Gulf Regional Innovative Teaching Conference

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9:00am CDT

You Can't Teach A Nervous System That's On Fire: Understanding Student Dysregulation in the Age of Social Media

Wednesday July 15, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

Something has shifted in our classrooms. Educators across grade levels and subject areas are reporting the same thing: students who cannot focus, cannot regulate, cannot tolerate uncertainty, and cannot connect the way they once could. And most professional development has responded by adding more — more curriculum, more programs, more policy, more things for already-exhausted educators to implement.

This session takes a different approach entirely.

You Can't Teach a Nervous System That's On Fire is a deep, honest, and surprisingly hopeful look at what is actually happening to the students sitting in our classrooms — through the lens of neuroscience, social media research, and the realities of growing up in an era of unprecedented collective overwhelm.

Participants will leave with:

A clear, accessible understanding of how chronic social media consumption is affecting the adolescent nervous system

The ability to recognize and reframe specific student behaviors through a neurological lens — transforming how they see and respond to their most challenging students

Practical, evidence-informed strategies to support student regulation that require no new budget and no additional programs

Language and tools to share with parents navigating these same challenges at home

This is not a session about blaming phones, diagnosing students, or adding to anyone's workload. It is a session about understanding — because when you truly understand what you are looking at, everything about how you show up changes.

And that changes what is possible in the room.

Presenters

Kristi Bush

Keynote Speaker, Social Media Safety Educator, KNB Communications

Kristi Bush serves as a national education consultant and social media safety advocate. She is a licensed social worker with greater than 20 years of clinical practice and health care experience. She attended Troy and Auburn University where she studied social work and counseling... Read More →

Wednesday July 15, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Library

9:00am CDT

How to Start a Podcast for Your School or Program.

Wednesday July 15, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

Room 95

Covering all the ins and outs of getting started with a school podcast

Presenters

Morrell Baxter

CTE Supervisor, Central Office Staff

Wednesday July 15, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Room 95

CTE Digital Citizenship STEM/STEAM Technology

Level Administrators, Central Office, All Teachers, Career Tech Teachers, Counselors

11:00am CDT

Digital Literacy for Secondary Students

Wednesday July 15, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am CDT

Room 5

The current requirements for Digital Literacy in the Alabama ELA course of study and how to move beyond them to help students navigate a web of AI fakes and misinformation. Widely useful for any course that requires students to complete online research assignments and even for teachers and administrators who need an updated understanding of source reliability.

Presenters

Michelle Stockman

Teacher, Robertsdale High School

I am currently serving as a senior English and AP English Language teacher at Robertsdale High School, but I have taught ELA in grades 6-12 in both Alabama and Tennessee during my time as a teacher. I have also served as a Reading Intervention teacher and mentor on the elementary... Read More →

Wednesday July 15, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 5

Artificial Intelligence Digital Citizenship ELA Reading Science Social Studies

Level Middle Teachers, High Teachers, Librarians

1:00pm CDT

The Essential Teacher Tech Toolbox

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT

Room 207

Is your 'tab anxiety' real? In this fast-paced, high-impact session, we’re opening the ultimate digital toolbox designed for the modern educator. We are diving straight into the essential, 'can’t-live-without' tools that streamline your workflow, automate the boring stuff, and spark instant engagement. Whether you’re a tech-pro or just trying to survive the next bell, you’ll walk away with a curated kit of digital shortcuts to make your teaching life smoother, faster, and much more fun.

Presenters

Jacquelyn Wilson

Library Media Specialist, Stonebridge Elementary

I am the Library Media Specialist at Stonebridge Elementary. I have been an educator for 13 years. In our school library, I like to promote a culture of reading while also including a variety of makerspaces and research lessons. I am a National Board Certified Teacher and I also facilitate... Read More →

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 207

Artificial Intelligence Digital Citizenship Technology