What if curiosity was the key to unlocking creativity, connection and lifelong learning? In this dynamic and captivating keynote, storyteller and magician Taylor Hughes blends his signature mix of humor, magic and heartfelt storytelling to reveal the secrets of sparking wonder in others. Through mind-bending illusions and powerful real-world insights, Taylor explores how fostering curiosity can transform the way we teach, lead and inspire the next generation. Gain practical strategies to cultivate engagement, nurture a sense of wonder and encourage students and colleagues alike to embrace learning with excitement and possibility. Prepare to be amazed and re-energized as you discover how the magic of wonder can create lasting impact in education and beyond.
Learn:Explore the power of individuality and how embracing diverse strengths enhances collaboration and innovation. Discuss the importance of recognizing and appreciating unique perspectives within teams and communities.
Engage:Through a reflective mirror exercise, identify one word that represents what makes you unique. Create a personalized “Strengths Wheel” to map out personal strengths such as creativity, problem-solving and empathy.
Apply: Reflect on how your unique strengths contribute to both your personal and professional life. Discuss actionable steps you can take to highlight your unique perspective in your work. Gain a renewed sense of self-awareness and strategies to uplift others’ strengths to foster an inclusive, innovative environment.
Objective: Empower participants to recognize and embrace their unique strengths and perspectives.
Roy Moye will kick off the morning spark with an inspiring and entertaining performance from STEMusic, where music and STEM come together to captivate and motivate educators and students alike. See firsthand how creativity can break down barriers to STEM and other learning.
Learn: Join Roy Moye III, aerospace engineer and founder of STEMusic, as he shares his journey through STEM and addresses the need for more Black and Brown representation in STEM fields. Gain insights into the tools and strategies to make STEM engaging and accessible for students from diverse backgrounds.
Engage: Experience high-energy, interactive performances featuring live music that demonstrate how STEM concepts can be taught in relatable and memorable ways. Engage with musical examples that bring STEM education to life, showing how creative expression can foster student belonging and excitement in any subject area.
Apply: Gain practical ideas for integrating music and storytelling into lessons, making complex concepts more relatable for students. These strategies can empower the next generation and promote diversity not just in STEM but every subject, bringing fresh energy and cultural relevance into your own classroom.
Learn: Explore how curiosity can become a powerful tool for fostering student engagement and wonder in the classroom. Taylor Hughes reveals the secrets behind using storytelling and magic to inspire a love of learning.
Engage: Witness the impact of magic storytelling as Taylor models techniques educators can use to captivate and motivate students. See firsthand how blending creativity and curiosity can transform the learning experience.
Apply: Gain actionable strategies to integrate storytelling, curiosity and a sense of wonder into your teaching. Learn how to encourage students to explore, question and pursue their passions in meaningful ways.
Learn:Explore how Open-Source Learning not only builds knowledge and skills but also strengthens self-awareness and cognitive capacity. Discover the science behind neuroplasticity and how daily habits can boost brain function and protect against conditions like Alzheimer’s.
Engage:Participate in practical exercises designed to enhance mindfulness, focus, memory and creativity. Experience firsthand how intentional mental workouts can sharpen your thinking and emotional awareness.
Apply:Discover techniques you can use daily to build healthier brain habits and improve cognitive performance. Gain actionable strategies to help both you and your students think, feel, and remember more effectively. Attendance of this session will earn you an NFT-backed digital badge; and earn a grand slam badge by attending all 4 sessions.
Learn: Uncover the fundamentals of storytelling and discover how to captivate your students with engaging narratives. Taylor Hughes will share simple strategies and practical tools to help you craft more compelling stories for the classroom.
Engage: Experience the wonder of magic as Taylor demonstrates strategies you can replicate with your students. Explore how storytelling and magic can combine to create unforgettable learning moments.
Apply: Gain actionable strategies and practical tools to improve your storytelling and be equipped to inspire and connect with your students through compelling narratives and a touch of magic.
If you have ever sat in a class or a faculty meeting and asked yourself, "When are we going to learn?" the answer is NOW and this keynote is for YOU. Open-Source Learning is an educational philosophy that celebrates the humane, optimizes the digital, and connects both the people and the dots in service to preparing for an increasingly complex and uncertain future. Learn how Open-Source Learning accounts for every great teaching practice in history and invites you to develop your own. Discover the transformations that take place when students become learners and pursue interdisciplinary goals through unique personal explorations that go beyond traditional classroom experiences. Dive into the five fitnesses of Open-Source Learning, and then you'll unlock the Sixth Fitness to validate and launch your own action plan. Transform the way you view your life and your teaching – and the work starts now, with a deceptively simple question: What do you want to learn?
Learn: Discover how music can enhance STEM education! Explore the power of creating songs as a tool to reinforce key concepts, making learning both memorable and engaging.
Engage: Dive into a hands-on STEM activity, then work in groups to create a simple, catchy song about the STEM principles you explored. Through collaboration, experience the excitement of combining learning with creativity and discover firsthand how music can deepen understanding and retention in any subject area.
Apply: Each group will showcase their song teaching a STEM concept, modeling how this approach can spark interest and aid retention for students. Gain a memorable strategy to energize learning in your classroom.
Way to get out of bed this morning! You don't have to like the task to crush it.Discover the neuroscience behind motivation and how activating your brain's anterior midcingulate cortex can fuel willpower, tenacity and a lifelong passion for learning. Explore when positive psychology works and when hating the game, and even hating the players, can transform our learning perspectives and help us overcome barriers to achievement. Cultivate a winning mindset and lead your learning community from the front by understanding real triumph. Turn today's challenges into tomorrow’s opportunities by fostering resilience and a love for discovery that will last a lifetime.
Dr. Stephanie R. Boyce is an Edupreneur driven by her passion to reshape the educational landscape by making culturally responsive teaching a way of life.For the last decade, Boyce has focused her studies and work on matters of racial justice and equity for historically marginalized... Read More →
Learn: Take a deep dive into the principles behind culturally responsive, standards-based (CRSB) instruction and how to integrate into the F.R.E.S.H. framework. Explore the “why” and “what” of CRSB instruction and understand its crucial role in fostering student success in diverse classrooms.
Engage: Through collaborative exercises and targeted discussions, analyze real-world scenarios that illustrate the impact of culturally responsive strategies. Engage in dialogue with peers, share insights and experiences related to implementing CRSB instruction enhancing your understanding of its practical applications.
Apply: Gain actionable ideas for integrating culturally responsive elements into your lesson planning. With guided discussions and collaborative activities, develop a clear understanding of how to identify and apply strategies that align with academic standards, making learning more meaningful for students from all backgrounds.
Dr. Stephanie R. Boyce is an Edupreneur driven by her passion to reshape the educational landscape by making culturally responsive teaching a way of life.For the last decade, Boyce has focused her studies and work on matters of racial justice and equity for historically marginalized... Read More →
Tuesday February 25, 2025 8:40am - 9:30am CST
Salon 4Marriott St. Louis Airport
Learn:Discover how Open-Source Learning not only builds knowledge and skills but also fosters self-awareness and personal growth. Understand why learning is an endurance sport that requires physical and mental stamina.
Engage:Explore simple, no-cost practices—including exercise, rest and nutrition—that boost cognitive and physical energy for learning. Participate in hands-on activities designed to fuel both your brain and body.
Apply:Practice techniques during the session that you can immediately use to enhance focus and energy. Gain actionable strategies to share with your students and classroom community for sustained learning success.
Attendance of this session will earn you an NFT-backed digital badge; and earn a grand slam badge by attending all 4 sessions.
Learn: Explore how to apply the F.R.E.S.H. approach in real classroom scenarios. Discover methods to develop Fun, Relevant, Engaging, Standards-Based and Higher Order lessons that elevate student learning and engagement.
Engage: Participate in interactive exercises designed to craft your own F.R.E.S.H. activities while collaborating with peers. By sharing examples from the field and engaging in group discussions, gain valuable insights into creating impactful lesson plans that resonate with diverse learners.
Apply: Gain a designed personalized F.R.E.S.H. activity tailored to your curriculum in addition to the skills to integrate the F.R.E.S.H. principles to implement inclusive and engaging lessons in your classroom enhancing the educational experience for all students.
Dr. Stephanie R. Boyce is an Edupreneur driven by her passion to reshape the educational landscape by making culturally responsive teaching a way of life.For the last decade, Boyce has focused her studies and work on matters of racial justice and equity for historically marginalized... Read More →
Tuesday February 25, 2025 11:10am - 12:00pm CST
Salon 4Marriott St. Louis Airport
Learn:Discover how Open-Source Learning fosters both skill development and self-awareness, helping us grow individually and collectively. Explore how neural, social, and online networks amplify learning and shape our understanding of the world. Engage:Join a discussion on how collaboration accelerates learning, from building stronger social connections to leveraging online communities. Examine how culture, government systems, and AI influence information processing and knowledge sharing.
Apply:Gain practical strategies to nurture learning networks that empower both you and your students. Walk away with tools to foster connection, collaboration, and deeper learning in your classroom and beyond. Attendance of this session will earn you an NFT-backed digital badge; and earn a grand slam badge by attending all 4 sessions.
Learn: Discover a 3-step strategy for leveraging AI to enhance student engagement with culturally responsive content. Explore how to utilize AI tools for creating station activities, weekly lessons and customized resources that address diverse student interests and needs.
Engage: Experience a demonstration of the AI strategy and practice crafting classroom activities using AI tools. Engage in collaborative discussions to share ideas and insights with fellow educators.
Apply: Be equipped to apply the 3-step strategy to streamline lesson planning, increase efficiency and create F.R.E.S.H. lessons and activities that are both relevant and engaging for all students.
Dr. Stephanie R. Boyce is an Edupreneur driven by her passion to reshape the educational landscape by making culturally responsive teaching a way of life.For the last decade, Boyce has focused her studies and work on matters of racial justice and equity for historically marginalized... Read More →
Tuesday February 25, 2025 1:30pm - 2:20pm CST
Salon 4Marriott St. Louis Airport
Learn: Delve into the latest and most effective AI for all students but especially those who require additional support.
Engage: Take part in a hands-on, station rotation discovery model to create high-quality task(s) tailored to your subject area and instructional goals.
Apply: Gain new found insights that are ready to be applied into your classroom fostering an open-minded approach to integrating AI responsibly.
Owner, Ctrl + Alt + Teach Professional Development
Lindsey Weatherby is a dedicated special education teacher with a passion for creating engaging, well-developed, and effective lesson plans that support all learners. With expertise in fostering critical thinking, she designs instructional activities that challenge students to infer... Read More →
Tuesday February 25, 2025 2:30pm - 3:20pm CST
Salon 4Marriott St. Louis Airport
Learn: Explore the Change Matrix as a simple yet powerful tool to help navigate transitions at any level. Understand how the Change Matrix can simplify both big and small shifts in schools while reducing stress and providing a smoother transition.
Engage: Participate in interactive discussions and activities that break down the Change Matrix into practical steps. Collaborate with peers to troubleshoot common challenges and brainstorm ways to make change feel more manageable.
Apply: Gain concrete strategies to implement the Change Matrix in your school or classroom. Whether you're launching a major project or making small instructional shifts, you’ll have the tools to navigate change with confidence and clarity.
Erin serves EdPlus member districts by developing tailored learning opportunities and professional development programs. Erin has 20 years of education experience in a variety of roles including 6th-grade teacher, district technology coach and Director of Professional and Program... Read More →
Tuesday February 25, 2025 3:30pm - 4:00pm CST
Salon 4Marriott St. Louis Airport
