Based on Mike Anderson’s latest book, Hugging Porcupines: Month-by-Month Strategies to Support Our Most Challenging Students, this workshop will offer practical strategies for educators who work with kids who struggle with relationship and regulation in school. You will explore why some students push us away (even though they so desperately want connection), resist learning (even though they need academic skills), and break rules (even though it would be so much easier to just “do what they should”). Discover several key strategies that can help—ones that enable educators to be warm and demanding, supportive, and empowering. This workshop will be active and interactive, so come ready to collaborate with colleagues. You will also receive access to an online binder packed with resources to support ongoing learning and implementation. 

Young people often internalize their performance as a reflection of their identity. Pair that perception with a natural adolescent fear ofembarrassment, and our students hide their mistakes and refrain from asking for help. Hiding their mistakes then leads to poor performance, reinforces this limiting loop, and hinders our students' ability to break free from it. The Fellowship Using the Science of Engagement at The University of Texas at Austin equips teachers with proven behavioral and cognitive science strategies to disrupt this cycle and improve engagement. Join us to learn more about those techniques and how you can implement them with your students and any other young people in your life.

Retrieval practice, spaced repetition, and interleaving have earned a prominent place in teacher professional development, and the research supporting them is real. But many popular Science of Learning proponents tell only part of the story. For example, you have to have a memory to retrieve one: How are memories made? Retrieval may strengthen a memory, even if inaccurate, and Feedback is essential, especially early on. Drawing on a broader view of how memory actually works from formation to reconstruction, you will be invited to think more critically about what the research says, what it doesn't say, and what that means for your classrooms.

Dive into the world of passion projects and interest-based learning. Discover classroom methods that focus on the 6 P’s — passion, plan, pitch, project, product, and presentation - as essential steps guiding both students and educators through developing their own passion projects. Andi McNair, a seasoned educator and digital innovation specialist, will share insights and practical tips on implementing Genius Hour into your classroom management. Whether you're new to the concept or looking to deepen your understanding, this workshop will provide valuable resources and strategies to empower student-centered learning experiences for better learning outcomes. It will provide guidance on how to turn what may seem like a chaotic classroom into a space that empowers students to engage with content and pursue their passion.

What if the key to deeper engagement isn't better compliance — it's more agency? In this interactive workshop, you will explore how combining choice-driven learning frameworks with Project-Based Learning (PBL) can transform classrooms into environments where every student finds meaningful entry points into rigorous work. You will examine the research behind autonomy and motivation, unpack practical models for structuring choice without sacrificing accountability, and design PBL experiences that honor diverse learners' interests, strengths, and pathways. You will leave with ready-to-use strategies for building learning environments that move beyond one-size-fits-all instruction — environments where students don't just participate, but “own” their learning.