skills in your classroom. This session addresses concerns about excessive screen time and the impact on essential soft skills, drawing from discussions held within my school district.

Engage: We will cover diverse topics, including virtual reality, traditional geography skills, handwriting versus speech-to-text, library resources, and the importance of face-to-face communication. Attendees will have opportunities for Q&A throughout the presentation to foster engagement.

Apply: Participants will receive a T-chart to assess their current balance between technology and traditional skills, along with actionable strategies for reinforcing soft skills in their classrooms. Leave with practical ideas to enhance your curriculum and promote student success in both realms.

Speakers

Sophie Chambers

Gifted Instructor, Chillicothe R-II School District

STEAM Club Facilitator; Innovation & Learning Coach for PK-5th Grades; Gifted Instructor for K-8th Grades; METC 2018 Spotlight Educator; Presenter at METC (2 yrs), ISTE (2 yrs), MOREnet (1 yr), MSBA (1 yr), District PD (5 yrs); Chillicothe EdCamp Co-Founder; Grant Recipient from MPER... Read More →

Tuesday February 25, 2025 11:10am - 12:00pm CST
Salon B Marriott St. Louis Airport

Integration Wellness Culture

Audience All K-12 Educators, Building Principals, Classroom Teachers, Curriculum Coordinators, Instructional Coaches, Library Media Specialists, Technology Directors, Specialist / Encore
Session Type Ignite
School / Company Rhilicothe R-II School District

11:10am CST

Grow stamina and creativity using the design process/makerspace

Tuesday February 25, 2025 11:10am - 12:35pm CST

Salon 3

Learn: Discover the five stages of the design thinking process and their relevance to fostering creativity, problem-solving and collaboration in K-12 education. Explore real-world examples of how design thinking can transform learning experiences and inspire student engagement across various subjects and grade levels.

Engage: Participate in hands-on activities that will guide you through the design thinking process, from identifying problems to brainstorming solutions and creating prototypes. Work collaboratively with peers to experience how the design process builds student stamina, critical thinking and innovation.

Apply: Create a personalized plan to integrate design thinking into your existing curriculum. Gain practical tools, strategies and resources to turn your classroom into a dynamic makerspace where students can explore, create and solve problems in meaningful ways.

Speakers

Kara Sanders

Tuesday February 25, 2025 11:10am - 12:35pm CST
Salon 3 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Design

Audience Classroom Teachers, Specialist / Encore
Session Type Launch

11:40am CST

Integrating Design Thinking is Possible

Tuesday February 25, 2025 11:40am - 12:05pm CST

Salon 3

Learn: Discover how the five stages of design thinking—Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test—can transform learning experiences in the classroom. Gain insights into how this process fosters creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking.

Engage: Participate in an interactive classroom example, where you'll work with fellow educators to develop innovative solutions to a real-world problem using the design thinking framework. Collaborate, share ideas and explore strategies to make this approach meaningful for your students.

Apply: Discover actionable strategies and inspiration to integrate design thinking into your teaching practice. Gain the confidence and tools to design engaging, student-centered learning experiences that empower and excite your learners.

Speakers

Kara Sanders

Tuesday February 25, 2025 11:40am - 12:05pm CST
Salon 3 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Design

Audience Specialist / Encore, Classroom Teachers
Session Type Spark

12:10pm CST

Launching Your Design Thinking or Makerspace

Tuesday February 25, 2025 12:10pm - 12:35pm CST

Salon 3

Learn: Explore the fundamentals of design thinking, including the five stages—Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test. Understand how this process promotes creativity, collaboration and problem-solving to address real-world challenges in the classroom.

Engage: Participate in interactive discussions and activities designed to generate practical ideas for integrating design thinking into your classroom. Share experiences and brainstorm solutions with fellow educators as you explore ways to guide students through innovative problem-solving.

Apply: Discover actionable strategies and resources to launch or enhance your design thinking or makerspace journey. Gain confidence to create dynamic, engaging learning experiences that inspire students to think like innovators.

Speakers

Kara Sanders

Tuesday February 25, 2025 12:10pm - 12:35pm CST
Salon 3 Marriott St. Louis Airport

Design

Audience Specialist / Encore, Classroom Teachers
Session Type Spark

12:10pm CST

Video Lesson Teaching

Tuesday February 25, 2025 12:10pm - 1:00pm CST

‎ Video On Demand

The On Demand session linked below will cover:

Learn: Explore how to effectively use video to record and teach lesson demonstrations that can be uploaded to a dedicated YouTube channel. Discover how recorded lessons can capture students' attention through step-by-step modeling for projects, skill development or desired behaviors.

Engage: Utilize project materials, acquired skills and a cell phone camera to practice teaching and demonstrating a lesson that will be uploaded to your YouTube channel created for this purpose.

Apply: Gain skills to launch your own YouTube video lesson demonstration to support students who may struggle, provide resources for absent learners and maximize preparation time during lessons, especially when teaching multiple classes back-to-back.

Video Links:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Speakers

VIELIA M JEFFRIES-EVANS

Tuesday February 25, 2025 12:10pm - 1:00pm CST
‎ Video On Demand Marriott St. Louis Airport

Design Technology

Audience Specialist / Encore
Session Type Ignite
School / Company University City School District