The Teach Indy Educators Conference is an annual event — created for teachers, by teachers — to develop, reward, and support educators in and around Indiana. On February 25, 2023 we welcomed more than 100 educators, leaders, and community members IN PERSON — for the first time — on the campus of Butler University for a day of development, networking and fun.
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2023 Highlights
With inspirational keynote speeches from Dr. Erica Buchanan-Rivera and a student-teacher panel facilitated by Mrs. Brittany Billups, breakout sessions led by local educators and practitioner panels, our 2023 conference was one to remember. Here are just a few conference highlights, by the numbers:
120+ attended development sessions
500+ hours of PGP points earned
35+ schools & universities represented
20 presenters
22 conference prize winners
We would like to express our gratitude to the Keynote Speakers and Conference Presenters that shared their powerful insights with us throughout the day. Our presenters include educators from across Indianapolis schools!
Mrs. Brittany Billups and Believe Circle City Educators and Students
Morning Keynote: The Power of Each of Us
In this session, Mrs. Brittany Billups hosted a panel discussion with current educators and future educators about their experiences in Indianapolis Classrooms. Each of us carries the power to create future educators through those seated in our classrooms right now, and during the panel, we discussed what students need from their teachers and how our WHY can drive the future of our workforce.
Theme: Innovative Models and Practices in Schools
Dr. Erica Buchanan-Rivera
Afternoon Keynote: Advancing Equity Through the Creation of Identity Affirming Spaces
In this session, Dr. Erica Buchanan-Rivera unpacked the work of cultivating an equity lens with the purpose to create educational spaces that intentionally center humanity. School environments have the potential to be spaces of wonder and joy yet can also be a source of trauma and harm when the potentialities, identities, histories, and lived experiences of students are not considered in educational systems. This session called for educators to think about how they show up into justice-centered work. Importantly, educators considered the collective work that is needed within organizations to advance affirming spaces that generate a sense of belonging and connection for youth as well as their caregivers. The work of advancing equitable, just schools is a commitment to actions, and we must ensure that our beliefs about children are aligned to the values we walk in every day.
Theme: Innovative Models and Practices in Schools
Heather Houston
Useful Classroom Strategies for Supporting Special Education Students
This session outlined helpful classroom strategies for teachers in both general and special education classrooms. These strategies were specific to certain disabilities to help bridge the gap between students and teachers to minimize frustration and miscommunication that may result from the disability. Teachers walked away with an understanding of what disabilities to look for and strategies to help best support that student. This session included accommodations as well as modifications along with some helpful scaffolds to promote student success.
Theme: Serving Special Populations- Special Education
Dr. Charla Chailland
English Learner Students, Language Acquisition, and Equity in Indiana
In this session, Dr. Chailland shared the findings on how Indiana students performed and what did or did not impact EL student academic performance, and thus educational equity, on two state assessments and what we as educators can do to positively impact change in the data.
Theme: Serving Special Populations- English Learners
Allison Segarra Hansen
Working Towards Linguistic Liberation
In this session, participants reflected on their current practices and reimagined a more innovative, inclusive, culturally sustaining, and liberatory approach to language instruction.
Theme: Serving Special Populations- English Learners
Nichole Seal
Maximizing Content for Multilinguals
In this session, participants learned how to make content accessible for Multilingual students. Participants practiced making visuals, narrowing your focus, and having tools to use and implement in your next class!
Theme: Serving Special Populations- English Learners
Chrissy Franz, Kendra Randle, Eddie Rangel
The Science of Reading for All Students
It is easy to get stuck in the rhetoric of the “reading wars” but there are evidence-based practices that have existed for years to ensure our students with IEPs, multilingual learners, and general education students learn to read on time. The Adelante Schools team discussed the core tenets of structured literacy instruction and practiced real-time use of instructional strategies that will strengthen our own literacy instruction immediately.
Theme: Innovative Models and Practices in Schools
Dr. Kelli Esteves
High-Leverage Practices from the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform (CEEDAR)
Theme: Serving Special Populations- Special Education
Stephanie Chi
Neurodiverse Students in the STEM Classroom
During this session participants learned about ways that integrated STEM teaching and learning practices can support neurodivergent students, as well as ways that teachers can support their students in the discovery, collaboration, and rigor required in the STEM classroom.
Theme: Serving Special Populations- Special Education
Stefanie Hanes, Siah Pajibo, Lisa Rossell, Mike Marshall- Moderator
Panel Discussion: What is Working in Indianapolis Schools to Support Students in Special Education
This panel elevated the voices of school leaders and classroom teachers as they shared insights from the classroom. Based on data, looked at the innovative practices in schools that are having positive impacts on student achievement for students receiving special education services.
Theme: Innovative Models and Practices in Schools
Britt Burns, Tylie Mendoza-Robertson, Arturo Rodriguez, Carlota Holder- Moderator
Panel Discussion: What is Working in Indianapolis Schools to Support English Learners
This panel elevated the voices of school leaders and classroom teachers as they shared insights from the classroom. Based on data, looked at the innovative practices in schools that are having positive impacts on the academic achievement of English Learners.
Theme: Innovative Models and Practices in Schools
