Gulf Regional Innovative Teaching Conference

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9:00am CDT

Collaboration over Chaos: Simple Systems for Powerful Group Leanring

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

Effective collaboration does not happen by chance — it is intentionally designed through structured routines, purposeful tasks, and a classroom culture that values student thinking.

Participants will experience collaborative structures from a learner perspective and examine practical systems that support productive group work, including flexible grouping methods, role development, formative monitoring strategies, and reflection protocols.

Presenters

Annie Freeman

Curriculum Leader, Robertsdale High School

Wednesday July 15, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Room 252

Behavior Community Building eMINTS

Level All Teachers, Pre-K Teachers, Elementary Teachers, Middle Teachers, High Teachers, Career Tech Teachers, Counselors, Librarians, Special Education

10:00am CDT

Four Strategies to Foster Human-in-the-Loop Critical Thinking

Wednesday July 15, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

Room 214

Discover four practical strategies that help learners use AI to think more critically…not just rely on it for answers. In this interactive session, you’ll explore how to use AI as a thought partner, spot misinformation, promote ethical use, and strengthen human‑in‑the‑loop reasoning. Leave with ready‑to‑use strategies that bring responsible, ethical, and creative AI informational literacy to your learning space.

Presenters

Haylee Anderson

Instructional Specialist, eMINTS National Center

Haylee Anderson is currently an instructional specialist with eMINTS National Center. She has previously been a high school English and Spanish and a middle school ELA educator in Missouri. Her family is the most important thing in the world to her. She lives in Southwest Missouri... Read More →

Wednesday July 15, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Room 214

CTE eMINTS Technology

Level Middle Teachers, High Teachers, Career Tech Teachers, Librarians

11:00am CDT

Let the Games Begin: Simple Strategies to Increase Student Engagement

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

Room 20

In this session, you will learn quick and easy activities to use in any classroom to boost student engagement. This session will be interactive! You will have a time to try out some of the activities you will be learning about.

Presenters

Monica Shaner

Curriculum Leader, Spanish Fort High

Hello, I am Monica Shaner, the Curriculum Leader at Spanish Fort High School. With sixteen years experience in education, my focus is on academic growth and achievement through problem-based learning, differentiated instruction, and data driven resources. I strive to support teachers... Read More →

Wednesday July 15, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 20

Artificial Intelligence Assessment Community Building Community Engagement Differentiation eMINTS Technology

Level All Teachers

11:00am CDT

From Gloom to Bloom: Four Strategies for Building Positive Learning Spaces

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

Room 214

Discover four research-based strategies to energize your classroom by cultivating joy and emotional well-being. This fast-paced session blends Prosocial Education, active learning experiences, and classroom management strategies to boost engagement and improve classroom climate. Leave with practical techniques to foster positivity, strengthen relationships, and support learner success.

Presenters

Haylee Anderson

Instructional Specialist, eMINTS National Center

Wednesday July 15, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Room 214

Community Building eMINTS Health/ Wellness

Level Administrators, All Teachers, Counselors, Librarians, Special Education

1:00pm CDT

5 Ways to Get Students Involved in a Cooperative Team

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

Room 214

Using cooperative learning in the classroom can be a challenge! Let’s break this down and discuss specific steps and examples that keep team members involved and working positively towards your lesson goals.

Presenters

Doug Caldwell

Instructional Specialist, eMINTS

Inspiring education with digital learning!

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 214

Community Building Community Engagement eMINTS

Level All Teachers, Pre-K Teachers, Elementary Teachers, Middle Teachers, High Teachers, Librarians, Special Education

1:00pm CDT

Game On: Fostering Collaboration and Critical Thinking Unplugged

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

Room 3

Join me to learn about unplugging in order to get your game on. Analog games promote social engagement by encouraging students to interact, collaborate, and adapt to group dynamics while working through shared challenges. They build student agency by allowing learners to make meaningful choices, learn from low-stakes failure, and receive immediate feedback that guides future decisions.

Presenters

Diana McNaughton

Curriculum Leader, Elberta High

I am a seasoned eMints certified educator with over 20 years of experience in the field. I am currently the Curriculum Leader and 504 Facilitator at Elberta High School. My educational philosophy is rooted in the belief that prioritizing investments in students establishes a solid... Read More →

Wednesday July 15, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
Room 3

Community Building Differentiation eMINTS