TEACHING TO CHALLENGING CHILDREN AND CLASSROOM

Behavior problems in schools continue to rise in the wake of the pandemic. A recent Education Week survey found that 44% of all school and district leaders say that they are receiving more threats of violence from students and over 66% of them say kids are misbehaving even more than in 2019. A 2019 survey by the Education Advisory Board found rising misbehavior even before COVID with 81% of school administrators and 71% of elementary school teachers reported that the frequency of disruptive behaviors (tantrums, bullying, defiance) in schools was “more” or “significantly more” than during the three previous years. A 2018 study by the Journal of the American Medical Association found that the prevalence of ADHD has increased from 6.1% to 10.2% over the last 20 years.

This conference will focus on the brain science behind disruptive behaviors, executive deficits, emotional dysregulation, and learning disorders. Explore evidence-based strategies for dealing with challenging behaviors, ADHD, autism, LD, and bullying and for improving emotional self-regulation, executive skills, classroom management, discipline, and school climate.

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This conference will be presented as a hybrid conference. You can either attend in person in San Francisco or participate virtually. Click here for more details.

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES

The science of human behavior and emotional regulation

Rethinking challenging behaviors using a neuroscience approach

Strategies to improve classroom management and school climate

Ways to develop students' executive function and self-regulation

Creating a school culture of empathy and dignity to reduce bullying

Promoting emotionally inclusive classrooms and emotional balance

Pandemic impacts on teens, depression, and emotional regulation

Removing labels and promoting resilience in learning disorders

Treating ADHD and Autism in adolescents, smart kids, and girls

Emotions and executive function in LD, reading and math

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

Curriculum, Staff Developers

Speech-Language Pathologists

PreK-12 Teachers, Administrators

Psychologists, School Psychologists

Learning Specialists, Special Educators

Early Childhood Educators, Professionals

Reading, Math, SEL, Inclusion Teachers

Superintendents, Principals, School Heads

Teen, Bullying, School Climate Counselors

ADHD, Autism, LD Specialists, Professionals

College, University Professors

Featured Speakers

BEHAVE: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst

Robert M. Sapolsky, PhD

Behaved Brains are Regulated Brains: Moving Beyond Behavior Management to Building Resilience and Self-Regulation (during trying times)

Mona M. Delahooke, PhD

Managing ADHD and Autism in Smart Kids: Struggle, Support, and Treatment

Thomas E. Brown, PhD

ADHD in Girls: Challenges, Promises, and the Need for Coordination Between Home and School

Stephen P. Hinshaw, PhD

Rethinking Challenging Behavior: Combining Neuroscience, Compassion, and Common Sense

J. Stuart Ablon, PhD

Award Winning Psychologist; Associate Professor; Thomas G. Stemberg Endowed Chair in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School; Founder and Director, Think:Kids Program in the Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital; Author, Changeable: How Collaborative Problem Solving Changes Lives at Home, at School, and at Work (2018); Co-Author, The School Discipline Fix: Changing Behavior Using the Collaborative Problem Solving Approach (2018) and Treating Explosive Kids: The Collaborative Problem Solving Approach (2005)

Developing an Emotionally-Inclusive Classroom to Improve Behavior

Brian Dinkins, EdD

Chatter: The Voice in Our Head and Controlling Emotions

Ethan F. Kross, PhD

Neuroscientist; Director, Emotion and Self-Control Laboratory; Professor, Department of Psychology and Ross School of Business, University of Michigan; Faculty Affiliate, University of Michigan's Center for Culture, Mind, and Brain; Author, Shift: Managing Your Emotions--So They Don't Manage You (2024), Chatter: The Workbook (Forthcoming), and Chatter: The Voices in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It (2021); Co-Author, "Managing Emotions in Everyday Life: Why a Toolbox of Strategies Matters" (2025, Emotion), "Harnessing Placebo Effects to Regulate Emotions" (2024, Handbook of Emotion Regulation), and "Smarter, Not Harder: A Toolbox Approach to Enhancing Self-Control" (2020, Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences)

Raising Our Village: Creating A Culture of Dignity for and With Young People

Rosalind N. Wiseman, BA

Responding Instead of Reacting: Reimagining Behavior Management by Creating Mindsets of Agency, Empathy, and Resilience

Michele Borba, EdD

Psychologist; Educator; Bullying Prevention and Character Development Expert; Author, Thrivers: The Surprising Reasons Why Some Kids Struggle and Others Shine (2021), End Peer Cruelty, Build Empathy: The Proven 6Rs of Bullying Prevention That Create Inclusive, Safe, Caring Schools (2018), Unselfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World (2016), The Big Book of Parenting Solutions (2009), No More Misbehavin': 38 Difficult Behaviors and How to Stop Them (2005), and Building Moral Intelligence: The Seven Essential Virtues That Teach Kids to Do the Right Thing (2002)

Reflection, Executive Function, and the Developing Brain

Stephanie M. Carlson, PhD

Reflection, Executive Function, and the Developing Brain

Philip D. Zelazo, PhD

BEHAVED BRAINS: IMPROVING CLASSROOM BEHAVIORS & MANAGEMENT

BEHAVE: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst

Robert M. Sapolsky, PhD

Behaved Brains are Regulated Brains: Moving Beyond Behavior Management to Building Resilience and Self-Regulation (During Trying Times)

Mona M. Delahooke, PhD

Keep Calm and Carry On: Effectively Respond to Power Struggles

MaryAnn Brittingham, MS

Professional Development Consultant; Graduate Course Instructor, State University of New York at New Paltz; Co-Author, Transformative Teaching: Changing Today's Classrooms Culturally, Academically, and Emotionally (2015); Author, Motivating the Unmotivated (2008), Dealing With Difficult Parents: Powerful Strategies for Parent/Teacher Interactions (2005), and Respectful Discipline: Your Guide to Effective Classroom Management (2003)

Rethinking Challenging Behavior: Combining Neuroscience, Compassion, and Common Sense

J. Stuart Ablon, PhD

Responding Instead of Reacting: Reimagining Behavior Management by Creating Mindsets of Agency, Empathy, and Resilience

Michele Borba, EdD

Push Past It: A Positive Approach to Challenging Classroom Behaviors in Young Children

Angela R. Searcy, EdD

Rethinking Classroom Management: Creating Effective Behavior Management to Increase Student Achievement in Middle Schools

Dennis J. Walker, PhD

Conscious Classroom Management: Bringing Out the Best in Students and Teachers

Grace Dearborn, MA

Executive Director, Conscious Teaching, LLC; Education Consultant; Instructional Coach; Award-Winning Teacher; Professional Development Coordinator; Served in schools as a Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment Coordinator, Literacy Coach, Curriculum Specialist, and Mentor Teacher; Co-Author, Yeah, But What About This Kid? Tier 3 Behavior Interventions That Work (2019) and Conscious Classroom Management: Unlocking the Secrets of Great Teaching (2016, 2nd Edition), and Picture This: Visuals and Rubrics to Teach Procedures, Save Your Voice, and Love Your Students (2011)

DIVERSE BRAINS: SUPPORTING STUDENTS WITH ADHD, AUTISM, & LD

Managing ADHD and Autism in Smart Kids: Struggle, Support, and Treatment

Thomas E. Brown, PhD

ADHD in Girls: Challenges, Promises, and the Need for Coordination Between Home and School

Stephen P. Hinshaw, PhD

Promoting Resilience in Adolescents and Young Adults With ADHD and Learning Disorders

Nicole S. Ofiesh, PhD

Cognitive Behavioral Scientist; Chief Innovation Officer, Potentia Institute 21; Director, Schwab Learning Center at the Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation; Former Executive Director of the Stanford Schwab Learning Center and Founder of the UDL Innovation Studio, Stanford University; Former Senior Research Scientist, CAST, Universal Design for Learning; Author, Teaching for the Lifespan (2016); Co-Author, Teaching for the Lifespan: Successfully Transitioning Students with Learning Differences to Adulthood (2015) and “Cognitive Diversity and the Design of Classroom Tests for All Learners” (2012, Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability)

Removing Labels: Techniques for Disrupting Negative Expectations About Students

Douglas B. Fisher, PhD

Chair, Department of Educational Leadership, San Diego State University; Classroom Teacher, Health Sciences High and Middle College; Co-Author, Teaching Students to Use AI Ethically and Responsibly: Exploring AI With Intentionality, Curiosity, and Care (2025), The Artificial Intelligence Playbook: Time-Saving Tools for Teachers That Make Learning More Engaging (2025, 2nd Edition), Rigor Unveiled (2025), Teaching Students to Drive Their Learning (2023), The Vocabulary Playbook: Learning Words That Matter (2023), Teaching Reading (2022), Confronting the Crisis in Engagement (2022), and Improving Adolescent Literacy (2011)

Guard Rails for Inclusive Classrooms: Systems for SEL and Behavioral Supports

Elizabeth B. Kozleski, EdD

The Gift of ADHD: Strategies for Teens

Lara A. Honos-Webb, PhD

Behavioral and Brain Differences in Boys and Girls With Autism

Kaustubh Supekar, PhD

Their Brains Are Not Broken: Understanding ADHD to Improve Student Learning

Tamara Rosier, PhD

Seen, Heard, and Values: Creating Safe, Supportive, and Inclusive Environments for Neurodiverse Young People

David Flink, MA

Insights Into Brain and Behavior Changes Across Childhood With Autism Spectrum Disorder

David G. Amaral, PhD

EMOTIONAL BRAINS: PROMOTING EMOTIONAL CONTROL & BALANCE

Chatter: The Voice in Our Head and Controlling Emotions

Ethan F. Kross, PhD

Developing an Emotionally-Inclusive Classroom to Improve Behavior

Brian Dinkins, EdD

The Science of Emotional Regulation (COVID and Beyond)

James J. Gross, PhD

The Amazing Teen Brain: CBT and Neuroscience to Help Teens Manage Stress and Balance Emotions in the Classroom and Beyond

Elisa E. Nebolsine, LCSW

Early Life Stress, Neurodevelopment, and Depression in Adolescents: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Ian H. Gotlib, PhD

How Social, Emotional and Academic Learning (SEAL) Strengthens Achievement, Behavior, and Climate

Janeen Antonelli, MA

Co-Founder and Chief Culture Coach, Thriving YOUniversity; Former Teacher, Principal, and County Office Administrator with expertise in reaching and teaching at-promise youth; Consultant; Professional Learning Designer and Facilitator

How Social, Emotional and Academic Learning (SEAL) Strengthens Achievement, Behavior, and Climate

Jessie Fuller, MA

How Social, Emotional and Academic Learning (SEAL) Strengthens Achievement, Behavior, and Climate

Joelle Hood, EdD

Co-Founder and Chief Empowerment Officer, Thriving YOUniversity; Certified Life Coach; Consultant; Professional Learning Designer and Facilitator; Former Principal; Former Senior Consultant, Collaborative Learning Solutions; Awarded Teacher of the Year and Principal of the Year; Passionately committed to empowering individuals and organizations to THRIVE

How Social, Emotional and Academic Learning (SEAL) Strengthens Achievement, Behavior, and Climate

Liz Toruno, MEd

Lead Climate Coach, Thriving YOUniversity; Coordinator for Social Emotional Learning, Bakersfield City School District; Former Teacher, Behavioral Management Specialist, and District Administrator

BULLIED BRAINS: PREVENTING BULLYING & IMPROVING SCHOOL CLIMATE

Queen Bees and Masterminds: Helping Young People Navigate Friendships, Social Conflicts, and Bullying

Rosalind N. Wiseman, BA

The 6Rs of Bullying Prevention

Michele Borba, EdD

Understanding and Addressing Violence Against Educators

Frank C. Worrell, PhD

Raising Our Village: Creating A Culture of Dignity for and With Young People

Rosalind N. Wiseman, BA

Bullying Prevention Through the Lens of Social and Emotional Learning: From Biology to Policy

Diana Divecha, PhD

Cultivating an Anti-Bullying Climate in Schools Through Kindness, Empathy, and Gratitude

Janeen Antonelli, MA

Cultivating an Anti-Bullying Climate in Schools Through Kindness, Empathy, and Gratitude

Joelle Hood, EdD

Cultivating an Anti-Bullying Climate in Schools Through Kindness, Empathy, and Gratitude

Liz Toruno, MEd

Lead Climate Coach, Thriving YOUniversity; Coordinator for Social Emotional Learning, Bakersfield City School District; Former Teacher, Behavioral Management Specialist, and District Administrator

EXECUTIVE BRAINS: DEVELOPING EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, FOCUS, & REGULATION

Beyond Planners and Post-Its: Ten Practical Strategies to Teach Children and Teens Executive Functioning

Rebecca A. Branstetter, PhD

Licensed School Psychologist; Founder, The Thriving Students Collective; Contributor, Greater Good Science Center, University of California, Berkeley; Former Clinical Psychologist, UCSF Autism Clinic, University of California San Francisco; Creator, “How to Teach Executive Functioning” course to support neurodiverse learners; Author, Small Habits Create Big Change (2024), The Thriving School Psychologist (2020), The Conscious Parent’s Guide to Executive Functioning Disorders (2016), The Conscious Parent’s Guide to ADHD (2015), and The Everything Parent’s Guide to Children With Executive Functioning Disorders (2013)

BRAIN HACKS: Super Skills for Emotional Regulation, Focus, and Executive Functioning

Lara A. Honos-Webb, PhD

Confronting the Crisis of Engagement: Creating Focus and Resilience for Students and Schools

Douglas B. Fisher, PhD

Reflection, Executive Function, and the Developing Brain

Stephanie M. Carlson, PhD

How to Keep Student’s Executive Function Functioning: Effective Strategies for Building Emotional and Academic Self-Regulation

Kathleen M. Kryza, MA

Master Teacher; CIO, Infinite Horizons; Co-Author, Transformative Teaching: Changing Today's Classrooms Culturally, Academically, and Emotionally (2015), Developing Growth Mindsets in the Inspiring Classroom (2011), Inspiring Elementary Learners (2008), Inspiring Middle and Secondary Learners (2007), and Differentiation for Real Classrooms (2009)

Reflection, Executive Function, and the Developing Brain

Philip D. Zelazo, PhD

How to Keep Student’s Executive Function Functioning: Effective Strategies for Building Emotional and Academic Self-Regulation

Jack A. Naglieri, PhD

YOUNG BRAINS: EARLY READING & LEARNING

Teaching Reading to the Brain: Developing Skilled Readers in Difficult Times

Nancy Frey, PhD

Empowering Young Children: How to Develop Appropriate Behavior, Deep Cognition and Social Justice

Wendy L. Ostroff, PhD

The Emotionally Intelligent Child: Effective Strategies For Raising Self- Aware, Cooperative and Well-Balanced Kids

Rachael Katz, MSEd

Dealing With the Unpredictable: Using Improv for Literacy and Stress With Twice Exceptional and ELL Students

Richard M. Cash, EdD

International Speaker, Educator, and Consultant; Former Director of Gifted Programs; Author, “Enhancing Social-Emotional Learning With Self-Regulation for Learning” (2019, Free Spirit Publishing Blog), Advancing Differentiation: Thinking and Learning for the 21st Century (2017), and Self-Regulation in the Classroom: Helping Students Learn How to Learn (2016); Co-Author, Differentiation for Gifted Learners: Going Beyond the Basics (2013)