2022 TEACH BETTER CONFERENCE: Full Schedule

9:30am EDT

"Good Teachers" Don’t Always Teach Better: Redefining A Profession In Peril

Empowering educators to show up authentically in their classrooms and in their lives by examining identity, redefining antiquated norms, and prioritizing core values.

Speakers

Alexis Shepard

Educational Activist & Wellness Educator, The AfroEducator

Alexis Shepard is a veteran educator with over a decade of experience in South Carolina public schools. Her career began as an elementary teacher where she taught 2nd and 4th grades before transitioning to the middle school setting. Alexis currently teaches 6th grade ELA where she... Read More →

Friday October 14, 2022 9:30am - 10:20am EDT
Room 302 National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM Middle School

Breakout Session

10:30am EDT

Grading from the Inside Out

The development of a standards-based mindset is the oft overlooked, but essential first step for long-term grading reform. This session will outline how to take a standards-based approach to grading, even when a traditional grading and reporting paradigm exists. The non-negotiable grading true north of accuracy and confidence will be featured, as well as the three essential practices that serve as the cornerstone for developing a standards-based mindset will be explored.

Speakers

Tom Schimmer

Education Consultant, Schimmer Education Consulting

Tom Schimmer is an independent education author, speaker, and consultant from Vancouver, BC. Over the course of his career, he has been a classroom teacher, school administrator, and district level leader. Tom is an internationally recognized leader and expert in the areas of assessment... Read More →

Friday October 14, 2022 10:30am - 11:20am EDT
Room 302 National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM Middle School

Breakout Session

11:30am EDT

EXCLUSIVE BLOGGER HANGOUT - *Invite Only*

This EXCLUSIVE INVITE ONLY Blogger event is open to any of our guest bloggers.
Come socialize with fellow writers before you grab lunch!

Speakers

Livia Chan

Digital Content Coordinator, Teach Better Team

Livia Chan is an author, blogger, and speaker deeply passionate about community, leading with heart, and daily lifelong learning. She believes in the power of connections and thoroughly enjoys building relationships. Livia lives by the belief that it is through every ATOMIC interaction... Read More →

Friday October 14, 2022 11:30am - 11:50am EDT
Room 302 National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM Middle School

INVITE ONLY

1:30pm EDT

Destroy the Box

Research shows that all students, young/old, black/white, rich/poor, benefit from the arts and creativity in the classroom. It is time for all teaching to reflect that. Let’s throw away the textbooks for hands-on, engaging, creative, arts infused lessons. Any subject, any grade, this professional development session includes brainstorming ideas, growing staff creativity, observing model lessons. During this session, you will learn some unique ways to bring creativity and the arts into every lesson you teach. Join me, as we destroy the confines of “the box: from the inside out.

Speakers

Jed Dearybury

Educator, Author, Illustrator, mrdearybury.com LLC

Jed Dearybury began his education career in 2001. During his 13 year early childhood classroom tenure, Jed received numerous awards. He was featured in GQ Magazine as Male Leader of the Year, met President Obama as the South Carolina honoree of the Presidential Award for Excellence... Read More →

Friday October 14, 2022 1:30pm - 2:20pm EDT
Room 302 National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM Middle School

Breakout Session

2:30pm EDT

Lights, Cameras, TEACH! engagement, culture, and relationships

Lights, Cameras, Teach -engagement, culture, and relationships plays off Kevin's experiences working in Hollywood by comparing the similarities between movie directors and classroom teachers. The main ingredients in creating a blockbuster classroom are the relationships teachers form with their students and the experiences they make for them. Throughout this session, Kevin will share ideas on building classroom culture by engaging students in active learning. Attendees will participate in playing academic games that teachers can immediately implement in their classrooms.

Speakers

Kevin Butler

Multiple sessions both days

Kevin began teaching in New York and in 2014, relocated to sunny California. Kevin teaches sixth grade at an independent school in Los Angeles and has also served as Director of Curriculum and Instruction. Kevin's classroom instruction focuses on engaging his students in authentic... Read More →

Friday October 14, 2022 2:30pm - 3:20pm EDT
Room 302 National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM Middle School

Breakout Session

9:30am EDT

Strategies to Nurture the Whole Teacher

Every teacher brings his or her whole self to school: their dreams, their personal challenges, their hopes and fears, along with their desire to be valued, to be connected and to learn and grow. We have a duty to create school environments that can nurture every part of a teacher, that can help them stay connected to their why, and fulfill their servant hearts. We will break down the specific components of the whole teacher in this session and dive into strategies that will help create the environment that teachers need in order to thrive. Whether you are a teacher looking to reconnect with your why or a leader looking to create a more supportive environment for teachers, this session will leave you refreshed, recharged and with a list of new things to try.

Speakers

Allyson Apsey

Keynote Speaker, Allyson Apsey LLC

Allyson Apsey has been an educator for 23 years; a school leader for 19 of those years. She is passionate about students and staff and leads others through their strengths. She tries to be transparent, vulnerable and supportive, and she doesn’t ask questions unless she wants the... Read More →

Saturday October 15, 2022 9:30am - 10:20am EDT
Room 302 National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM Middle School

Breakout Session

10:30am EDT

Safe, Welcome, Invited: Creating an Inclusive Classroom

We all agree that the classroom environment is vital to the success of each student. We tend to spend a lot of time at the beginning of the year to establish norms and build relationships. Yet, are we maximizing our attention to this necessary factor and truly building overt practices to ensure all students are included? Join Dr. Gupta as he provide insights and strategies using the Whole Child Tenets in creating an inclusive classroom for all students to feel safe, welcomed, and invited.

Speakers

Neil Gupta

District Administrator, Farther Together

Dr. Neil Gupta serves as the Director of Secondary Education for Worthington Schools in Columbus, Ohio. With over 15 years of experience as a district administrator in rural and suburban settings, he has a passion for leadership, building culture, and coaching leaders. Neil presents... Read More →

Saturday October 15, 2022 10:30am - 11:20am EDT
Room 302 National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM Middle School

Breakout Session

11:30am EDT

EXCLUSIVE EDUPRENUER MASTERMIND HANGOUT - *Invite Only*

This EXCLUSIVE INVITE ONLY HANGOUT SESSION is open to anyone in our Eduprenuer Mastermind group.

Speakers

Jeff Gargas

COO / Co-Founder, Teach Better Team

Jeff is the COO/Co-founder of the Teach Better Team and co-author of “Teach Better.” He works with educators to increase student engagement and improve student success. Jeff previously owned an online marketing firm, where he worked with entrepreneurs and small businesses. He... Read More →

Saturday October 15, 2022 11:30am - 11:50am EDT
Room 302 National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM Middle School

INVITE ONLY

1:00pm EDT

Next In Line to Lead: The Voice of the Assistant Principal

In this session, participants will explore the changing roles of assistant principals and examine the impact of school leadership on school improvement and student achievement.

Participants will explore the The Professional Standards for Educational Leaders 2015.

Speakers

Dr. Sharon H. Porter

Principal, PGCPS

Dr. Sharon H. Porter is a lifelong educator serving in North Carolina and Maryland. Dr. Porter has served as an elementary and middle school classroom teacher, elementary and middle school principal, assistant principal, Instructional Coordinator, Test Development Specialist, Regional... Read More →

Saturday October 15, 2022 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
Room 302 National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM Middle School

Breakout Session

2:00pm EDT

Healing Through Self-Compassion & Micro-resilience Strategies

Understanding who we are and how we can best take care of ourselves through self-care is one of the best ways to support our human and prepare our best selves for those we serve. In this session you'll realize practical strategies for the four types of self-care, and discuss resilience strategies and activities that contribute to developing a strong foundation for healing.

Speakers

Mandy Froehlich

Educator, Consultant, Author, Mandy Froehlich Education Consulting

Mandy Froehlich is a former educator, technology integrator, and Director of Innovation and Technology turned technology and mental health consultant. Her passion lies in reinvigorating and re-engaging teachers back into their profession as well as what’s needed to support teachers... Read More →

Saturday October 15, 2022 2:00pm - 2:50pm EDT
Room 302 National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM Middle School

Breakout Session