The Art of the Read-Aloud: Techniques for Engaging Learners
K-12 Engagement of Learners, Reading
This workshop is designed for educators who want to enhance their read-aloud sessions to maximize engagement and learning outcomes. Participants will understand the research-based importance of read-alouds for all ages, explore effective techniques, strategies, and tools that make read-alouds more interactive, enjoyable, and educational. The session will include a mix of demonstration and discussion, empowering teachers to captivate their students and support literacy development and content knowledge support through storytelling. Guidance and tools to support read-aloud selection for age-appropriate and culturally relevant material will be offered, in addition to tips for expressive reading techniques which bring a story to life.
Hope Hunter; St. James School District
AI: Friend or Foe
6-12 Blended/Flipped Classrooms
In the ever-changing world of education, teachers have learned how to adapt to the next “big thing” that can affect their classrooms. Whether it is navigating a flying water bottle that a student is flipping between bells or switching their instruction to virtual at the drop of a hat, teachers are no strangers to taking on a new challenge. However, will AI be the one thing that educators can’t tackle? When the whispers of artificial intelligence began to creep into workrooms across America, teachers began to question the impact of this new technology on their students and classrooms. In this session, educators will easily learn how to quell those fears and make AI their friend versus their foe. Attendees will walk away with ideas of how to use AI to create exciting and engaging lessons, promote collaboration and project-based learning for students, improve their lesson planning process, and so much more!
Mackenzie Thompson; Scott Co. R-IV School District
Challenging Behaviors, Not Challenging Students: Practical Solutions for Teachers
K-12 Behavior Management; SEL; Trauma-Informed Teaching; Multi-Tiered System of
Support
The presentation offered by Jennifer Moore, Project 180 Coordinator and the At-Risk District Lead at the Union R-XI School District, and Ursulla Wadley, formally an At-Risk Coordinator and now the Southeast Regional Manager for JAG-Missouri (Jobs for America’s Graduates), will share practical classroom management ideas, using meaningful examples of trauma-informed practices. The presentation is designed to support teachers with low or no-cost solutions to behavior challenges in the classroom, offer unique ways to meet the needs of students and build social-emotional skills for regulation. The resources and strategies offered will focus on restoration and relationships by teachers currently in the classroom. Attendees will be encouraged by Jennifer and Ursulla’s own classroom experiences in working with intense, chronic behaviors and the success stories of their students.
Jennifer Moore; Union R-XI School District & Ursulla Wadley, Southeast Regional Manager for Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG)
Connecting the Dots: Using Mentor Texts to Teach Language Arts and Social Studies
K-12 Engagement of Learners
Education is about equipping students with skills that can prepare them for society and enhance their understanding of the world in today’s classroom; many content areas are segregated when they naturally align. The presenter will walk participants through creating solid units for reading, writing, and social studies using mentor texts. Participants will engage in the process of discussion and decision-making as part of the student experience within an integrated unit through historical fiction, relevant picture books, and writing. Participants will walk away with a resource of great books to use to teach social studies content. The model lessons do incorporate some elements of the Science of Reading.
Janice Edgar; Ripley Co. R-III School District
Creating a Classroom Community Using the 4 C’s through the Engineering Design Process
K-8 PBL; STEM
Participants will learn how to create a classroom community through the Engineering Design Process. Using the 4 C's (Creativity, Critical Thinking, Collaboration, & Communication), you will experience a design challenge from the student's perspective. Participants will walk away with different strategies and resources to help their students the next day.
Tyler Lappe, Cape Girardeau School District
Creating Learning Experiences through Classroom Transformations
K-12 Engagement of Learners
School can be boring for many students, especially in the older grades. It is time to reengage our students and hook them into learning again through transformations or learning experiences that will work for any content or grade level. We will be doing a transformation tasting and learn a wealth of resources to support thematic transformation. Whether it is time to step into the operating room and rescue our students with engaging opportunities by dissecting characters, writing samples, or words. Or, stepping on a pirate ship to find treasures by solving addition and subtraction problems. It is time to learn strategies that will benefit you and your students with ideas to transform your own classrooms.
Janice Edgar; Ripley Co. R-III School District
Discover the Transformative Power of “The Terrific Thirteen”
K-12 Engagement of Learners
This session will provide educators with a comprehensive toolkit of 13 proven strategies from “Learn Like a Champion” and “Artisan Themes” to enhance teaching effectiveness and foster a dynamic learning environment. Participants will gain practical insights into implementing these techniques, designed to break “traditional” lesson plans’ monotony and introduce innovative, student-centered approaches. By incorporating these methods, teachers can create more interactive and engaging lessons that resonate with diverse learning styles.
Julie Gass; Member Service Coordinator, Missouri State Teachers Association
Discovering Each Student’s “Super Power” with Essential Life Skills
K-12 SEL
All students have their own unique superpowers, but do they know how to tap into their source of strength to make a difference in the world they live in? Come and find out how Nixa Public Schools uses essential life skills to help empower students to change the world! Teachers will leave with practical, innovative, and systematic approaches to classroom management by incorporating SEL/character development into their classrooms and school communities.
Brooke Gantt & Jessica Sterling; Nixa School District
Every Teacher Is a Reading Teacher: Tier 1 Reading Strategies for All Secondary Content Areas
6-12 Reading in the Content Areas; Differentiated Instruction
Equity in the classroom can only be achieved if all students are given an equal opportunity to engage with the language spoken and read. However, when kids come to their secondary classes reading below grade level, their equitable access to the content of the class is jeopardized, and their entire secondary experience trajectory is changed, often for the worse. But what can secondary classroom teachers do? Teachers already juggle so many responsibilities and extensive curriculum. How can we possibly squeeze in more? Despite all that teachers are asked to do, we cannot neglect the opportunity to build every student’s reading skills. “Learning to read transforms lives. Reading is the basis for the acquisition of knowledge, for cultural engagement, for democracy, and for success in the workplace” (Castles, Rastle, and Nation, 2018). In this session, 6-12 non-ELA teachers are invited to learn about how the brain “learns” to read, easy-to-implement, adaptable evidence-based Tier 1 reading strategies, and how to use them to increase reading comprehension in all students. By giving all students equal access to the content, teachers work toward providing a more equitable and inclusive learning environment for all students.
Andi Dubitsky; Wentzville School District
Get Excited about Overexcitability! Harnessing the Energy of Exception Learners
K-12 Brain-based; Best Practices
Dabrowski’s Overexcitability theory explains the emotional, intellectual, and sensory intensities in students across all populations, including gifted learners, students with special needs, and high achievers. This session explores how these traits impact learning and behavior, providing practical strategies to create supportive classroom environments.
We’ll discuss how to design spaces that meet diverse needs, including areas for movement, calming, and sensory regulation. The session also highlights techniques for teaching self-regulation and emotional awareness, offering tools to help students manage their emotional responses effectively.
Whether you’re an educator, parent, or support staff, this session offers theoretical insights and practical strategies to enhance the educational experience for all students.
Carly Mansfield, Jennifer Moore, Cindy Volle; Kirkwood School District
Games Galore
K-5 Game-based Learning; Math & Reading
This presentation is about classroom games (Math & ELA) and how to incorporate them into your everyday centers. I will be giving examples of all sorts of games that I play with my students to keep them engaged and learning during center rotations so I can help students in small groups or individually. This presentation will be a lot of hands-on playing of the games or making them. I want teachers to walk away being able to easily and efficiently add a game(s) to their daily routine.
Emily Little; North Andrew Co. R-VI School District
Get Grounded – It’s a GOOD Thing!
K-12 SEL
Teaching people how to regulate their emotions empowers them to control their calm. When you feel in control, you open the door to learning, engaging, and achieving. Grounding, a self-regulation technique, helps you shift away from worry and anxiety, anchoring you in the present moment. In this session, you'll explore three distinct types of grounding and discover various games, strategies, and exercises to use in the classroom and beyond. Breathe, Ground, Grow, and Be Well!
Kimberly Elder; St. Charles R-VI School District
Get to Know Your Students Inside Out!
K-12 Trauma-Informed Teaching
Get to know your students.
We’ve all heard this bit of advice – and I’m willing to bet that most of us see the wisdom in it. Unfortunately, in today’s schools, class time is limited, and teachers are under tremendous pressure to make sure that every moment is tied directly to the state standards; in many cases, there’s also pressure to constantly be in test preparation mode as standardized testing is still the norm in most educational institutions. This reality can make the goal of “getting to know your students” feel impossible to realize. But it’s not!
In this workshop session, I will explore how the Disney/Pixar film Inside Out can be effectively used to accomplish two separate objectives: on the one hand, this film can act as an excellent springboard for learning about the kids in your classroom; on the other hand, it can also pair perfectly with standardized assessments. Even better? This method can be utilized with nearly every age group—from kindergarteners to seniors! You may be wondering how this is possible. Well, that’s what I’ll be talking about at the session, but I’ll go ahead and give you a little hint: multimodality!
Shaylin Montgomery; Clearwater R-I School District
Hop on the DE-Escalator: Steps and Strategies for De-escalation
K-12 Trauma-Informed Teaching; Increase Instruction Time; SEL; Multi-Tiered System
of Supports; Behavior Management
The presentation offered by Jennifer Moore, Project 180 Coordinator and the At-Risk District Lead at the Union R-XI School District, and Ursulla Wadley, formally an At-Risk Coordinator and now the Southeast Regional Manager for JAG-Missouri (Jobs for America’s Graduates), will share tips and tricks that will help you manage escalated students and get them back to a regulated state. They will focus on different escalation levels, how to support behaviors that have manifested, and the different brain functions during the cycles of dysregulation. They will discuss ways to regulate during/after outbursts in the classroom. Attendees will be encouraged by Jennifer and Ursulla’s own classroom experiences in working with intense, chronic behaviors and the success stories of their students. The presentation will be beneficial to all teachers and go beyond last year's message to include the application of these processes.
Jennifer Moore; Union R-XI School District & Ursulla Wadley, Southeast Regional Manager for Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG)
Literacy Intervention: How to Group Students for Success
K-5 Multi-Tiered System of Supports
During this session, we will explore the process of assessing instructional needs of students with universal screeners, diagnostic assessments, and progress monitoring. We will learn how to better understand these instruments and how to use the data from assessments to Group students for effective interventions. Then we will see how to align each group with the correct Missouri Learning Standards. The knowledge gained from this session will aid attendees in the process of developing Reading Success Plans and Individual Education Plans.
Heather Riepl; Shell Knob School District
Phases of a Teacher: Practical Ways to Thrive as a Teacher Throughout the Entire School Year
K-12 Behavior Management; Self-Care/Work-Life Balance; SEL
It’s November and you are exhausted. The anticipation and excitement of the beginning of school is over. How will you not just survive, but thrive for the rest of the school year? Come and learn practical strategies for your classroom and yourself to quickly implement during the different phases every teacher goes through during the school year.
Brooke Gantt; Nixa School District
PSRS – Providing a Strong, Stable and Secure Retirement
K-12 Retirement
This educational session will provide an overview of the Public School Retirement system, how the system is funded, potential legislation changes, general retirement planning considerations and resources that are available to our members.
Amanda Wooten; Dearld Snider; Sarah Swoboda; Public School Retirement System
Regulate, then Educate
K-12 SEL
Post-Pandemic Education is a new world for all teachers. Students are coming to us with more trauma, and more challenging behaviors. This webinar will provide the brain science and regulation tips to use in your classroom today! Students and adults both need to adopt the focus of regulation first, then education.
Kelsey Orson & Lori E. Smith; Webb City School District
Seeing Faces, Not Cases
K-12 The Child Welfare System – Collaboration, Resources, and Supports
The Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) reviews complaints regarding concerns identified in the management of child welfare cases. This workshop will offer a window into the world of child welfare. Attendees will learn how to advocate for the best interest of the child. OCA staff will provide an interactive case review and discuss ow these reviews can impact system change.
Becky Ruth & Office of Child Advocate Staff Members
TeachingBooks.com with the Reading Circle Committee
K-12 Literacy
Join the Reading Circle Committee for an engaging workshop on leveraging TeachingBooks.com to enhance literacy instruction. This session is designed for educators seeking innovative ways to integrate high-quality, diverse literature into their teaching practices. TeachingBooks.com provides access to thousands of multimedia materials about children's and young adult books. Our workshop will guide participants through the platform's tools, including author interviews, book trailers, lesson plans, and interactive activities, all aimed at fostering a deeper love for reading. Members of the Reading Circle Committee will demonstrate practical strategies for using TeachingBooks.com to support differentiated instruction and meet diverse learning needs. Attendees will learn how to navigate the platform, curate personalized reading lists, and incorporate multimedia resources into their curriculum. Additionally, the Reading Circle Committee will share some of their current favorite books and discuss how these selections can be integrated into classroom instruction. Participants will gain insights into the latest trends in children's and young adult literature and discover new titles to captivate their students.
Kara Potter, Lysha Thompson, Jenn Baldwin, Kayla Gilmore; MSTA Reading Circle Committee
Tips and Tricks for Surviving Student Teaching and the First Three Years
K-12 Behavior Management
Embarking on a career in teaching can be both exciting and challenging, especially during the student teaching phase and the initial years of professional practice. This breakout session aims to provide aspiring educators and early-career teachers with valuable insights, strategies, and practical tips to navigate through these critical stages successfully. Drawing from experienced educators' knowledge, and a panel of thriving young teachers, this session will equip attendees with essential tools and resources to not only survive but thrive as they embark on their teaching journey. In this session, seasoned education professors will lead a panel of passionate and enthusiastic beginning teachers who have recently navigated the challenges of student teaching and the first three years of their teaching careers. This breakout session aims to empower future and early-career teachers with the confidence, knowledge, and support they need to not only survive but thrive as they embark on their rewarding journey in education. By sharing experiences and best practices, we hope to foster a community of resilient and enthusiastic educators dedicated to making a positive impact on the lives of their students.
Dr. Christy Patrick & Dr. Tina Keith; College of the Ozarks
Word Study: Building Skilled Secondary Readers, Brick by Brick
6-12 Differentiated Instruction; Reading at the Secondary Level
Two of the Five Pillars of Literacy identified by the National Reading Panel pose interesting intervention problems in the secondary classroom: phonemes and phonics. How can secondary teachers fill gaps in individual students’ learning and use of phonics, supporting their growth as skilled readers, while also juggling the delivery of grade-level curriculum and the demands of today’s secondary classroom? Teaching and studying word parts helps fill the holes in adolescent students’ reading skills. Research indicates that word study and direct instruction of word morphology greatly impact developing readers in the secondary setting; specifically, teaching prefixes, suffixes, and Latin and Greek word roots are identified recommendations for increasing reading comprehension in Grades 4-9 (Vaughn et al., 2022, Kamil et al., 2008). In this session, learn about why this instructional component is essential to all content area teachers (not just ELA), how word study works toward achieving equitable access to education, how we can work together and build stronger readers as a building, and fun ideas for how to integrate this instruction into your classrooms.
Andi Dubitsky, Wentzville School District