Hi Future Teachers!

During this exciting conference, you will participate in four interactive sessions as we connect the dots to teaching the whole child!  As you participate in each session, please reflect on what you learned.  How will it help you as you work with students this year.  How will it impact you personally as you consider becoming a teacher.  Be sure to complete your conference reflection form.

ED1400 - participants will be automatically enrolled in the "Rollercoaster of Emotions" Session.  Please select two additional morning sessions and one afternoon session!

ED2400 - participants will choose three morning sessions and one afternoon session!

➡️Coaching, Teaching & Leading, "OH MY!"

George Ward - Associate Superintendent of Operations, Greenville County Schools
Reggie Choplin - Athletic Director, Wade Hampton High School

This session will provide a Q&A opportunity for anyone interested in coaching while they teach.  What is the process?  What are the expectations?  How do we balance it all?  Here from a panel of former and current coaches and athletic directors who will share advice and answer questions about what it trulymeans to coach, teach and lead! 

➡️Creativity: The Heart of an Arts Integrated Classroom

Mrs Erin Rigot, Instructional Coach, League Academy
Arts integration can have a huge impact on your classroom success, no matter what or what level you teach. Come see what arts integration looks like at League Academy and how we use the arts in many different ways, to reach student understanding on a deeper level. 

➡️Hear it from a College Student: Life in College and How to find your Future Teacher Self

Joey Muolo, University of South Carolina Senior Middle Level Education Major & Intern for Public Education Partners

What does it really feel like to start college while dreaming of becoming a teacher? Joey Muolo, a Mauldin High School alum and senior at the University of South Carolina, shares his journey navigating the ups and downs of college life while preparing for a career in education. Having spent over two years assisting students with their own college transitions and gaining experience as a student intern with Public Education Partners, Joey offers a relatable and insightful perspective on becoming a future educator. With plans to return to Greenville County Schools as a teacher within the next year, he provides guidance on how to discover your Future Teacher Self.

➡️Making Math Fun in Their Hands: Making Place Value Click with Manipulatives

Kristen Griffin - Title I Elementary Math Academic Specialist, Greenville County Schools
Stephanie Hawkins - Academic Specialist K-5 Math, Greenville County Schools

In this sessions participants will discover the power of place value across all elementary levels. They will participate in hands-on activites in various stations to sort, count, decompose, rebuild, compare, add, subtract and develop a true understanding of how to use manipulatives to teach place value at every level.  

➡️Power Down to Level Up:  "De-Tech" Your Future Teaching Before it Even Begins

Corey Ramey - Assistant Principal, Travelers Rest High School

As future educators, you’re entering classrooms where screens are everywhere but that doesn’t mean they always lead to learning. In this session, we’ll explore how to build strong, engaging instruction using low-tech and no-tech strategies that foster real connection, creativity, and critical thinking. Get ready to step away from the screen and into a space where student voices, movement, and imagination take center stage. You’ll walk away with practical, screen-free ideas you can use from day one. Let’s power down now,so we’re ready to level up later!

➡️Ozobot Workshop: Coding Made Simple

Jasmine Ford, Greenville County Schools Instructional Technology Specialist

Explore how Ozobot’s user-friendly coding and robotics can bring STEAM learning to life. This hands-on workshop offers practical lesson ideas to promote creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving. Perfect for future K-12 teachers, you’ll leave with strategies to engage students in hands-on, meaningful learning.

➡️Teaching Across the Time Zones: A Global Dialogue on International Education

Sarah Evanson-Atkinson -  International Teacher Coach, Greenville County Schools
Maricar Lim, Alfred Bazzor, Alistair Apale - International Teachers from: Ghana & The Phillippines

Step into a global conversation with members of the GCS International Teacher Team—educators from around the world now teaching in classrooms across our district. In this engaging panel, future teachers will hear firsthand about the diverse educational systems, cultural perspectives, and professional experiences that shape their approach to teaching. This is a unique opportunity to interact directly with international professionals who are eager to share their stories and partner with you on your own journey. Seniors preparing for their international education research project will find valuable connections and potential collaborators. Whether you’re passionate about global education or simply curious about teaching across cultures and time zones, this session will broaden your perspective and inspire new possibilities.

➡️The Rule of 3 

Matt Critell - Principal, Reedy Laurel Elementary

Available for Group 2 only

Education is hard, people are harder! In a business of connecting, educating, and relating to people, it’s important to remain true to who we are what we want to be for others. Take a journey where three word phrases guide you through life’s obstacles, help you find the joy in the smallest of moments, and grow while helping others.

⏩Walking Tour of Roper Mountain 

Thomas Riddle - Assistant Director, Roper Mountain Science Center

Special session - limited to 20 participants.  Session will run from 10:30 - 12:00.  Participants who choose this session will only be able to participate in one additional session in the morning. 

Take a "behind the scenes tour" of Roper Mountain.  Explore the observatory and see an historical piece of equipment.  Take a stroll with the dinosaurs and visit the butterfly garden.  Visit Harrison Hall where you can pet the sea creatures in the marine lab, walk through the rainforest and visit with the reptiles, fish and other fun creatures.  Hear stories about what makes Roper Mountain unique and how learning & imagination are sparked at every turn

▶️Games and Gadgets for Relationship Building in the Classroom

Clemson University Teaching Fellows

In this hands-on session, you will participate in interactive games and activities that you can utilize in your future classroom to get to know your future students in a personal and positive way!

▶️When Butts go Numb, Brains go Dumb!

Marina Lewis - Social Worker & Graduation Coach, Mauldin High School

We all know that when you sit too long in class, EVERYTHING tends to fall asleep.  In this session, explore a variety of stations that provide fun, interactive materials to create brain break, relaxation & meditation stations.  Brain dump! - and give yourself a break!  Leave with some fun examples of how you can apply these stations in your field placement classroom.