innovate25

Learn: Discover Cisco’s Global Problem Solvers (GPS) program as a powerful framework for Genius Hour, guiding students to tackle real-world issues. Learn how GPS cultivates critical thinking and digital storytelling to address local, national and global challenges.

Engage: Through live polls, collaborative brainstorming and Q&A, actively explore digital storytelling techniques and educational tools to enrich student-led projects. Small group discussions will foster idea-sharing and practical insights.

Apply: Gain ready to implement Genius Hour projects with Cisco's GPS resources, using digital storytelling to empower students to address contemporary challenges with creativity and precision.

Learn: Discover how strong formative assessment cycles contribute to improved student outcomes. Explore the challenges of designing an assessment system that meets the needs of students, teachers and administrators.

Engage: Discover how an effective assessment system can provide insightful data and guide actionable next steps. Learn how different formative assessment types can be used to support learning across various instructional needs.

Apply: Grow your understanding on how Pear Assessment simplifies the process with user-friendly tools, standards-aligned content and meaningful insights. Gain strategies to implement a streamlined assessment system that drives student progress.

Learn: Gain a comprehensive understanding of Dabrowski's Overexcitabilities Theory and its relevance to the characteristics of exceptional learners. Delve into each overexcitability, connecting theoretical concepts to real-life experiences.

Engage: Actively discuss overexcitabilities and identify your own, experiencing "OE Breaks" to understand the energy release associated with each type. This session emphasizes experiential learning over passive listening.

Apply: Move beyond theory to practical insights on creating conducive learning environments that support emotional well-being and concentration. Gain strategies for fostering self-awareness and emotional regulation in gifted students, including routines, activities and tools to manage overstimulation and enhance learning experiences for those with overexcitabilities.

Learn: Gain a clear understanding of restorative practices in education by exploring their purpose, principles and potential impact. Panelists will share what inspired them to embrace this approach and debunk common myths and misconceptions that may create resistance in schools.

Engage: Participate in dynamic discussions by using the chat feature to share your thoughts, ask questions and exchange ideas with experts and attendees. During the dedicated Q&A portion, ask specific questions about implementation and overcoming challenges.

Apply: Gain actionable insights to practical steps for introducing restorative practices in your school, strategies for supporting teachers resistant to this approach and evidence-based methods for tracking the impact of restorative practices. Discover real-life success stories to inspire your journey toward a restorative school environment.

Learn: Delve into the practice of Instructional Rounding as implemented in the Mehlville and Affton school districts, and discover its positive impacts in special education. Discover how Instructional Rounding can foster a culture of continuous learning, strengthen educator capacity and promote a community of personalized professional growth.

Engage: Participate in hands-on activities, partner and group discussions, and interactive Q&A session. Through these collaborative experiences, gain deeper insight into how Instructional Rounding supports educator and student development.

Apply: Reflect on the impacts of Instructional Rounding and begin planning how to incorporate this practice in your own setting. Gain actionable ideas for implementing Instructional Rounding to cultivate a supportive and growth-oriented culture within your educational community.

Learn: Explore the findings of our nationwide survey involving 119 high school English teachers regarding their attitudes toward ChatGPT integration in instructional practices. Gain insights into ethical concerns, common usage patterns and current perceptions of ChatGPT in the classroom.

Engage: Learn how English teachers are utilizing ChatGPT for personal planning and classroom instruction as you are guided through the process of creating a ChatGPT account. Learn how to differentiate lesson plans for various learning levels, develop new lesson plans and streamline administrative tasks. Depending on compurter availability, work independently or interact with demonstrations.

Apply: Get hands-on experience with ChatGPT as you explore its capabilities using your own classroom materials. Gain practical strategies for integrating ChatGPT into your teaching, along with take-home materials such as printouts and access to our presentation to support future application.

Learn: Examine how recent shifts in science education practices are changing teachers' approach to their instruction. Learn from science teaching experts on how new initiatives are building on what we already know about best practice and the impact of these initiatives. 

Engage: Connect with the conversation through questions and sharing personal comments using the chat feature. Dig deeper into the topics by using the Q&A segment to ask about topics such as 3-Dimensional teaching, Sense-Making and using science phenomena. 

Apply: Discover an updated view on modern science teaching practices.  Gain an informed understanding of how science education will continue to evolve in the next several years and build new perspectives on how to think about science ed and where to find resources that support the work. 

Learn: Explore proactive approaches to prevent inappropriate behaviors before they start by understanding the root causes and triggers. Panelists will share insights into the function of behavior and how applying function-based thinking can lead to more effective and compassionate responses.

Engage: Engage in live discussions through the chat feature, sharing ideas and questions with the experts and fellow participants. Take part in a dynamic Q&A session where you can ask specific questions about strategies for addressing unexpected behaviors and building systems that support positive outcomes.

Apply: Gain practical strategies and tools for responding to unexpected student behaviors with empathy and structure. Discover actionable ideas for creating supportive systems in your classroom or school that mitigate challenging behaviors and promote a positive learning environment.

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.

Learn: Explore the key elements that define a positive school culture and climate, as shared by experienced panelists from diverse educational backgrounds. Gain a deeper understanding of how school culture influences student success, teacher satisfaction and community engagement.

Engage: Participate by using the chat feature to share ideas, ask questions and engage in live discussions with experts and fellow attendees. During the Q&A portion, take the opportunity to ask specific questions about challenges or strategies related to fostering a thriving school culture.

Apply: Gain actionable insights and strategies to overcome common misconceptions about building a strong school culture, address resistance to change when implementing improvements, effectively use data points to assess and measure school culture, and learn how to foster collaboration among leaders, teachers and parents to create a unified, supportive environment.

Learn: Explore the key pedagogical practices—differentiation, high-quality instructional materials and personalized learning—that have the greatest impact on student outcomes. Understand why, despite years of training, these strategies often fall short in real classrooms.

Engage: Discuss the biggest barrier to implementing best practices... time. Examine how the expansion of generative AI presents new opportunities to streamline instruction and support educators at scale.

Apply: Discover how AI-driven tools can help bridge the gap between theory and practice, making effective teaching strategies more accessible. Gain actionable insights on integrating AI to enhance instruction and improve student outcomes.