The Food Systems Challenge is an interactive, problem-solving experience where high school teachers work in teams to develop innovative solutions to real-world food system issues. Participants will tackle key challenges such as food security, sustainability, supply chain resilience, and waste reduction, using a multidisciplinary approach that mirrors collegiate and industry problem-solving models. This hands-on session is designed to equip educators with strategies to engage students in critical thinking, collaboration, and systems-based learning, empowering them to bring real-world food challenges into their classrooms along with showcasing NIU's Sustainable Food Systems Challenge event.
What does an effective special education program look like within an MTSS framework? Students with IEPs participate in every level of an MTSS, from core to specialized instruction. This session will help educators envision MTSS not as a pathway to SPED, but as an approach that makes the most of school resources by identifying the students who really need SPED support while meeting the learning needs of students without a label.
Learn more about best practices in supporting student attendance. Explore how tiered attendance strategies, delivered through your MTSS, can bring improved student outcomes to your school. This session will help administrators and teachers develop a vision for a tiered attendance plan for their school or district.
Collaboration is a high leverage practice necessary to maximize student learning. In this session, attendees will learn more about creating a collaborative culture to strengthen the alignment of tiered instruction. This will help to increase skills for collaborative adult practices, this ongoing collaboration will allow for continuously improving instruction and instructional practices.
What questions do you have about how STEAM or MTSS should look in your school or classroom? Are you encountering barriers you’d like to talk about with other educators? Come join an open Q&A session hosted by Directors Kristin Brynteson, Lori Hensold and Coaches from NIU STEAM/Illinois MTSS Network and ‘ask away’!
Are you interested in learning more about using a Multi-Tiered System of Supports to promote positive student behavior? Come learn more about Tier 1 universal strategies, Tier 2 targeted interventions, and Tier 3 intensive, individualized interventions for behavior. The session will discuss how to use proactive classroom management techniques, restorative practices, and trauma-informed approaches to equip educators with practical strategies to implement MTSS effectively and support student success at all levels.
Discover easy, low-prep STEM activities that captivate students and spark curiosity in just minutes. This hands-on session will equip educators with simple yet powerful experiments and challenges using everyday materials to make STEM learning fun and accessible.
In today’s fast-paced and ever-evolving work environment, building strong, resilient teams is crucial for success. This session explores the science behind creating high-performing teams and provides practical tools and strategies for fostering team strength. Power pack your play in the classroom by engaging in practices and experiences that create teams that are flexible and responsive to change. Create a culture of trust and accountability, ensuring that everyone is aligned and informed. Using research-backed insights, we will explore how these practices can be integrated into daily routines to enhance collaboration, communication, and cohesion. Unlock the potential of your teams and drive collective success through proven tools and strategies.
Participants will be introduced to a scenario where a stink bomb needs to be safely removed from the city's bank before it goes off. We will use the Spike program work in teams to block code a Lego Robot to extract the bomb and move it to a safety zone.
In this hands-on session, discover how DNA evidence plays a pivotal role in agricultural practices and selective breeding to benefit both farmers and consumers. Determine the genetic profiles of individual cattle available for sale, and assist a farmer in identifying the most promising candidates for creating the ultimate Ca$H Cow. Target Audience: High School Science
In this session we will identify the intersection of classroom behaviors and STEAM practices. We will focus on why students tend to find more engagement with certain topics and spaces and less with others. Our goal will be to understand how STEAM practices can be the connection between student engagement and educator confidence in "letting go".
What questions do you have about how STEAM or MTSS should look in your school or classroom? Are you encountering barriers you’d like to talk about with other educators? Come join an open Q&A session hosted by Directors Kristin Brynteson, Lori Hensold and Coaches from NIU STEAM/Illinois MTSS Network and ‘ask away’!
In this interactive session, educators will explore how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can enhance student engagement. Participants will dive into practical applications of AI and will come away with ready-to-implement ideas that engage students in hands-on, future-forward learning.
