Go to sec3.isbe.net/IWASNET/login.aspx to access the ELIS site and get your Illinois Educator Information Number (IEIN). You are required to provide this number when registering for events to verify your Professional Development hours for licensure renewal.
REGISTRATION
On arrival, please stop at Conference Registration in Exploration Hall: The Exploration Hall is part of the hotel’s Convention Center with first floor entrance on the far east end, east of the Schaumburg Ballroom. Follow the ILASCD Conference signs.
WEDNESDAY REGISTRATION:
If you arrive WEDNESDAY evening, you may pick up your session tickets, name badge and holder, Yummy Coupons, and complimentary tote bag at the Conference Registration tables between 5:30 p.m.9:30 p.m.
Verify the tickets for Thursday and/or Friday attendance. The tickets and badge serve as your admission to the various conference events. This is also an excellent time to solve any registration or ticket problems prior to the conference.
THURSDAY OR FRIDAY REGISTRATION:
You may pick up your conference materials at the Conference Registration tables between 7:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.
Verify the tickets for Thursday and/ or Friday attendance. The tickets and badge serve as your admission to the various conference events. Registration or ticket problems can be resolved beginning at 7:00 a.m.
You may exchange session tickets for alternate sessions with available seating. Please refer to the Open Sessions sign in Registration area for available sessions tickets.
Tips for Success
Here are some tips for this year’s conference. Come learn, enjoy, and have fun listening, participating and visiting our exhibit hall.
• Handouts: To get the handouts that presenters have shared with us, visit bit.ly/PumpUpHandouts2025 You may also scan the QR reader signs at the conference.
• WiFi: Get free WiFi access from the conference floor on Thursday and Friday. Open your browser and you’ll be able to log in. This free service will not apply to your hotel rooms.
• DO YOU HAVE YOUR IEIN NUMBER: Go to apps.isbe.net/iwasnet/ login.aspx to access the ELIS site and get your Illinois Educator Information Number (IEIN). You are required to provide this number when registering for events to verify your Professional Development hours for licensure renewal.
• Badge: Your badge and tickets admit you to the sessions, ticketed concurrent sessions, lunch, and the Exhibits.
• Exhibition Floor: Exhibit hours are from 7:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Thursday and 7:00 a.m. – 2:15 p.m. on Friday.
• Professional Development Hours:
• Check your email for a sign in link each morning.
• Fill out the questions and submit the form. You are now signed into the conference for the day!
• Check your email at the end of the day for the sign out form. Have your IEIN Number ready for the sign out form!
• Complete the questions and submit the form. You are now signed out for the day and have earned your Professional Development Hours.
• QR codes for sign-in/out are also posted around the convention center.
THANKS to the Conference Planning Committee
• Marilyn Blank
• Ruth Cormier
• Marge Cox
• Jan Dews
• Laura Ettema
• Jamie Evans
• Julie Frisch
• Julie Grabenhofer
• Debra Honegger
• Cathleen Hughes
• Leanne Jebens
• Terry Jostes
• Paulina Kedzierski
• Judy Kmak
• Pam Kunkel
• Erika Liburd
• Erin Lorentz
• Rochelle Luttrell
• Michelle Matt
• Kenneth Medo
• Lindsey Neff
• Carol Owles
• Christe Pawlak
• Holly Pitts
• Rebecca Pencak
• Cathy Pope
• Tammy Schmidt
• Leea Shelton
• Kerry Shilkaitis
• Katherine Spengler
• Katherine Stengele
• Meda Sullivan
• Bev Taylor
• Clint Thorton
• Jaycey Vedder
• Marc Wigler
• Angela Winger- Bryant
• Tia Zerbe
• Nancy Zulawski
Ryan Nevius Executive Director
Judy Kmak Committee Co-Chair
Bill Dodds Associate Director
Laura Ettema Committee Co-Chair
Katherine Stengele Conference Coordinator
Share your 2025 Pump Up Primary experiences using our official Twitter & Instagram accounts!
Pump Up Primary Conference Schedule
5:30-6:00 PM Open
Wednesday
6:00-8:00 PM Open Pre-Con - Mary Amoson
8:00-9:30 PM Closes 9:30 PM
AM
Thursday
9:15-10:30 AM Open Keynote - Tron Young
10:30-10:45 AM
3:15-3:30
3:30-4:30 PM Session F
PM
Friday
8-9 AM Open Session I
9-9:15 AM Closes 9:30 AM
9:15-10:30 AM Keynote - Adam Peterson Open 10:30-10:45 AM
10:45-11:45 AM
12:30-1:30 PM
1:30-2:15 PM
2:15-3:15 PM
Sessions
• All sessions will be 60 minutes in length.
• Breaks throughout the day allow for visiting the EXPO display floor.
• If you want to eat lunch, you need to eat during a break or leave a session open.
• Continental Breakfast Thursday & Friday until 9:30 a.m.
Session Target Audience
P= Pre-Kindergarten K= Kindergarten
1= 1st Grade 2=2nd Grade A= Admin
Yummy Coupons
Pump Up Primary provides $15.00 in meal coupons per day. Yummy Coupons may be used all day at any of the food stations set up in the hallways, Exhibit Hall Food Court, the Rendezvous Café (second floor), the Gather Bar/Lounge, or Schaumburg Public House. The coupons cannot be used for gratuities. A breakfast buffet is available each day in back of the Expo Hall.
1. Lunch will be available to all attendees from 10:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
2. Yummy Coupons can only be used on the day printed on the coupon. Blue coupons will be accepted on Thursday and green coupons on Friday.
3. The food stations in the halls or east of the Schaumburg Ballrooms now accept credit cards.
4. No cash refunds are available for unspent portions of Yummy Coupons.
5. Take a session off and enjoy lunch.
Expo Hall
Plan to visit The Exploration Hall from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday and from 7:00 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. on Friday.
Administrators Attend Free
Teachers - bring along your school administrator FREE as part of the team (four or more teachers). All registration forms must be submitted at the same time!
Graduate Credit
Visit the University of St. Francis table located in the hallway near Schaumburg East/West. Additional information can also be found online at stfrancis.edu/real/ experiential. Questions? real@stfrancis. edu or 815-740-3699
Ticket Swap
Want to attend a different session? Exchange your ticketed sessions for other available sessions at the Ticket Swap at the Registration Table in the EXPO Hall.
Handouts
Handouts will be available through the URL provided after registration closes.
Wireless Access
Bring your mobile devices! Free WiFi will be available in all meeting rooms, ballrooms, and the EXPO floor. Please note that there is a charge for WiFi use in the individual hotel sleeping rooms.
Tote Bags
We greatly appreciate Kaplan Early Learning Company for providing the conference tote bags. Please visit their EXPO booths 201 & 300.
Professional Development Hours
Earn 11 PD hours over the days of the conference. 2 additional hours can be earned at Wednesday evening’s Reading event with Mary Amoson. By attending all sessions you may acquire 13 PD hours.
In order to receive credit for Professional Development Hours, you will need to:
1. Sign in each morning by clicking the link in your welcome (sent each morning!) or scanning the QR code signs placed around the conference center
2. Complete the Evaluation in your email for each day. You will receive a link to your email at the end of each day.
3. Download your Evidence of completion at the end of the day.
4. Enter the earned hours into ELIS.
Come to the show office in Schaumburg E with all PD questions..
Featured Presenters
MARY AMOSON
Mary has enjoyed 20 years in the kindergarten classroom, where she enthusiastically uses technology and hands-on activities to engage her little learners. She loves sharing the ideas, activities, and tools she has used with her kindergarteners through her blog, Sharing Kindergarten. She is committed to instilling passion in teachers because she believes passion is the secret to increasing learning and achievement.
BECKY ANDERSON
Becky Anderson is the owner of Anderson’s Bookshops in Naperville, Downers Grove and Anderson’s Bookfair Company in Aurora, and Anderson’s Toyshop in Naperville. She began working at the age of 11 in her family’s drugstore after a fire in the store. Her first job was to dust soot off shelves and fixtures. She is the fifth generation to manage the familyowned and operated businesses, which had its beginnings in Naperville in 1875. Books were sold from the beginning, but the family’s first official bookshop opened 59 years ago above their pharmacy. She is also past President of the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association and the Association of Booksellers for Children. Anderson’s Bookshops won the Publisher’s Weekly Bookseller of the Year Award in
2011. She has been a children’s literature consultant and book buyer for over 35 years. Putting the right book in the right child’s hand is her lifelong goal. Her family business has won numerous awards both locally, statewide, and nationally; including the Illinois Family Business of the Year in 2002 by Loyola University.
KERI BROWN
Keri Brown is a K-2 interventionist, national presenter, and curriculum author from Alabama. Keri has also taught both kindergarten and 1st grade. With over 17 years of experience, she loves using researchbased ideas, hands-on activities, and meaningful tech in her lessons. Thriving to be a lifelong learner, she enjoys reading and learning new strategies to help her students and fellow teachers. Keri shares her love of learning on Instagram @ enchantedkindergarden and on her website at www.enchantedkindergarden.com.
SHANNON CUNNINGHAM
Shannon Cunningham is a literacy educator in North Texas and loves working in the primary grades. Over her education career, Shannon has spent time in classrooms in Arizona, Nebraska, and the great state of Texas. Shannon has her
Featured Presenters
Masters in Education in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Education Technology. Shannon is certified to teach preschool - 6th grade as well as English as a Second Language. With a passion for teaching students and teachers, Shannon’s goal is for classrooms to be a place where students can grow and thrive academically and emotionally. You will find that Shannon’s sessions are packed with research and strategies to help you teach with joy and confidence!
JAKE DAGGETT
Jake is an Ohio native who began his teaching career in Milwaukee, WI in 2015. Having specialized in literacy instruction, Jake built a following on social media for his engaging and rhythmic phonics lessons and evidence-based structured literacy lessons. Throughout his career, Jake has taught PreK, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades and has recently stepped into the role of Foundational Literacy Director for Greater Holy Temple Christian Academy in Milwaukee, WI! In addition, Jake teaches an online Science of Reading Course for Elevate Your Classroom. In his spare time, Jake presents nationally for conferences such as Elevate Your Classroom, Unlocking SOR, and Plain Talk. He is thrilled to be joining the ILASCD family this year.
CHRISTINA DECARBO-WAGERS
Christina (Miss DeCarbo) is a literacy coach, national presenter, and curriculum author from Northeast, Ohio. After teaching for over ten years, she currently works as her district’s PreK-5 literacy coach. Her research-based sessions are packed with engaging lessons and instructional strategies to help students become exceptional readers, writers, and problem-solvers. Christina is the curriculum author of best-selling literacy intervention materials and loves collaborating with educators on Instagram @missdecarbo. As a mom of two, she enjoys spending time with family when she is not at school. You can learn more about Christina on her website at www.missdecarbo.com .
LEANNA WOLKIS GOLDSTEIN
LeAnna Wolkis Goldstein is an energetic and passionate Kindergarten Teacher from Arizona with over 25 years of teaching experience. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University, a Master’s Degree from NAU, an Early Childhood Endorsement, and achieved the rigorous advanced credentials of National Board Certification. While teaching in her award-winning classroom, The “Wolkis Wonderland,” she designs mini hands-on center-based stations that are brought to life
Featured Presenters
with novel realia. As a nationally recognized Presenter, LeAnna empowers educators to create cooperative learning environments utilizing music, movement & manipulatives that foster 100% student engagement. Watch how she promotes exploration and encourages her Classroom Family to develop their imagination by following along inside LeAnna’s magical experiences on Instagram: @wolkiswonderland and Twitter: @WolkisWonders.
ANGELA GRIFFITH
Angela Griffith has been an educator in Alabama for the past 17 years. In the early days of her teaching career, Angela quickly realized that she wasn’t equipped to teach literacy effectively! So she dove into the research, earning her Master’s and Ed.S in Elementary Education, and has spent the last several years honing those skills and refining her teaching practice. She is trained in structured literacy through LETRS. Angela is passionate about providing positive literacy experiences for each and every student and loves to empower other teachers to do the same! You can connect with Angela on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest. Her website is thedailyalphabet.com.
JACKIE KOPS
Jackie Kops is an enthusiastic preschool teacher with 14 years of experience in both fullday and half-day settings. She is from Missouri where she earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from Maryville University. Her goal is to help teachers unleash their teaching superpowers! Jackie is the teacher-author and CEO behind Pocket of Preschool and loves to share her passion with other educators.
KATIE BLUE-MENSE
Katie Blue-Mense is a children’s author, a nationally recognized speaker, and an energetic Kindergarten teacher in Southern Illinois with more than 2 decades of classroom experience. She has a passion for creating fun, hands-on lessons and activities designed to meet the needs of all students. As a student who struggled through school, she truly understands that every student has different needs and learning styles. Katie is a McKendree University graduate, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Education and later, a Master of Arts degree in education. Katie is a boy mom and loves to spend time in the great outdoors with her 3 sons, Brody, Grady, and Finn. She loves to share her ideas and teaching experiences on her awardwinning blog, “Katie Blue EDU.”
Featured Presenters
MARSHA MCGUIRE
Marsha McGuire is a kindergarten teacher in Cadillac, Michigan where she has accumulated over 15 years of teaching in early childhood classrooms. Her undergraduate degree was completed at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and her graduate degree in Early Childhood Education with a focus on Differentiated Instruction at Grand Valley State University. Marsha is also the author and creator behind the blog, A Differentiated Kindergarten where she shares ideas, activities and products. Her blog has become an avenue to aid other instructors in developing practical, developmentally appropriate and differentiated instructional strategies in their own classroom.
CRYSTAL OSWALD
Crystal Oswald is a district service coach based in the North Shore of Chicago, where she works closely with schools as an instructional coach focusing on Social Emotional Learning and literacy. Prior to her current role, Crystal spent three years as an SEL Curriculum and Instruction Specialist and fourteen years as an elementary school teacher, teaching grades 1-5. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, especially her daughter Sadie, reading, golfing, and tackling home improvement projects.
NATHALIA PALIS
Nathalia is a Colombianborn children’s songwriter, performer and author based out of Los Angeles. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Music Therapy from the Berklee College of Music and a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University. As a Board Certified Music Therapist and Licensed Marriage Family Therapist, Nathalia has worked in a variety of educational and clinical settings including hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and treatment centers. Her experience and passion for early childhood music education inspired the formation of First Start Music, a curriculum-based program that serves preschools throughout the Greater Los Angeles area. Nathalia has released five original bilingual albums, several singles, and a children’s book based on one of her songs. She cites her South American heritage and passion for bilingual education as driving forces behind the content she creates. Additionally, Nathalia was a grand-prize recipient of the John Lennon Songwriting Competition for her title “Frida Pinta”. As a performer, she has toured extensively in the US and South America. As an active member of the Recording Academy and the Latin Recording Academy, Nathalia is an advocate for music makers and enjoys leading workshops on the importance of music in education.
Featured Presenters
ADAM PETERSON
Adam Peterson is an educator, speaker, author, and vlogger most known for his YouTube channel, Teachers Learn Too. A kindergarten teacher with over 13 years in the classroom, Adam now dedicates his time to helping teachers create meaningful and engaging experiences for their students! He’s on a mission to make classrooms as fun as possible to ensure every day is the best day ever in school!
www.adampetersoneducation.com
Adam Peterson Education on YouTube
KURT SCHWENGEL
Kurt Schwengel has been teaching Kindergarten in Santa Monica, CA since 1995 and is still in the classroom! He is also a national presenter for a variety of topics ranging from technology to creative teaching. He is an “NBC Crystal Apple” winner, eHow education expert, Google Certified Teacher and SMMUSD “Teacher of the Year”. His Ted Talk “Occupy Kindergarten” has reached tens of thousands of teachers across the country. Kurt attended and played baseball for UCLA from 1988-93 earning a B.A. in Anthropology and went on to earn a Masters in Education and an M.B.A. from Pepperdine in 1995. In 1995, Kurt created his original Kindergarten curriculum, “Rock
and Roll Kindergarten” and has traveled to almost every state in the country introducing his curriculum to over 20,000 teachers. In 2011 he began his grassroots movement “Occupy Kindergarten” in an effort to “bring the fun back to Kindergarten”. Kurt can also relate to any K-12 audience as he explores the similarities between how we reach Kindergarteners and how we can reach High School Students. It’s all about Student Engagement and Kurt knows how to engage regardless of the age of the student or teacher.
GREG SMEDLEYWARREN
Greg has been a full-time classroom teacher for 20 years. He spent a year teaching fifth grade, two years in second grade and is now in his 17th year of Kindergarten. He received his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University and ELL certification from David Lipscomb University. In 2015, he was selected as Teacher Of The Year. Greg’s influence extends far beyond his classroom walls. As an international speaker, presenter, curriculum developer, blogger of TheKindergartenSmorgasboard.com, and co-founder of Elevate Your Classroom, a professional development conference for early elementary educators. Greg is also the co-owner of Berteau & Co, a teacher planner and other stationary company. When not in the classroom or on the stage, Mr. Greg is a family man. He resides in Brentwood, TN, with his husband Jason
Featured Presenters
Warren (affectionately known as The Mister to the online community), their 5 year old daughter Adelynn, and their dog Dolly.
HILARY STATUM
Hilary Statum is a kindergarten teacher in Middle Tennessee with 15 years of experience at the school she attended as a child. She is the author of Pencils to Pigtails, a popular blog for parents and teachers. Her first published book entitled Solar System for Kids was released on May 26th, 2020. Hilary is also a Featured Presenter at regional and national educational events held around the country. She holds a master’s degree in Instructional Leadership and enjoys coordinating and teaching her school district’s, free ParentEnglish class. Her favorite days are spent with her two young girls and baby boy, husband, parents, siblings, and the rest of her very large extended family. You can connect with Hilary on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
CAROLE STEPHENS
Dubbed “the Pied Piper of children’s music,”
“Miss Carole” Stephens is a nationally renowned music specialist. Her cross-curricular music and guidance techniques instantly invite all audiences from the youngest child to the oldest adult to join in singing, dancing and rhythmic movement. Miss Carole has been teaching music for children 1 - 6 years old since 1989. Through her company, Macaroni Soup!, she travels across the US presenting concerts for children and families, and workshops for Early Childhood professionals.
DEEDEE WILLS
Deedee began her teaching career in San Diego where she taught at a school with 96% second language learners. After several years of teaching second grade, she became her district’s literacy coach. She helped to train and implement balanced literacy to the K – 2 staff but found she missed the classroom and returned to teach Kindergarten. She runs the popular blog www.mrswillskindergarten.com.
Featured Presenters
TRON YOUNG
Dr. Tron Young is the Assistant Superintendent in the Alton Community Unit School District #11 in Alton, IL. He has two decades of combined experience as a middle school teacher, elementary principal, and middle school principal. He was the 2020 Illinois Middle School Principal of the Year and Illinois NASSP National Distinguished Principal of the Year. He has also been
awarded the Illinois Education Association Bob Haisman “Teacher of the Year,” 100 Black Men United Educator of the Year, and named one of the 2023 Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Leadership Finalists. Dr. Young firmly believes that you have to do the things that other people do not think to do to get the results others are not able to get. His innovative approaches have led to significant achievements in his career. He invites you to connect, grow, and develop together. tronyoung.com
A01 Decoding in Action: Transform Your Classroom into a Reading Powerhouse
UTOPIA A K • 1 • 2
Angela Griffith
CANCELLED
Repeat Session: See K01 - Are you ready to equip your students with the skills they need for success? Then this session is just for you! Embrace the power of decodable text and innovative decoding strategies to fuel your students’ passion for reading. Join Angela as she explains practical methods that instill the confidence to handle complex words!
A02 Transforming Spaces Into Playful Learning Environments
UTOPIA B
P • K • 1 • 2
LeAnna Wolkis Goldstein
Repeat Session: See I02 - In this innovative and engaging session, we will explore the transformative power of playful environments in educational spaces. Discover how to reimagine your classroom and other corners of your learning areas to foster creativity, collaboration, and active engagement among students. Through a blend of theoretical insights and practical strategies, this workshop will equip teachers with the tools to transform, design, and implement playful, dynamic spaces that enhance the learning experience.
A03 Let’s Have Fun with Phonics!
UTOPIA C K • 1 • 2
Christina Decarbo Wagers
In this jam-packed session, Christina shares her favorite phonics activities for your whole-group and smallgroup reading instruction. Dive into the what, why, and how of a daily visual, auditory, and blending drill. Discover research-aligned activities for both decoding and encoding skills. Leave with tons of triedand-true ideas, strategies, and tips that you can implement right away. You and your students will love these practical, hands-on, and multisensory activities for phonics fun!
A04 Calm the Chaos UTOPIA D
P • K • 1 • 2
Hilary Statum
Repeat Session: See L04 - Get ready for some ahha moments! Hilary shares tools and strategies along with real-life scenarios and demonstrations to help you manage your classroom effectively. You’ll receive practical advice for handling common classroom challenges and transitions. Whether you are new to teaching or an experienced educator, you will head back to your classroom with an abundance of resources, ideas, and the confidence needed to create a positive, productive, and engaging learning environment for you and your students!
This session welcomes educators of all experience levels, whether you are new to Artificial Intelligence or a seasoned pro. Join Shannon to explore user-friendly AI tools designed to simplify your administrative tasks, personalize learning, and enhance student engagement. Walk away with practical insights and resources to effortlessly integrate AI into your classroom, saving you time and energy to focus on what you do best—teaching!
A06 The Science Box: Science Across Subjects
NIRVANA A
K • 1 • 2
Adam Peterson
Join Adam for a fun session focusing on activities and a learning experience that brings Science to life in your classroom while also seamlessly integrating multiple subject areas! In this interactive workshop, you will explore a diverse range of hands-on experiments and projects designed to ignite curiosity and deepen understanding across science, math, language arts, and more.
A07 Creative Chaos: Embracing Process Art and Artful Explorations with Less Mess
NIRVANA B
K • 1 • 2
Jackie Kops
Repeat Session: See L07 - Embrace the beauty of process art while keeping your classroom under control! In this dynamic session, you’ll explore a wide range of process art activities that inspire young learners to express themselves freely and creatively. From painting to mixed media, discover how to implement open-ended projects that emphasize the creative process over the finished product. Alongside these art activities, you’ll gain practical classroom management strategies to ensure a smooth and engaging experience for all students and less stress and mess for the teacher.
A08 Can We Do That Again? Fun Ways to Develop the Basics of Number Sense
NIRVANA C
K • 1 • 2
Katie Mense
Repeat Session: See M02 - Hands-on learning is great for connecting abstract math topics to the real world. Get hands-on with Katie and discover ideas to give your students the foundation they need to be successful in Kindergarten! Come away with tons of engaging and fun activities along with easyto-implement math games that engage students, reinforce math skills, and build that number sense!
During a time when so much emphasis is placed on tests and scores, more teachers are finding it harder and harder to offer creative opportunities. I will not only talk about why these opportunities are so developmentally important, but HOW teachers can actually implement different creative connections and spaces for their students, even with what seems like no time in the day.
A10 Our 7 Senses & the World Around Us IMAGINATION
P • K • 1
Sarah Schopp
Carol Hepner
We are all used to teaching our students about using their five senses. However, did you know that we should be teaching two more? Here are the seven senses we will be learning about: Proprioception, Sight, Smell, Sound, Taste, Touch, and Vestibular. Your senses open up a world of wonder. Let us open your senses to new experiences and opportunities for you to take back into your classroom. We can use many different environments to achieve this goal. By using your senses in the world around you, it will unlock countless possibilities for learning.
A11 Standard-Based Learning INNOVATION
K • 1 • 2 • A
Yanina Jimenez
Get practical tips to start or improve your SBL implementation. Standard-Based Learning gives YOU a clear roadmap for student success. By focusing on specific learning objectives and mastery of essential skills, you can tailor instruction to meet the needs of all learners and promote deeper understanding. StandardBased Learning helps you prioritize what truly matters and empowers your students to achieve their full potential.
A12 Fact + Fiction = Reading Fun for Little Ones KNOWLEDGE
P • K
Marge Cox
Participants will enjoy seeing and handling pairs of fact and fiction books that connect with each other as well as curriculum. There will be fun activity ideas, too. Participants will get a chance to share the joy of reading aloud and how it can make memories that last a lifetime.
A13 Navigating Behavior Using Executive Functioning Essentials
EPIPHANY
K Amber Beutel
Foundational Understanding: Participants will gain a basic understanding of executive functioning in young children, including its definition and importance.
Increased Awareness: Participants will learn to identify various manifestations of executive functioning in the classroom, such as impulse control, organization, and problem-solving skills, enabling them to recognize and support children who may be struggling in these areas.
Practical Strategies: Participants will acquire a toolkit of effective strategies and interventions to support the development of executive functioning skills in young children within the classroom setting. These tips will encompass techniques for fostering self-regulation, promoting task completion, and scaffolding problem-solving abilities, ultimately empowering educators to create a supportive environment that nurtures children’s executive functioning skills and overall academic success.
A14 Bringing Writing to Life: The Essential Components of Effective Writing Instruction PROSPERITY
K • 1 • 2
Kristy Rauch
We’ll unpack the research and explore how teaching writing as a separate content area provides a critical pathway for fostering effective communication skills as well as nurturing creativity and critical thinking. During this session, participants will: 1) Explore ways to engage students in daily, purposeful writing for genuine audiences, 2) Learn approaches to help students sharpen their writing skills and develop writing fluency and confidence, and 3) See the value of connecting reading with writing to enhance student learning.needs: Connection, Autonomy, Attunement, Love and Trust. If a student’s core needs were not met, they develop challenges in self-regulation and interpersonal connection. These compromised needs bring forth student behavioral challenges and the symptoms in the classroom. This presentation allows for a paradigm shift in how we problem solve, treat, and understand student behaviors. We begin to do the work from the source instead of the symptom.
Share your 2025 Pump Up Primary experiences using our official Twitter & Instagram accounts!
A15 Nurturing Young Minds: Strategies for Helping All Students Succeed
SERENITY
P • K • 1 • 2
Amy Rysz
Julie Parker
As educators, we know that learning is not one-sizefits all. Neurodiversity is the idea that there are a variety of ways that people’s brains process information, and it embraces these differences. In this session, we’ll explore the research supporting neurodiversity and investigate strategies that work to engage students across all types of classroom settings. You’ll leave with easy-to-implement ideas and resources that will help ensure the success of all your students.
A16 Musical Yoga for Early Childhood
SCHAUMBURG A/B
P • K • 1 • 2
Erin Bracco
Developmentally, young children learn through repetitive singing! Music is an engaging way to guide early learners in movement. In this workshop, you’ll learn about current yoga songs and ways to make up your own.
A17 Who’s That Tramping on My Bridge? Language Learning with Littles
SCHAUMBURG C
K • 1 • 2 • A
Teresa Hill
Language use and development are critical to effective literacy learning for all children. By the time children enter Kindergarten, there is already a disparity in their expressive and receptive vocabularies and exposure to language. This disparity can continue to widen at the primary level, impacting student learning and literacy development. The pandemic-related lockdowns and an overall decrease in face-to-face conversation, verbal play, and interaction with children, have exacerbated the language development disparities that already existed.
Participants will explore the Do’s and Don’ts of improving language development in primary classrooms. Instructional leaders and educators will:
• Consider language usage in their primary classrooms and identify the instructional Do’s and Don’t that exist in their classrooms.
• Examine how their Language Demands, Expectations, Guidance, and Supports impact children’s language development.
• Learn a step-by-step process to increase Language Demands, Expectations, Guidance, and Supports to enhance language development at the primary level and beyond.
Teachers have so much on their plates and planning reading small groups based on the Science of Reading is one thing that can frustrate teachers. Research shows small group instruction has been proven as a way to differentiate learning for students but it can be challenging to plan effective small groups. This training will help teachers use the data they get from reading assessments to plan effective small group interventions based on their student reading needs.
CANCELLED
A20 Science Time
SCHAUMBURG G
P • K • 1 • 2
Sherry Ann Wolfer
Repeat Session: See I19 - You don’t have to be a scientist to do or have science in your classroom. Learn how to incorporate science into all areas of the classroom. Explore this “hands-on” workshop that contains easy and inexpensive science experiments, science activities and science table top props that you can do with children from two years old through one hundred plus years old.
A21 We Got the “Write Stuff”: Utilizing The Writing Revolution to Support Beginning Writers
A19 Magnificent Magnets
SCHAUMBURG F
P • K • 1 • 2
Terrie Schmoldt
Marissa Schmoldt
Do you like to learn through exploration and experimentation? So do your kids! Explore with magnets and discover ways to integrate hands-on science with reading and journaling. Optimize your teaching with shared reading, guided exploration, and individualized journaling.
SCHAUMBURG H
K • 1 • 2
Marcie Marzullo
Libby Blumer
Teaching our K-2 students
writing, by breaking up the writing process into manageable chunks, while weaving in content, has created amazing improvement. By utilizing formative assessment writing samples, along with The Writing Revolution principles, our students have shown success in their writing skills, reading comprehension, speaking abilities and analytical thinking. We’ll show you how we got the “write stuff” by analyzing our students’ work, developing differentiated writing lessons that focused on the building blocks of writing instruction and enriched our students’ higher order thinking by synthesizing the content and developing their own interpretations into their writing.
It is crucial to be intentional and purposeful in setting the culture of your school or classroom. We have to be the Thermostat and not the thermometer. There is a clear and distinct difference. The thermometer reads what is going on, how the students interact, what the parents say, and how the building/classroom flows. The Thermostat transforms what is going on, sets expectations, continues adjusting for student interactions, informs parents of what is going on, and initiates actions to set the culture of the building or classroom.
Ask yourself, are you the THERMOSTAT or the THERMOMETER? If you are ready to be the thermostat, Dr. Young will inspire you with stories and action steps to help you BE THE THERMOSTAT in your classroom and school.
In this session, educators will dive deeply into the art of fluency development in young readers, equipping themselves with a toolkit of proven strategies designed to cultivate proficient readers in the early education years. Participants will explore the intricacies of fluency, from accuracy and speed to expression and comprehension, all while integrating science of reading principles for optimal skill development.
C02 Number QuestExploring Math with Picture Books
UTOPIA B K • 1 • 2
Keri Brown
This session provides a roadmap to fantastic picture books that can transform your K-2 math lessons into exciting adventures. We’ll explore specific skills like addition, counting, measurement, and shapes, showcasing books that bring these concepts to life in a way that will have your students begging for more math time.
Repeat Session: See I06 - Come explore an ENTIRE year worth of exciting curriculum and thematic units! Kurt has been teaching these thematic units for 28 years now. Units include: Dinosaurs, Mystery, Star Wars, Gold, Baseball, Basketball, Bowling, Japan, Construction, Pizza Restaurant, and Pirates! Let’s have some fun!
C04 Cooking Up Comprehension
UTOPIA D
K • 1 • 2
Hilary Statum
Discover research-based ways to combine rich discussions with comprehension skills and strategies in this unique and TASTY session! Hilary shares how she pairs stories and snacks using favorite read-alouds and low-prep recipes. You’ll return to your classroom with graphic organizers and fresh ideas to increase engagement while practicing essential literacy skills!
C05 10 Center Management Tips and Tricks!
EUPHORIA
K • 1 • 2
Deedee Wills
Effective center management can make or break your teaching joy! Join Deedee while she shares 10 practice tips you can use in your own classroom right away.
C06 Behavior Busters
NIRVANA A K • 1 • 2
Adam Peteson
Join Adam for some effective behavior management strategies designed to empower you with practical tools and techniques you can put into place right away. This workshop offers a comprehensive approach to fostering positive behavior and a conducive learning environment. Participants will explore evidence-based strategies for establishing clear expectations, implementing proactive interventions, and nurturing social-emotional skills in young learners. Learn more about building positive relationships, promoting self-regulation, and addressing challenging behaviors with empathy and consistency.
Share your 2025 Pump Up Primary experiences using our official Twitter & Instagram accounts!
C07 Classroom Magic: Play Transformations for Maximum Learning Impact!
NIRVANA B
P • K
Jackie Kops
Repeat Session: See K07 - Play is powerful! Let’s dive deeply into transforming the dramatic play center and pack learning into their play in an intentional, manageable way. Jackie will walk you through how to plan, step by step, two different dramatic play transformations, streamlining the planning process into easy-to-implement pieces for you to take back to the classroom and replicate in your planning process. She will model how to integrate social skills, literacy, math, science, and fine motor standards into their play, build their background knowledge and vocabulary, and create dramatic play props using simple materials you likely have in your supply closet for those two theme transformations. We’ll dive into specific strategies and techniques to increase student engagement and increase expected student behaviors. Get off to a great start with three unit plans done for you so you can create intentional dramatic play centers that will increase student learning and engagement all year long!
C08 Integrating Science and Social Studies
NIRVANA C
K • 1 • 2
Mary Amoson
Replenish your supply of fresh ideas and hands-on activities for making science content and social studies topics meaningful to little learners. Attend this session to see how to integrate multiple content areas into science and social studies while making learning fun for your class. STEM activities, art projects, and games will help your students learn like never before!
C09 You Can’t Make Me: Working with Young Children with Oppositional Defiant Behaviors. CONNECTION
K • 1 • 2 • A Beverley Johns
We are seeing an increasing population of young children exhibiting oppositional defiant behaviors. Participants in this session will walk away with a better understanding of why children with oppositional behaviors engage in the behaviors they do. They will also better understand that these behaviors may be comorbid with other behaviors. Participants will be able to look at their own behavior more objectively to determine whether they may be exacerbating the problem. Participants will be given a whole set of strategies to help their children regulate their emotions and build on their strengths and interests so the children feel more welcome within the school and classroom.
C10 Activities to Build Background Knowledge and Language
IMAGINATION
P • K • 1 • 2
Lana Briggs Tania Ancala
Edwardo Perez
Learn simple activities you can implement in your classroom to build background knowledge and language. Explore how you can use charts, visuals, and movements to engage students and support students’ language skills. Your students will enjoy learning new vocabulary and concepts in a cultural and linguistic responsive classroom. View examples of some of our favorite activities that we like to use in our classrooms, such as picture word inductive model and concept attainment. Walk away with activities that will enrich your teaching and your students’ learning experience.
C11 Smooth Transitions from PreK to K - It’s a Process!
INNOVATION
P • K
Lynn Burgett
Michelle Escapa
Repeat Session: See K13 - Come and learn some concrete ways to provide a smooth transition from Preschool to Kindergarten. We will introduce you to a process that includes creating a team, working together to set goals and create an action plan, implement your plan and celebrate successes. You will hear about the work that is currently going on with 3 districts that are implementing this process, and you will leave with some practical ways, and tools for starting the process in your district.
C12 Read Local with Illinois Authors and Illustrators KNOWLEDGE
P • K • 1 • 2
Jennifer Wagh
Srividya Venkat
Preview of the newest picture book titles by Illinois Authors and Illustrators. Picture perfect titles for your classroom, and opportunities for literacy rich school visits.
Our school district adopted the “Leader in Me” evidencebased model that focuses on leadership, culture, and academics. At Franklin Preschool, we have worked hard to incorporate parents and the community as much as possible into our preschool setting. Through areas of culture, leadership, and academics, we have woven parent/community engagement throughout our school setting in order to get the most success for students throughout their educational careers. Come see how to get parents and community involved early, even at the 3 and 4 year old level.
C14 Meeting the Diverse Needs of Kindergartners
PROSPERITY
K
Sheleen DeLockery
Colleen Hennessy
In this session, presenters will discuss their insights gained during the 2023-24 school year in effectively supporting kindergarten students’ diverse academic, social, emotional, and behavioral needs. Kindergarten teachers and the principal will showcase their successful utilization
of classroom volunteers, Tier I instructional strategies, and collaborative classroom management techniques, developed in partnership with the instructional coach and Student Services team.
C15 Regulation Strategies and Tips for Teachers
SERENITY
P • K • 1
Connie Boznos
Emily Weyl
This session will focus on helping students regain appropriate social skills when interacting in and out of the classroom, specifically focusing on regulation strategies, taking turns, and collaborating in groups. This session will introduce strategies for teachers to use to support struggling learners.
C16 Highly Usable Music for Every Day!
SCHAUMBURG A/B
P • K • 1 • 2
Carole “Miss Carole” Stephens
Repeat Session: See K16Music serves a purpose for students of all abilities, interests, and capabilities – and it’s fun! Do you need to calm OR energize your classroom – rhythmic call/response songs fit the bill. Need a brain break? Thirty-sixty seconds of musical activity can re-focus the mood from indifferent to engaged. Not a singer? Not a problem! Join Miss Carole for what might become classroom classics!
C17 The Day in the Life of Two Early Childhood Educators
SCHAUMBURG C
P
Jennifer Dienelt
Alajandra Ganddini
Have you ever imagined what it would be like to be in another teacher’s classroom?
Well this presentation will take you through a comprehensive compare and contrast in the life of two early childhood teachers. The presenters have twenty years of experience teaching students in many different settings and positions ranging from early intervention therapies to helping children and families transition to kindergarten and beyond in their school careers. The session will cover step-bystep processes and give a snapshot of one day in the life of both teachers who are currently working with children that come from high risk families and have many different educational and functional needs.
C18 Writing for 176 Days
SCHAUMBURG D
K • 1 • 2
Tammy Haggerty Jones
Teachers understand that children pass through emergent writing stages in their development of skills, beginning with drawing, scribbling, creating letter-like forms and reproducing strings of random letters. They progress by using spaces between letters/words, writing
in a sentence-like format, adding punctuation and creating paragraphs. Graphic organizers guide the process, formulating supporting details and offering a safe structure. You meet the needs of children who are not progressing according to the expectations of the writing program without stigma, embarrassment or shame and lovingly, patiently and respectfully respond, quelling their insecurity and fear.
C19 Transitions that Teach
SCHAUMBURG F
P • K
Jennifer Fernandez
Transitions in an early childhood classroom are not only challenging but time consuming. Today’s presentation will discuss the importance of transitions and address the key elements of a good transition. Participants will also see how transitions can support the teaching of the Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards and the Illinois Learning Standards for Kindergarten. Lastly, attendees will learn about strategies for making transitions more successful and will have the opportunity to make a transition tool bag to take back to their classrooms and start implementing those strategies.
C20 Embrace the Problem-Solving Process: It’s Messy!
SCHAUMBURG G
1 • 2
Becky Hill
Problem solving is a messy process! With structures put into place, students and teachers can learn to embrace the process and everyone feels successful. In this session, educators will explore how rich mathematical tasks and structures can support student discourse through the problem-solving process.
C21 The Value of Play Encompasses Standards
SCHAUMBURG H
P • K • 1 • 2
Delores Rita Kema Gipson Neelofer Kanji
Create more space for the value of play and use mandated standards to describe “play is learning.”
D01 Find New Picture Books for Social Emotional Learning
UTOPIA A
P • K • 1 • 2
Becky Anderson
Repeat Session: See L01 - This session will be on SEL-Social Emotional Learning picture books that are great selections for classrooms from Pre-2nd grade. The four major topics of those books would include: Empathy and Kindness, Emotion Management, Growth Mindset and Goal Setting and Problem Solving. SEL education is important right now, as it helps children to understand themselves and others. It builds empathy, communication skills, and relationships. These soft skills are important in young lives and will continue to build as they grow up. In addition to SEL new books, some new Read Alouds, new non-fiction, and other new books will be presented as well. All books will be available for inspection, handouts will be available, and books will be offered for purchase at a professional discount in the booth on the exhibit floor.
D02 Maximizing Student Engagement: Effective Time On Task Techniques
UTOPIA B
P • K • 1 • 2 • A
LeAnna Wolkis
Goldstein
Repeat Session: See L02 - Discover innovative strategies and techniques to energize your classroom, promote active participation, cultivate cooperative learning and a passion for learning. Unlock the secrets to captivating your students’ attention and
fostering a dynamic learning environment in this engaging session. Learn how to hook your students, utilize technology effectively, and implement interactive activities that keep students motivated and focused. Join LeAnna to explore practical approaches that transform your classroom into a vibrant hub of engagement and enthusiasm!
D03 Turn Tricky Into Sticky! Brain-Based Activities to Connect Letters to Sounds
UTOPIA C K • 1 • 2
Christina Decarbo Wagers
Repeat Session: See L05 - Did you know that the latest research shows that phonemic awareness instruction is more effective when letters are presented along with sounds? In this engaging, hands-on session, Christina shares tons of games, activities, lessons, and ideas that will help students form strong phoneme-grapheme connections throughout the day. You’ll leave with quick but effective practices that you can use at the carpet, during morning meetings, small-groups, transition times, whole-group lessons, and more! Get ready to move, groove, write, and play with letters and sounds in this jampacked session!
Make math stations the best part of your student’s day by incorporating fun and engaging activities that cater to their unique interests, learning profiles, and abilities. Marsha offers invaluable insights and strategies that will elevate your math stations to the next level! Discover innovative ways to streamline your materials and cultivate a classroom environment that empowers your students to become independent and engaged learners.
D05 5 Ways to Teach Sight Words with the Brain in Mind
EUPHORIA
K • 1 • 2
Deedee Wills
How do you turn high frequency words into sight words? Come find five simple ideas that will help your students master high frequency words.
D06 Dollar Store Teacher War! With Adam Peterson and Katie Mense
Store adventure! Get ready to learn how to “Engage on a Teacher’s Wage”! This dynamic duo will share tons of ideas on how to use items from the dollar store to engage your students! Then, it’s your turn! Adam and Katie will give your team materials and you’ll work together to create an activity. Join forces with other teachers to battle it out in the Dollar Store Teacher war!
D07 Storytime SEL: The ABCs of Emotional Learning through Picture Books
NIRVANA B
K • 1 • 2
Crystal Oswald
NIRVANA A
P • K • 1 • 2
Adam Peterson
Katie Mense
Join Adam and Katie on an exciting Dollar
Explore the powerful intersection of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and literacy with Crystal in this engaging session, “Storytime SEL: The ABCs of Emotional Learning Through Picture Books.” Discover how educators can seamlessly integrate SEL competencies into literacy instruction, using picture books as a catalyst for emotional intelligence, empathy, and interpersonal skill development. Participants will learn practical strategies to create a nurturing classroom environment where SEL principles enhance literacy engagement and empower students to become confident, compassionate communicators. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to elevate both literacy skills and SEL competencies through the captivating world of picture books!
Start using the very best highquality, hands-on skill games and activities in your whole groups and small groups and with partners to promote cross-curricular learning in fun ways. You won’t believe how many examples Mary shares. And, get leveled learning activities to help with remediation, skill-building, and accelerated learning. This session also has hands-on games to try and fall in LOVE with!
D09 Unlock Student Potential by Mitigating Trauma with Neuroscience CONNECTION
K • 1 • 2
Nicole Fape
Nailah Brown
Explore the science behind trauma and how it negatively impacts learning. Then discover how to employ neuroscience and social emotional learning to improve student outcomes.
D10 Working Together: Helping Families
Understand Preschool Special Education Assessment and Eligibility IMAGINATION
P • A
Emily Dorsey
Natalie Danner
For parents, the journey from suspecting their child’s developmental delay to receiving special education services can be overwhelming and confusing. Illinois Early Learning (IEL) has tip sheets to guide families through this process. This session will explore ways that teachers can support families in understanding assessment and eligibility.
D11 We Can’t Help Pollen in Love: Helping Students
Cultivate a Passion for Pollinators INNOVATION
P • K • 1 • 2 • A
Lee Deal
Learn about connecting pollinator-themed activities to real-world actions students can do that can improve conditions for pollinators to thrive. Lessons, activities, background information on pollinators, and a hive full of book recommendations will be shared in this interactive presentation.
Share your 2025 Pump Up Primary experiences using our official Twitter & Instagram accounts!
D12 Fact + Fiction = Reading Fun for 1st & 2nd Graders
KNOWLEDGE
1 • 2
Marge Cox
Participants will enjoy seeing and handling pairs of fact and fiction books that connect with each other as well as curriculum. There will be fun activity ideas, too. Participants will see a variety of picture books, early readers, and enticing factual volumes.
D15 Decrease Stress and Increase Productivity SERENITY
P • K • 1 • 2 • A
Mica Ike
This workshop allows participants to explore decreasing stress in and out of the workplace, and increase productivity in the classroom and their lives. Participants are given steps to take toward self-care, information that will ensure protection from the damaging effects of stress, and the opportunity to improve classroom performance and overall well-being.
D16 Make Music a Super Power in Your PreK/K Classroom!
SCHAUMBURG A/B
P • K • 1 • 2
Carole “Miss Carole” Stephens
Repeat Session: See L16. Easy-peasy zipper songs, chants, fingerplays and movement activities to have ready to fill a minute or ten minutes. Not a singer? Not a problem! You can do this! Join Miss Carole for a serotonin boost you can pass on to your students tomorrow - and beyond!
D17 Graphing Fun for Everyone
SCHAUMBURG C
P • K • 1 • 2
Rhonda Floros
Explore the endless variety of graphing opportunities throughout your curriculum. View examples of concrete, pictorial and abstract graphs. Participate in creating individual, small group and large group graphs.
Share your 2025 Pump Up Primary experiences using our official Twitter & Instagram accounts!
D18 Incorporating Blocks to Promote Math, Science, and Engineering Practices
SCHAUMBURG D
P • K • 1 • 2
Jacey Vedder
Mary Kate Wright
Block play is a critical component of an early learning classroom and the perfect way to build skills that we ordinarily would place into the category of “academic”. Incorporating blocks in various ways with a wide range of different materials is an excellent way to provide hands-on math, science, and engineering practices. Children’s curiosity is further expanded using accessories. No blocks- no problem. Come explore these concepts that can be used with any building material such as boxes, cereal boxes, oatmeal containers, tin cans, etc.
D20 Over the River and to the Farm: Connecting Agriculture and the Environment With Outdoor Learning
SCHAUMBURG G
P • K • 1 • 2
Stephanie Hospelhorn
Learning doesn’t only have to happen indoors! Get your students outside to learn how agriculture and the environment are inextricably linked. This fun, interactive presentation will include lessons, activities, engaging books, and various resources that that will foster student’s appreciation of the natural world and their understanding of where their food comes from and how it gets to their plates.
D19 Bits and Pieces: How to Use Conference Ideas Directly in Your Classroom
SCHAUMBURG F
P • K • 1 • 2
Beth Koplinski
Jessie Stinson
Love the ideas you get at conferences? Me too! Implementing everything you love may feel overwhelming. Learn how to take bits and pieces of these ideas and put them to work directly in your classroom.
D21
Making Math Easy & Fun!
SCHAUMBURG H
P • K
Karen Graber
Repeat Session: See K21 - This session is packed with easy and fun math activities that can be used for whole group instruction or centers. I will share ideas that will cover the math standards while making math easy & fun.
Session numbers are in numeric order; however, missing numbers do not mean missing sessions.
D22 Best Practices in an Early Childhood Classroom
SCHAUMBURG EAST
P • K • 1 • 2
Lori Pluchrat-Cole
Best practices are essential for having a successful school year. Implementing best practices might not always be easy. This session will emphasize the steps to take to ensure that the Brain-Targeted Teaching Model is implemented through a positive environment, self-reflection, social emotional learning, and student’s knowledge of skills. Strategies to use for students with challenging behaviors will also be addressed. These components will help educators grow personally, professionally, and allow for collaboration with colleagues. Join this session to learn more about how to be comfortable, confident, and ready for the school year!
D23 Energize Your Day With Morning Meeting
SCHAUMBURG WEST
K
Greg Smedley Warren
Repeat Session: See L03Discover a powerful tool to enhance your classroom management and foster a sense of community - the morning meeting! Explore how dedicating just 10-20 minutes each morning can transform your classroom dynamics. Learn how the four components of morning meeting: greetings, activities, sharing & morning messages, can enrich your classroom experience.
E01 Creating Engaged Writers in the Primary Classroom
UTOPIA A
P • K • 1 • 2
Angela Griffith
CANCELLED
Are your primary students having a hard time getting engaged in the writing process? Join Angela as she uncovers ways to create engaged writers in a primary classroom! Learn what stops children from engaging with the writing process, as well as ways that we can support them through creative activities.
E02 Cracking the Code to Math Centers
UTOPIA B
K • 1 • 2
Keri Brown
Repeat Session: See M03Feeling overwhelmed by managing math centers? This session is your key to unlocking a smooth-running, engaging learning environment. We’ll go over a step-by-step process, from effective student assessment and grouping strategies to small group instruction and independent center activities. Gain valuable insights on teaching students center procedures and discover a playbook of ready-to-use center ideas for various math skills. Leave equipped with the knowledge and resources to transform your math centers into a place where students thrive!
E03 Fostering Fluency with Research, Routines, and Repetition
UTOPIA C
K • 1 • 2
Christina Decarbo Wagers
Fluency is the bridge between decoding and comprehension, but how do we build fluency skills within the classroom? In this interactive session, Christina shares ready-to-go routines and research-based strategies that you can implement within your classroom. Learn how to model and practice accuracy, phrasing, rate, and prosody with your students while having fun and boosting confidence!
E04 Simple Science UTOPIA D
K • 1 • 2
Hilary Statum
Ready to experiment, explode, and explore with your students? In this fun hands-on session, you’ll go through the scientific steps to begin an investigation of your own! Return to your classroom with 10 low-prep, high engagement experiments to complete with your kids. Discover ways to teach problem solving and critical thinking skills. Hilary will also share favorite science books, perfect standard pairings, and research tips for your little mad scientists!
Share your 2025 Pump Up Primary experiences using our official Twitter & Instagram accounts!
Join a dynamic session designed to empower you with effective strategies for enhancing students’ reading comprehension and critical thinking skills. We’ll explore the Language Comprehension strands of Scarborough’s Reading Rope and provide practical, classroom-ready ideas to develop these essential skills.
E06 Leading from The Inside Out: Cultivating Emotional Intelligence
NIRVANA A
A
Carol Campbell-Fullard
Studies reveal that 59% of teachers and 48% of principals experience burnout and are emotionally drained from their work. Leading from The Inside Out is a workshop for educators to experience impactful approaches that will increase emotional intelligence and build resilience.
E07 All Things Playdough! – A Multi-Sensory Learning Tool
NIRVANA B
P • K
Jackie Kops
Playdough provides students a multi-sensory approach to learn and practice various learning concepts and skills. This session will highlight practical, easy ways you can
incorporate playdough into various learning centers and activities, including literacy, math, and STEM. You will also learn quick, easy recipes to make your own playdough as well as cleaning hacks to make using playdough in the classroom less of a mess.
E08 Paving the Way with Social Emotional Learning: Creating a Systemic Approach
NIRVANA C
K • 1 • 2
Crystal Oswald
Join Crystal as she guides you in paving the way for Social Emotional Learning (SEL): Creating a Systemic Approach. Discover how SEL can become more than just another item on your agenda—it can be the foundation of a cohesive educational environment. This session explores strategies to integrate SEL systematically across classrooms, schools, homes, and communities, ensuring that SEL principles are embedded in everyday practices and interactions. Participants will explore essential building blocks that foster SEL competencies, promoting a nurturing environment that supports the holistic development of every child.
E09 Hands-On Reading and Math CONNECTION
K • 1 • 2
Rachelle Sikes
Need to engage your students in reading and math? Use hands-on activities! This session will outline different hands-on strategies and activities in reading and math.
Reading is not a natural process, rather a learned process. In order for educators to be prepared to provide effective instruction an understanding of how the brain learns to read is important. The purpose of this session is to present on how the brain functions in gaining reading skills, with a focus on phonics. We will discuss effective phonics instruction strategies and how phonics and fluency are connected. Participants will leave with an understanding of how children learn to read, how to support students in gaining phonics and fluency skills, resources to aid in their work and how to diagnose and monitor progress to support their students’ progress.
E11 Minds in Motion INNOVATION
K • 1 • 2 • A
Rachel Priola
Kim Paulus
Step into a dynamic realm of learning where minds are constantly in motion and critical thinking takes center stage! Come learn about a district-wide system we built using best practices for math from the research out there. Our journey blends activity with intellect, igniting a passion for exploration
in the classroom. Our staff has developed engaging learning experiences that prompt students to actively ponder, question, and dissect the core concepts of the class. It’s not just about absorbing information; it’s about actively engaging with it, moving minds and bodies alike towards a deeper understanding. Get ready to unleash the power of thought in motion!
E12 My Buttons! My Buttons! My Groovy Button Lessons!
KNOWLEDGE
Jill Rafter Suzi MacLeod
Are you looking for fresh new ideas to start your school year? Join us as we share 4 weeks of tried-and-true Pete the Cat lessons perfect for large and small group instruction, table time, art, and centers. Each activity is aligned to Teaching Strategies GOLD objectives and will help you collect meaningful information as your students participate in engaging learning opportunities. You will definitely leave this session with some new twists on these classic books!
E13 Using Total Physical Response (TPR) in Early Childhood EPIPHANY
P • K • 1 • 2
Melissa Rivera
Natalie Garcia
The purpose of this session is to build oracy through the evidence-based practice of Total Physical Response and Say-Tell-Do-Play. Participants will have the opportunity to participate in a mock lesson and create their own TPR movements that would work best with their students. Participants will be able to implement these evidence-based strategies to further develop their students’ vocabulary. The intended audience is any staff member who is interested in learning about new ways to integrate vocabulary and build oracy.
E14 All In: Jefferson’s Blueprint for Inclusive Education PROSPERITY
P • A
Mary Davis
This presentation outlines Jefferson’s journey towards inclusivity through a four-step process: Connect, Learn Together, Build a Vision & Mission, and Implementation. Initially, we engaged stakeholders, gathered and shared data, and created an action plan based on feedback. Our professional development initiatives included staff-led sessions, visits to other Early Childhood Centers, and
ongoing training focused on relationshipbuilding and Tier 1 implementation. We collaboratively developed our Vision, Mission, and Beliefs, enhancing communication through newsletters and social media. Implementation involved family engagement, structural changes, resource acquisition, and establishing supportive frameworks. Throughout, our focus remained on student needs, research-based practices, open communication, and staff capacity building.
E15 50 Ideas to Enrich Family Engagement SERENITY
P • K • A
Bev Schumacher
Family participation in their child’s learning should be the natural, expected, ordinary thing to happen. But the classroom can easily become the teacher’s turf and collaboration not be fully effective. Students benefit when there are positive relationships and exchanges between their teacher and family. This training intends to share practices that bridge the School + Home = Learning formula. We will ask for participants ideas too!
E16 Happy Baby! Breaking Down Poses through a Developmental Lens
SCHAUMBURG A/B
P • K • 1 • 2
Erin Bracco
Happy baby, child’s pose; even the name of these poses indicate yoga being innate to young humans. Movement is a powerful tool at all stages of life. In John Medina’s research on “Brain Rules,” we learn that exercise boosts brain power and we are powerful + natural explorers. In this session, we will break down traditional yoga poses specifically for babies and toddlers. Participants will learn benefits, cues, possible variations, and ways to encourage engagement in the pose.
E17 The Magic of Explicit Phonics Instruction for Literacy Success
SCHAUMBURG C
P • K • 1 • 2
Melissa Gill
In this magical session, we’ll explore the enchanting link between explicit instruction and students’ decoding and encoding abilities. Discover why some students excel at decoding and blending words but struggle with writing and spelling. We’ll delve into how these essential skills interconnect and impact successful reading and writing development. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of these dynamics and practical, hands-on strategies to enhance their early learning environments.
E18 Limitless Literacy
SCHAUMBURG D
K • 1 • 2
Sarah Howe
Come learn ways to get the biggest literacy bang for your instructional time! This session will be jammed packed with practical ideas to freshen up your literacy instruction through a variety of morning messages, vocabulary strategies, writing formats and so much more! You will leave with instructional, organizational and management strategies to help your little learners grow.
E19 Letters and Sounds through Hands-On Learning
SCHAUMBURG F
P • K
Tracy Cupolo
Sara Relojo
This session will provide teachers with multiple ways to teach letter identification, sounds, and correct construction of upper and lowercase letters. This session will allow teachers to utilize hands-on materials to actually construct upper and lowercase letters and then learn various ways to teach letter identification and sounds through the hands-on lesson. Teachers will be able to take back some ready-made items to begin using in their classroom the very next day.
We benefit cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally when we play and interact with others. We also benefit cognitively, physically, and emotionally when we manipulate objects for a craft project. When the two are combined, the benefits are even greater. This session will showcase some simple educational make-n-play games and activities constructed from common everyday items. By the end of the session each attendee will have made a couple of games and activities which help develop essential skills not only in the classroom, but in everyday life. Materials will be provided. Attendees are welcome to take activities with them.
E21 Building Number Sense with Subitizing
SCHAUMBURG H
P • K • 1 • 2
Lindsey Herlehy
Cassandra Armstrong
Dice, fingers, tallies, and ten frames! Proficient mathematicians are problem solvers who work with quantities in flexible ways. Subitizing is a practice that builds number sense and is
key to becoming a fluent mathematician at any grade level. Quick and easy games and activities will be shared.
E22 Sing Me a Story!
SCHAUMBURG EAST
P • K • 1 • 2 • A
Nathalia Palis
In this interactive course participants will learn a basic understanding of how music and language are developed in the brain. Participants will learn to integrate musical activities and rhythmic games to enhance early literacy skills such as language acquisition, vocabulary, phonemic awareness, and comprehension. No prior music skills required for this course.
E23 Unleash the Scientist Within
SCHAUMBURG WEST
P • K
Greg Smedley Warren
Turn your classroom into an exciting mad science lab with this engaging science session! Discover the numerous benefits of incorporating hands-on science activities into your teaching. Explore simple yet captivating science experiments that will spark curiosity and excitement in your class, so that you can unleash the scientist within each of your students!
F01 Transform Your Mornings With Morning Work Bins
UTOPIA A
K • 1 • 2
Marsha McGuire
Say goodbye to boring worksheets and hello to amazing morning work bins! Discover how to transform your morning work routine with engaging and interactive morning work activities that use fine motor to address essential skills in Math and ELA. As your students progress and master more complex skills, learn how to evolve your morning work bins to keep them challenged and excited.
F02 Cultivating Compassionate
Classrooms: A Focus on SEL and Mindfulness
UTOPIA B
P • K • 1 • 2 • A
LeAnna Wolkis Goldstein
Join us for an enlightening exploration of how children can enhance their social emotional learning using a unique set of Self-Soothing Tools. These tools not only support positive interactions but also help maintain focused attention. Discover how to cultivate an environment where students feel safe to engage in meaningful conversations, thereby advancing their communication skills. Watch as children become empowered to stand on their “Box Of Courage” through calming techniques that boost their mindfulness. Let LeAnna guide you in equipping your classroom with its own set of SEL Super Powers!
F03 Games, Games and More Games!
UTOPIA C
K • 1 • 2
Kurt Schwengel
Repeat Session: See K04 - Join Kurt as he walks you through the dozens of fine motor, card and board games he plays with his Kindergarten class throughout the year! Kurt runs a true play-based Kindergarten and could not do it without all the fun and academic games!
F04 Pave the Way for Scientific Literacy
UTOPIA D
K • 1 • 2
Katie Mense
Kids are naturally curious about the world around them. Tap into that curiosity by blending Science into your everyday instruction. In this session, Katie will show you lots of fun, hands-on ways to engage your little scientists and build their scientific understanding through authentic exploration.
F05 Songs, Chants, Raps
EUPHORIA
P • K
Shannon Cunningham
This interactive session with Shannon will leave you excited to sing and dance in your class! Come ready to move, groove, and have some FUN! Shannon will teach and lead you in simple, but engaging songs and dances to incorporate across all learning subjects. No singing talent is required to participate!
Thursday, Mar. 6th - SESSION
F06 Teach, Play, Learn!
NIRVANA A K
Adam Peterson
Ever feel like you’re bogged down with curriculum, standards, and new manuals? Well, never fear, Adam is here! Using tried and true methods, Adam will have you laughing, moving, playing, and learning as you explore ways to make your standards more fun than ever before. With simple tweaks and classroom hacks to board games, card games, and more, you can have your students of any age learning through play in so many ways!
F07 Learning How to Write Letters and Numbers with Tiny Treasures
NIRVANA B
P • K
Jackie Kops
Make learning letters and numbers FUN and hands-on using tiny treasures and nontraditional surfaces from your local dollar spot and dollar store! Join this session to learn tons of new strategies and activities for teaching letter and number formation using tiny treasures like mini-erasers, gems, seasonal table scatter, sensory bags, writing trays, and other fun non-traditional writing surfaces like foil.
3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
F08 10 SOR Center Ideas Your Students Will Love
NIRVANA C
K • 1 • 2
Deedee Wills
Repeat Session: See L06 - Are you ready for some research-based literacy centers? Deedee will walk you through ten hands-on centers aligned with the Science of Reading framework, focusing on key components such as phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
F09 Understand my Brain. Understand my Behavior. Turning Trauma Research into Practice
CONNECTION
P • K • 1 • 2 • A
Heidy LaFleur
In order to take our situations from chaos to calm we welcome awareness between brain health and behavior by connecting the Social Emotional AlphabetTM to trauma-brain research. All past experiences, circumstances & stories of our little ones determine physical and emotional regulation which can be communicated through anger, defiance and misunderstood intent. Learning the art of responding rather than reacting starts with self-regulation skills, trauma-brain awareness and a proactive mindset that resets everyday. Using Heidy’s Social Emotional AlphabetTM combined with the research of Dr. Bruce Perry, Dr. Lori Desautels & Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, you will gain necessary insight into the why behind behavior and learn what you can control with your Actions, Words & Expressions (AWE).
F10 Celebrating and Supporting Diversity Through Children’s Literature
IMAGINATION
P • K • 1 • 2
Adrienne Logan
Dr. Buffy Stauffer
This session dives into how to integrate “Windows, Mirrors, and Doors”, a concept birthed by Rudine Sims Bishop, into your classroom. Through the use of children’s literature, identities can be supported and celebrated in your classroom and school. You will walk away with an understanding of the depth of identity, how to integrate identity work into your classroom and culture, and curricular work.
F11 Sparking STEAM in Preschool Classrooms
INNOVATION
P Areulia Davis
This engaging workshop demonstrates the vital role of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics in early childhood education. Through interactive demonstrations and practical strategies, discover how to captivate young minds and promote critical thinking with engaging STEM activities. Experience handson activities that seamlessly integrate STEM into your daily curriculum, fostering a love for learning and innovation. Whether you’re an experienced educator or new to the field,
this workshop equips you with the tools and confidence to create an inspiring and stimulating learning environment. Don’t miss this opportunity to transform your teaching approach and ignite a passion for discovery in your preschoolers!
F12 Enhancing Your Curriculum: IDNR Science Resources KNOWLEDGE
P • K • 1 • 2 • A Lorna Shuman
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Division of Education provides Illinoisspecific materials and programs to the teachers in the state. On a tour using our website, we will explore ways to enhance the science curriculum with grants, lessons, professional development, publications, items for loans, and videos and podcasts. All of these resources assist educators in implementing the topic immediately into the existing curriculum to provide supplemental, Illinois-specific information.
Explore practices and strategies to build language skills through meaningful talk in the primary classrooms. Consider ways to give your multilingual students entry points to interaction with content, through fun and engaging, science of reading aligned, activities. Loud classrooms lead to language growth… come see why and how! Leave with ready-to-use tools and templates that you can use right away!
Nikki Schroedle
Grace VanDerKolk
F14 CSI: Kindergarten Counting on Sum Imagination
PROSPERITY
K • 1 • 2
Explore the magic of math and how it takes its course in young minds using a math workshop model.
F15 Boosting Vocabulary: Fun & Effective Strategies for Grade 2 Readers
SERENITY
2
Denine Jimmerson
Bola Disu
Are you looking for creative ideas to seamlessly integrate Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary into your everyday instruction? Join our session designed just for Grade 2 educators! Discover how to make vocabulary fun, effective, and a natural part of your daily routines and instruction!
F16 Social Emotion Learning-Yoga and Emotional Intelligence SCHAUMBURG A/B
P • K • 1 • 2
Toni Wierig
Enhance your student’s well-being by diving into SEL strategies such as self awareness and self-management and how you can apply this to your every day classroom. You will go on a children’s yoga mini-lesson journey that explores different SEL topics.
Session numbers are in numeric order; however, missing numbers do not mean missing sessions.
Do you feel you don’t understand all the sections of the IEP? Do you feel you know everything there is to know about writing and implementing an IEP? If you answered Yes to either of these questions, this workshop is for you! How can it be both? All due process hearings stem from poorly written IEPs. Whether you are a general or special education teacher, this will help you have a better understanding of how to write and implement IEPs that truly provide FAPE while meeting the unique needs of the child and preparing them for further education, employment, and independent living.
F18 Let’s Talk About Reading
SCHAUMBURG D
K • 1 • 2
Celeste Rusin
Hailey Lively
Deanna King
Join us for a fun-filled, interactive session, as we share ideas and strategies for fostering collaborative conversations about Reading in the early childhood classroom that support the new IL Comprehensive Literacy Plan!
F19 The Importance of PLAY in the Classroom
SCHAUMBURG F
P • K
Ashley Passfield
Dana Imlah
Play has been a topic of conversation for the last few years. It is not uncommon to hear people who are not in the ECE field say, “Well, all you do all day is play,” or “Why do you play so much? Don’t you know the children need to learn? Come to hear how we have tried to overcome those conversations and see how you can incorporate different ways to play across major components of ECE. Be prepared to share ideas from your classroom.
F20 Writing Without Worksheets
SCHAUMBURG G
K • 1 • 2
Rebecca Rael
This session focuses on
infusing writing into every aspect of a learner’s day from arrival to dismissal. We’ll spend a short time reviewing why writing is important, compare the benefits and woes of student-led writing to skill and drill writing, and then come away with practical writing activities that can be implemented upon your return to the classroom. Come write without worksheets!
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F21 But She Talks at Home! Understanding Selective Mutism in Young Children
SCHAUMBURG H
P • K • 1 • 2 • A
Kathy Slattery
Selective Mutism is a confusing childhood anxiety disorder where children can talk at home and in places they are comfortable, but are unable to speak in other places, including school and early care group settings. We will discuss the signs and symptoms of selective mutism and how the educator can support these children in overcoming this condition. Additional resources to extend your learning after the conference will be provided to bring back to your program team.
F22 Music Brings Us Together!
SCHAUMBURG EAST
P • K • 1 • 2
Nathalia Palis
In this engaging workshop, participants will explore the fundamental ways music influences our social interactions and environment. You’ll discover practical strategies to use music as a powerful tool for fostering social awareness, deepening cultural understanding, and encouraging empathy and respect. No prior musical experience is necessary to participate.
F23 Centers Made Simple
SCHAUMBURG WEST K
Greg Smedley-Warren
Explore standards-based and differentiated math and literacy centers while learning effective management strategies. Discover how center wheels and tubs can streamline the process, making it easy for both you and your students through choice and voice.
Pump Up Primary Virtual Conference
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Access starts March 28, 2025
25 Hours of Professional Development!
Making Math Hands-On with Mary Amoson
Integrating Science and Social Science with Mary Amoson
Number Quest - Exploring Math with Picture Books with Kerri Brown
AI Tools for Teachers with Shannon Cunningham
Small Groups in the Structured Literacy World with Jacob Daggett
Cultivating Compassionate Classrooms: A Focus of SEL & Mindfulness with LeAnna Wolkis Goldstein
Classroom Magic: Let’s Plan Three Dramatic Play Transformations for Maximizing Learning with Jackie Kops
Transform Your Mornings with Morning Work Bins with Marsha McGuire
Differentiating Literacy Stations with Marsha McGuire
Five ways to SQUEEZE in Fine Motor with Katie Mense
Storytime SEL: The ABCs of Emotional Learning through Picture Books with Crystal Oswald
Tuning into Emotions: Music as a Tool for Social Emotional Learning with Nathalia Palis
Model, Motivate, Write, Repeat! with Adam Peterson
Teaching Social Studies with Research Projects with Greg Smedley-Warren
MATHmagicians with Hilary Statum
Highly Usable Music for Every Day! with “Miss Carole” Stevens
Making Meaning through Knowledge Building with Christine Decarbo Wagers
Five Ways to Teach Sight Words with the Brain in Mind with Deedee Wills
*****NEW SESSIONS ADDED*****
Shuffling Into Math _Primary Math Games with Jane Felling
Connecting The Dots _Primary Domino Math Games with Jane Felling
Shake Up Your Primary Operational Fluency with Jane Felling
On A Roll To Literacy_Primary with Jane Felling
Decoding in Action: Transform Your Classroom into a Reading Powerhouse with Angela Griffith
Fluency Matters: Cultivating Proficient Readers with Angela Griffith
Creating Engaged Writers in the Primary Classroom with Angela Griffith Click
I01 Bridging the Gap: Evidence-Based Strategies for Struggling Readers
UTOPIA A
K • 1 • 2
Angela Griffith
Discover proven interventions and targeted support strategies designed to unlock the literacy potential of struggling readers in K-2, and aligned with the science of reading principles to improve literacy outcomes.
I02 Transforming Spaces Into Playful Learning Environments
UTOPIA B
P • K • 1 • 2
LeAnna Wolkis Goldstein
Repeat Session: See A02 - In this innovative and engaging session, we will explore the transformative power of playful environments in educational spaces. Discover how to reimagine your classroom and other corners of your learning areas to foster creativity, collaboration, and active engagement among students. Through a blend of theoretical insights and practical strategies, this workshop will equip teachers with the tools to transform, design, and implement playful, dynamic spaces that enhance the learning experience.
I03 Time to Simplify Your Reading Centers
UTOPIA C
K • 1 • 2
Keri Brown
Dreaming of reading centers that run like a well-oiled machine? This session is your guide to creating engaging and effective reading centers. We’ll break down the planning process into manageable steps, exploring creative skill-building activities and efficient organization strategies. Discover tips for teaching students how to navigate centers independently, maximizing their learning time. Leave equipped with practical tools and a fresh perspective on simplifying your reading centers and empowering your students to become independent learners!
I04 MATHmagicians
UTOPIA D
K • 1 • 2
Hillary Statum
Let’s make math magical! In this interactive session, you will learn why game-based learning helps make abstract concepts tangible and fun for early learners. Get YOUR game on with hands-on activities and demonstrations of various math games covering essential skills. Head back to your classroom with a checklist of math games, templates, strategies, ideas and materials to implement immediately to transform your students into MATHmagicians!
The science of reading is not just about phonics! In this session, Christina focuses on the language comprehension side of the reading rope. Learn the importance of background knowledge and the critical role it plays in our students’ comprehension skills. Discover creative whole-group and smallgroup activities that cement understanding and result in rich discussions. You’ll fall in love with these simple yet powerful activities that will help you integrate science, social studies, and literacy with ease!
I06 Rock and Roll Kindergarten!
NIRVANA A
P • K • 1 • 2
Kurt Schwengel
Repeat Session: See C03 - Come explore an ENTIRE year worth of exciting curriculum and thematic units! Kurt has been teaching these thematic units for 28 years now. Units include: Dinosaurs, Mystery, Star Wars, Gold, Baseball, Basketball, Bowling, Japan, Construction, Pizza Restaurant, and Pirates! Let’s have some fun!
I08 Teaching Social Studies with Research Projects
NIRVANA C
K • 1 • 2
Greg Smedley Warren
Are you looking for a new and developmentally appropriate way to teach social studies standards? In this session, you will learn how to bring social studies to life and integrate ELA standards using research projects! You’ll learn how these research projects work and how they integrate research, writing, art, and literacy into each lesson.
I09 How Useful is Literacy Assessment Data? CONNECTION
P • K • 1 • 2 • A Tangenia Jones
This session will focus on utilizing literacy diagnostic and screening assessments to inform instruction. We will discuss ways to tailor instructional plans to meet the needs of individual students and small groups. Attendees will learn the difference between the types of assessments, how to create lesson plans to effectively provide instruction in areas of need, monitor progress, and use the data from progress monitoring to make decisions about future teaching and learning. Educators will learn grouping strategies to easily implement phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and comprehension skills lessons to assist students with reading growth and development.
Tailored specifically for teaching reading in Spanish within a primary, dual-language classroom setting, this presentation offers a structured framework for a systematic approach to teaching Spanish early literacy that weaves the critical components of reading skills in Spanish. Participants will be introduced to the Spanish Reading Tapestry, a linguistically-authentic framework of critical components of reading in Spanish. Together, participants will delve into a practical analysis of key linguistic differences between Spanish and English, enabling them to leverage cross-linguistic connections effectively. Ultimately, this presentation aims to equip educators with practical tools to effectively teach Spanish early literacy skills, foster biliteracy, and instill sociocultural competence among students.
I11
Broken
Crayons Still
Color. What’s in Your Crayola Box?
INNOVATION
P • K • 1 • 2 • A
Shanette Gaston
A session on the importance of self-care, defining, describing, discussing, and creating room in our crayon box for “self.”
I12 Elevate & Educate: Building Critical Thinkers in Urban Pre-K Settings
KNOWLEDGE
P
Melody Brooks-Johnson
In urban Pre-K settings, too many children enter kindergarten ill-prepared, trapped in a cycle of rote learning and memorization. This approach stifles creativity and critical thinking, leaving them ill-equipped for the future. It’s time to shift our focus from mere memorization to fostering true understanding and curiosity, emphasizing the process of learning.
Are you overwhelmed by the persistent focus on memorization and repetitive tasks? Frustrated by missed opportunities to nurture critical thinking in our youngest learners? Tired of classrooms that prioritize rote learning over higher-order thinking skills? If you resonate with these concerns, join us for “Elevate & Educate: Building Critical Thinkers in Urban PreK Settings.”
This presentation will ignite a movement to transform ECE classrooms into vibrant hubs of learning where every child thrives. Break free from traditional methods and empower students to think critically and engage with curiosity. Let’s revolutionize early childhood education in urban communities together.
Clips on Red, Yellow, Green, or Blue…It’s time we do away with you! We can’t teach a classroom we can’t manage, but are clip charts helping us manage? It’s time we do away with behavior clip charts and dojos and start teaching children through connection and correction. Through Connection and Correction, we can build relationships with students and teach them through the moment. Through this IDEAL approach, teachers can stay connected with their students and replace the behavior that is occurring, positively. Students can’t do better if they don’t know better. Say goodbye to color codes that go home to parents and hello to a classroom that you can manage successfully.
I14 Talk, Read, Talk, Write: Creating a Language Rich Classroom
PROSPERITY
K • 1 • 2
Jennifer Janoso
Laura Carbajal-Ramirez
Talk, Read, Talk, Write is a discourse strategy created by Nancy Motley that we have successfully implemented and used with our K-5 students throughout the district. This strategy allows all learners to have the opportunity to engage in all four language
domains of listening, speaking, reading, and writing within any content. Learn more about how this strategy supports the development of students’ literacy skills.
I15 Creative and Equative Curriculum Design for Early Elementary General Music Educators
SERENITY
P • K • 1 • 2
Julieanna Pomian
Erika Mora-Postma
Having worked as a music educator in the South Suburbs of Chicago for 16 years, Julieanna faced challenges such as limited supplies, budget resources and classrooms spread across two school buildings. Collaborating with departments was crucial in utilizing resources like technology, collaboration, and adaptive instruments. By subscribing to YouTube channels and ordering instruments, she managed to teach effectively despite a small budget.
I16 Yoga and Mindfulness: Reducing Stress at Work
SCHAUMBURG A/B
P • K • 1 • 2
Karissa James
Participants will learn to incorporate the eight limbs of yoga to bring mindfulness into their daily school lives. The activities will be practiced in-session, and participants will leave feeling refreshed and equipped with tools to use when times get stressful.
I17 Fostering Independent Readers: Strategies for 1st-2nd Grade Educators
SCHAUMBURG C
1 • 2
Samantha Catain
Sharon Youngblood
Join us for a session focused on putting students in the driver’s seat with independent, accountable reading. We will guide you through the process of creating a classroom environment where students are empowered to choose their own books, apply skills learned in class, develop reading stamina, and integrate reading and writing into homework. Aligned with curriculum standards and naturally differentiated, our approach caters to diverse learners. Through reflections and feedback, we will showcase the impact of our strategies on student growth. This session is tailored for 1st-2nd grade educators seeking practical strategies to promote independent reading and nurture a love for literacy. Learn from a second-grade teacher and an instructional coach about the process of implementing independent reading, low-prep, standardsaligned activities, enhancements in year two, and the role of student-centered coaching. Gain new ideas to effectively cultivate essential skills for students to become successful, engaged, independent readers and writers!
I18 How to Achieve 1.5 Years Growth in Reading and Math in Inner City and Rural Schools
SCHAUMBURG D
K • 1 • 2 • A
Shawn Hurt
Do you feel pressure to close the achievement gap? The added layers of servicing students with disabilities, minority students, students living in poverty- all while in charters operating with limited resources makes this task seem impossible. This highly skilled turnaround specialist will demonstrate to participants how to achieve one and a half years worth of growth for all students through implementing culturally responsive teaching strategies, facilitating data dialogs, planning purposeful professional development, and establishing sustainable partnerships.
I19 Science Time
SCHAUMBURG F
P • K • 1 • 2
Sherry Ann Wolfer
Repeat Session: See A20 - You don’t have to be a scientist to do or have science in your classroom. Learn how to incorporate science into all areas of the classroom. Explore this “hands-on” workshop that contains easy and inexpensive science experiments, science activities and science table top props that you can do with children from two years old through one hundred plus years old.
During this session, we will learn how to play with all five senses! We will get messy and create openended, budget-friendly experiences to take back to the classroom!
I21 Teaching Bilingual Children in the ECE
Classroom
SCHAUMBURG H
P • A
Evelyn Mescha Ashley Passfield
Programs sometimes have children who speak little to no English. This happens in public and private settings. Hear how we have overcome these barriers and challenges while we work with families to engage, support, and provide the best quality of learning. Be prepared to share strategies you have used and collaborate with others.
In this inspiring and motivational keynote, Adam shares stories and experiences from his classroom and his time in education that will remind teachers why their students think they are the BEST! From building relationships and strategies that are sure to engage kids, to teaching beyond the curriculum and reaching the child within the student, Adam’s stories of his tried and true methods will have you laughing, learning, and ready to head back to your classroom. Leave the session inspired and ready to make every single day the best it possibly can be with your students!
K01 Decoding in Action: Transform Your Classroom into a Reading Powerhouse
UTOPIA A
K • 1 • 2
Angela Griffith
Repeat Session: See A01 - Are you ready to equip your students with the skills they need for success? Then this session is just for you! Embrace the power of decodable text and innovative decoding strategies to fuel your students’ passion for reading. Join Angela as she explains practical methods that instill the confidence to handle complex words!
K02 Five Ways to SQUEEZE in Fine Motor
UTOPIA B
P • K • 1
Katie Mense
Your standards are plenty and your curriculum is fast-paced. You know as a teacher that those little hands in front of you need to build fine motor skills, but there’s seemingly no time to teach it! Join Katie as she gives you five concrete, practical ways to “squeeze” fine motor skills into your day. From ways to integrate sensory bins to building a proper pencil grip, this session will give you tips of the trade from inside the trenches of a K-1 classroom to implement immediately back in yours!
K03 Let’s Write! 7 Ideas with a BIG Writing Impact
UTOPIA C
K • 1 • 2
Keri Brown
Want to see your students brimming with confidence and excitement to write? This session equips you with 7 powerful yet easy-to-implement ideas that will impact their writing journey. Discover strategies to help them tackle unknown words, generate broader topics, overcome the “blank page” blues, and begin creating their own books. Leave with practical tools and inspiration to nurture a generation of independent young writers in your classroom!
K04 Games, Games and More Games!
UTOPIA D
K • 1 • 2
Kurt Schwengel
K05 Differentiating Literacy Stations
EUPHORIA
K
Marsha McGuire
Learn how to create literacy stations in your classroom that foster independence, engagement, and meaningful activities, leading to student success. Marsha can guide you in organizing, implementing, and maintaining differentiated stations that help students practice essential skills to become successful readers.
K06 Let’s Say it with Pictures! 15 Picture Books to Teach Writing
NIRVANA A
K • 1 • 2
Deedee Wills
How do we engage emergent writers in writing? How about some powerful mentor texts? Deedee will share picture books and the lessons you can immediately use in your own classroom.
Repeat Session: See F03 - Join Kurt as he walks you through the dozens of fine motor, card and board games he plays with his Kindergarten class throughout the year! Kurt runs a true play-based Kindergarten and could not do it without all the fun and academic games. CLICK here for the HANDOUTS
K07 Classroom Magic: Play Transformations for Maximum Learning Impact!
NIRVANA B
P • K
Jackie Kops
Repeat Session: See C07 - Play is powerful! Let’s dive deeply into transforming the dramatic play center and pack learning into their play in an intentional, manageable way. Jackie will walk you through how to plan, step by step, two different dramatic play transformations, streamlining the planning process into easy-to-implement pieces for you to take back to the classroom and replicate in your planning process. She will model how to integrate social skills, literacy, math, science, and fine motor standards into their play, build their background knowledge and vocabulary, and create dramatic play props using simple materials you likely have in your supply closet for those two theme transformations. We’ll dive into specific strategies and techniques to increase student engagement and increase expected student behaviors. Get off to a great start with three unit plans done for you so you can create intentional dramatic play centers that will increase student learning and engagement all year long!
K08 Sound Walls in K-2 Classrooms
NIRVANA C
K • 1 • 2
Jake Daggett
Do I need a word wall? Do I need a sound wall? How do I use a sound wall? How do students use a sound wall? What IS a sound wall? Answer all these FAQs and more in Jake’s phonological and orthographic sound wall usage exploration.
K10 Beyond Tip Sheets: Using Resources from Illinois Early Learning to Support Teachers and Families IMAGINATION
P • A
Emily Dorsey
Natalie Danner
Many early childhood educators are familiar with the tip sheets produced by Illinois Early Learning (IEL). While these trusted, multilingual, one-page handouts on a variety of topics will always be a staple, IEL has so much more to offer! Join us for a guided tour of the IEL website and its associated social media platforms. Learn about our other content, including podcasts, resources related to the 2013 Early Learning and Development Standards (IELDS), blogs, learning at home activities, Q&As, tool kits, and Project Approach resources. You’ll leave with better knowledge of the IEL website, and specific ideas of how programs can incorporate these resources into the classroom and interactions with families.
K11 Breaking the Silence: Three Strategies for Building Connections! INNOVATION
1 • 2 • A Tamiko Nettles
No more wondering why moments of silence occur in your classroom with hard to reach students. This interactive session will guide participants in uncovering their student’s moment of silence through a read aloud of Tamiko Nettles’ “Joyce, Joyce, There’s Power in Your Voice” short story. Participants will discover how Joyce, a 4th grade student, navigated educational spaces she found herself in and three strategies to uncover their voice or the voices of their students in the midst of everything around them.
Participants will leave the session with three strategies to enhance teacher to student relationships, create a new story to unlock their student’s voice, and learn how to build more agency driven empathetic inclusive leaders in their classroom.
K12 Families as Educational Partners in the Primary Classroom KNOWLEDGE
K • 1 • 2
Laura Eichberger
Families are an integral part of the Triangle of Support (parents, child, teacher). Our Kindergarten PLC has been growing family engagement by inviting families to be our educational partners. We welcome families into our classroom and school communities
and offer opportunities to become more equitable partners in their child(ren)’s educational journey. We engage families by providing informative communications regarding children’s academic, social emotional, and behavioral development. These opportunities empower families to support their children’s learning and build a bridge between home and school.
K13 Smooth Transitions from PreK to K - It’s a Process!
EPIPHANY
P • K
Lynn Burgett
Michelle Escapa
Repeat Session: See C11Come and learn some concrete ways to provide a smooth transition from Preschool to Kindergarten. We will introduce you to a process that includes creating a team, working together to set goals and create an action plan, implement your plan and celebrate successes. You will hear about the work that is currently going on with 3 districts that are implementing this process, and you will leave with some practical ways, and tools for starting the process in your district.
cómo transformar el salón de clases en un vibrante museo de arte, impulsado por los propios estudiantes. Aprenderán a integrar la lectoescritura con el arte, inspirando a los alumnos a investigar y crear obras influenciadas por artistas icónicos como Vincent Van Gogh, Jackson Pollock y Frida Kahlo. Esta presentación proporcionará estrategias prácticas para fomentar la creatividad y la expresión escrita, convirtiendo el salón en un espacio dinámico de aprendizaje y exploración cultural.
K15 stressEd to death
SERENITY
P • K • 1 • 2 • A
Heather Baker
Educators are facing the highest levels of stress and burnout in decades, often being forced to address and prioritize the health and wellbeing of others over their own. Stressed-out educators are less productive, struggle with absenteeism, and have a much higher risk for illness and major medical problems. In this session, learn about the negative impacts of stress on the body from a recovering stress-aholic and Sudden Cardiac Arrest survivor who was quite literally stressed to death at the age of 28 while working as a school administrator.
K16 Highly Usable Music for Every Day!
SCHAUMBURG A/B
P • K • 1 • 2
Carole “Miss Carole” Stephens
Repeat Session: See C16 - Music serves a purpose for students of all abilities, interests, and capabilities – and it’s fun! Need to calm OR energize your classroom – rhythmic call/response songs fit the bill. Need a brain break? Thirty - sixty seconds of a musical activity can re-focus the mood from indifferent to engaged. Not a singer? Not a problem! Join Miss Carole for what might become classroom classics!
K17 Handwriting: The Kinesthetic Connection to the Brain
SCHAUMBURG C
K • 1 • 2
Holly Britton
Discuss the important connection that writing by hand has to learning. The focus will be on how handwriting provides a unique connection between the brain and the body and the lasting impact explicit handwriting instruction has on early learners and their future learning.
Session numbers are in numeric order; however, missing numbers do not mean missing sessions.
K18 Intentional Use of Loose Parts to Promote Critical Thinking
SCHAUMBURG D
P • K
Debra Honegger
Sarah Jaime
The educational philosophy of loose parts is one that promotes inquiry—allowing students the freedom to explore, collaborate, and discover theories and absolutes for themselves—so that the learning will stick. Explore multiple ways to use loose parts to encourage more complex play and move learning forward.
K19 The Positive Primary Classroom
SCHAUMBURG F
P • K • 1 • 2
Ashlyn Ellsworth
CANCELLED
Join Ashlyn as she shares powerful ways to build and maintain a positive classroom community centered around kindness and trust. You will walk away from this session with tips and strategies that you can take back to your primary classroom to put into practice right away to create an environment that each of your students needs to be able to learn and grow through social emotional learning.
K20 DIY Curriculum Supported Materials for the Early Childhood/ Primary Classroom
SCHAUMBURG G
P • K • 1 • 2
Jennifer Freeland-Wieder
Use recyclables, dollar store finds and art supplies to create quick curriculum materials to support literature/author studies, standards, themes and studies. Come make and take math and literacy materials you can use for lessons, small group work or centers.
K21 Making Math Easy & Fun!
SCHAUMBURG H
P • K
Karen Graber
Repeat Session: See D21 - This session is packed with easy and fun math activities that can be used for whole group instruction or centers. I will share ideas that will cover the math standards while making math easy and fun.
L01 Find New Picture Books for Social Emotional Learning
UTOPIA A
P • K • 1 • 2
Becky Anderson
Repeat Session: See D01 - This session will be on SEL-Social Emotional Learning picture books that are great selections for classrooms from Pre-2nd grade. The four major topics of those books would include: Empathy and Kindness, Emotion Management, Growth Mindset and Goal Setting and Problem Solving. SEL education is important right now, as it helps children to understand themselves and others. It builds empathy, communication skills, and relationships. These soft skills are important in young lives and will continue to build as they grow up. In addition to SEL new books, some new Read Alouds, new non-fiction, and other new books will be presented as well. All books will be available for inspection, handouts will be available, and books will be offered for purchase at a professional discount in the booth on the exhibit floor.
L02 Maximizing Student
Engagement: Effective Time On Task Techniques
UTOPIA B
P • K • 1 • 2 • A
LeAnna Wolkis Goldstein
Repeat Session: See D02 - Discover innovative strategies and techniques to energize your classroom, promote active participation, cultivate cooperative learning and a passion for learning. Unlock the secrets to
captivating your students’ attention and fostering a dynamic learning environment in this engaging session. Learn how to hook your students, utilize technology effectively, and implement interactive activities that keep students motivated and focused. Join LeAnna to explore practical approaches that transform your classroom into a vibrant hub of engagement and enthusiasm!
L03 Energize Your Day With Morning Meeting
UTOPIA C K
Greg Smedley Warren
Repeat Session: See D23Discover a powerful tool to enhance your classroom management and foster a sense of community - the morning meeting! Explore how dedicating just 10-20 minutes each morning can transform your classroom dynamics. Learn how the four components of morning meeting: greetings, activities, sharing and morning messages, can enrich your classroom experience.
Repeat Session: See A04Get ready for some ahha moments! Hilary shares tools and strategies along with real-life scenarios and demonstrations to help you manage your classroom effectively. You’ll receive practical advice for handling common classroom challenges and transitions. Whether you are new to teaching or an experienced educator, you will head back to your classroom with an abundance of resources, ideas, and the confidence needed to create a positive, productive, and engaging learning environment for you and your students!
L05 Turn Tricky Into Sticky! Brain-Based Activities to Connect Letters to Sounds
EUPHORIA
K • 1 • 2
Christina Decarbo Wagers
Repeat Session: See D03 - Did you know that the latest research shows that phonemic awareness instruction is more effective when letters are presented along with sounds? In this engaging, hands-on session, Christina shares tons of games, activities, lessons, and ideas that will help students form strong phoneme-grapheme connections throughout the day. You’ll leave with quick but effective practices that you can use at the carpet, during morning meetings, small-groups, transition times, whole-group lessons, and
more! Get ready to move, groove, write, and play with letters and sounds in this jampacked session!
L06 10 SOR Center Ideas
Your Students Will Love
NIRVANA A
K • 1 • 2
Deedee Wills
Repeat Session: See F08 - Are you ready for some research-based literacy centers? Deedee will walk you through ten hands-on centers aligned with the Science of Reading framework, focusing on key components such as phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
L07 Creative Chaos: Embracing Process Art and Artful Explorations with Less Mess
NIRVANA B
K • 1 • 2
Jackie Kops
Repeat Session: See A07 - Embrace the beauty of process art while keeping your classroom under control! In this dynamic session, you’ll explore a wide range of process art activities that inspire young learners to express themselves freely and creatively. From painting to mixed media, discover how to implement open-ended projects that emphasize the creative process over the finished product. Alongside these art activities, you’ll gain practical classroom management strategies to ensure a smooth and engaging experience for all students and less stress and mess for the teacher.
No matter the curriculum, phonics has been in the news more than ever as districts move towards selecting curricula that are science of reading-aligned. Learn how to engage students with multisensory and kinesthetic approaches to your daily phonics block. Jake will take you through a sample phonics lesson, incorporating articulatory gestures throughout your visual, auditory, blending, and dictation drills.
L09 Every Child Deserves A Champion: Building Relationships Through Cultural Competence
CONNECTION
P • K • 1 • 2 • A
Cheryl Caesar
Roshaunda Hensen
This presentation will include research-based, real world strategies with a taste of humor and intrigue to identify and address barriers to becoming a champion for all students, to enhance educator capacity to respond to diverse groups of students with increased cultural competency and to implement immediately.
L11 Beyond Deescalation: A Guide to Understanding Student Behavior
INNOVATION
P • K • 1 • 2 • A
Ryan Reinecke
In education, understanding student behavior is paramount for fostering a supportive and productive learning environment. This presentation introduces the “8 C’s” framework: Core, Control, Connection, Competence, Curiosity, Cognitive dissonance, Compassion, and Confidence, as essential components for understanding and addressing student behavior. Drawing from a parable about perceptions and beliefs, the session challenges the notion of “bad” behavior and instead views it as an indication of unmet needs. By exploring each of the 8 C’s, educators will gain insights into the universal needs that drive student actions and learn practical strategies to meet these needs effectively. The session emphasizes the importance of perception, the role of educators, and the power of compassion in responding to challenging behaviors. Participants will leave with actionable tools to create a nurturing environment where students can achieve their fullest potential.
Share your 2025 Pump Up Primary experiences using our official Twitter & Instagram accounts!
L12 Leveraging AI in Special Education: Targeted and Intentional Learning Opportunities KNOWLEDGE
K • 1 • 2 • A
Sanja Bosman
In the realm of special education, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) holds immense promise for creating more targeted and intentional learning opportunities that cater to the diverse needs of students. This session will delve into the ethical considerations and practical strategies for harnessing the power of AI to empower educators in designing personalized interventions and supports that optimize student learning outcomes. Through real-world examples and actionable insights, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how AIdriven technologies can be leveraged to foster inclusivity, engagement, and achievement in special education settings.
L13 Spring Toward the Finish Line: Innovative Strategies to Refresh Literacy Routines EPIPHANY
K • 1 • 2
Maria Walther
Explore creative ways to innovate on literacy routines while boosting learning and engagement during the last few months of the school year. Discover practical strategies to support young students as they independently apply reading skills and strategies. Bring learners full circle and set them up for summer reading success.
L14 STEAM in Play PROSPERITY
P • K • 1 • 2 • A
Susie Towber
Kelly McKee
STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) education is increasingly recognized as crucial for early childhood development. Combining STEAM and play promotes curiosity and creativity while focusing on collaboration and communication. By harnessing children’s innate love of learning, we can create dynamic learning environments that foster critical thinking and problem-solving. Through fun hands-on activities, interactive demonstrations, and insightful discussions, participants will discover the transformative potential of integrating play into STEAM education. Participants in this session will leave with ideas and lessons to engage the youngest minds in STEAM during play! Come play, create, and learn with us!
L16 Make Music a Super Power in Your PreK/K Classroom!
SCHAUMBURG A/B
P • K • 1 • 2
Carole “Miss Carole” Stephens
Repeat Session: See D16 - Easy-peasy zipper songs, chants, fingerplays and movement activities to have ready to fill a minute or ten minutes. Not a singer? Not a problem! You can do this! Join Miss Carole for a serotonin boost you can pass on to your students tomorrow - and beyond!
L17 Data Collection for IEP Progress Reports
SCHAUMBURG C
P • K • 1 • 2 • A
Shelley Kenow
When progress reports are being sent more and more parents are also requesting the data to back up those reports. When they ask, you must provide. When a draft IEP is sent, the data collected to come up with the information in the draft must also be provided. This workshop will show you how to collect data properly and how that can be shared with the parents. The participant will leave with a deeper understanding of Data Collection, why it is important, time-saving tips, and sample data collection sheets.
L18 Strategies to Promote Student Engagement in the Classroom
SCHAUMBURG D
K • 1 • 2
Celeste Rusin
Hailey Lively
Deanna King
In this session, we will share our favorite strategies to promote student engagement in the classroom. Join us as we explore engagement strategies that promote cooperation and communication, while fostering students’ confidence to participate and share their ideas with peers. These strategies can help teachers build a positive, caring environment to enhance learning and help all learners thrive.
L19 Managing Big Behaviors from Little Learners
SCHAUMBURG F K • 1 • 2
Renata Serpico
Big behaviors come with big uncomfortable feelings. During this session, we will discuss how to track behaviors using FBAs (Functional Behavioral Assessments), create behavior plans, different strategies to implement, and different examples of visual supports within the classroom. This session will also include communication strategies when talking with families about the observed behaviors.
This session is an opportunity to learn from an Autistic adult that works in the field of education. I’ll be focusing on communication as a key component for successful work with students and families. As an Autistic person I like communication to be very clear and direct. I carry this through into my work, both with students and their families. This has helped me form strong bonds with both, leading to a highly successful classroom where both students and families learn a lot and love school.
L21 Inspiring Writing in a Multilingual Classroom
SCHAUMBURG H
K • 1 • 2
Samantha Mileto
The focus of this session will be how to scaffold writing for our multilingual learners. Through curricular material and comprehensible input strategies, teachers will be able to reach all levels of language proficiency within their classroom.
L22 ¡Ven y únete a la diversión de Kínder!
SCHAUMBURG EAST K
Rocio Torres Lourdes Buchs
Un día de kinder no es divertido sin centros de matemáticas ,lectura, o de jugar. Te mostramos algunos ejemplos y ideas y cómo organizar centros para una clase de kínder.
L23Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Whole Child
SCHAUMBURG WEST
P • K • 1 • 2
Brenda Perez-Mendoza
Emily Daisy Gasca
Margarita Lachica
This session focuses on the mission of the Multilingual Educator & Student Association (MESA), highlighting the essential role of multilingual educators in enhancing school improvement through equity, inclusion, and innovative teaching practices. Participants will explore strategies to empower multilingual educators and promote a diverse educational environment, underscoring multilingual education as critical to academic success.
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This session will provide practical and economical STEAM activities with directions and photos that will engage your students for a year-long cross-categorical connection not only in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics, but will provide effortless, creative Standards based activities to include ELA, Writing, and SEL. The session will include picture books, journals, scientific record keeping logs, sight word mini books and inexpensive shopping lists. I will introduce open-ended questions that provoke dialogue, promote observational skills, induce reflection and form theories.
M02 Can We Do That Again? Fun Ways to Develop the Basics of Number Sense
UTOPIA B
K • 1 • 2
Katie Mense
Repeat Session: See A08 - Hands-on learning is great for connecting abstract math topics to the real world. Get hands-on with Katie and discover ideas to give your students the foundation they need to be successful in Kindergarten! Come away with tons of engaging and fun activities along with easyto-implement math games that engage students, reinforce math skills, and build that number sense!
M03 Cracking the Code to Math Centers
UTOPIA C
K • 1 • 2
Keri Brown
Repeat Session: See E02Feeling overwhelmed by managing math centers? This session is your key to unlocking a smooth-running, engaging learning environment. We’ll go over a step-by-step process, from effective student assessment and grouping strategies to small group instruction and independent center activities. Gain valuable insights on teaching students center procedures and discover a playbook of ready-to-use center ideas for various math skills. Leave equipped with the knowledge and resources to transform your math centers into a place where students thrive!
M05 Model, Motivate, Write, Repeat!
EUPHORIA
K • 1 • 2
Adam Peteson
From tried and true techniques to publishing books with your students, this session has it all! Adam uses personal classroom experiences to give you all the help you need to create engaging lessons that will excite your students about writing. Through easy modeling, engaging motivational activities, and simple, creative books, your students will be ready to write like never before!
Gameplay is highly popular among students. Whether you’re looking for a game for your entire class or a smaller group, these games will keep your students engaged and motivated to practice important skills! Get ready to have some fun and gather great ideas for games that you can create and play in your own classroom.
M08 Be the Hand Raiser: From Compliance to Change
NIRVANA C
K • 1 • 2
Jake Daggett
Jake will unite us in our main goal: literacy as a civil right. He will reference key researchers in the field such as Anita Archer and Zaretta Hammond as he sets the tone for the urgency of NOW. With a 34% percent reading proficiency rate in America’s fourth graders, there is no time like the present to be an advocate in our school communities.Together with evidence and practice, we can move past compliance and be the change we want to see in schools. Let’s be the hand-raiser!
M09 Teacher Self Care and Effective Ways to Work with Parents CONNECTION
P • K
Susie Kostal
During this session, you will learn strategies for teacher self-care—how to stay sane in the world of Early Childhood Education. You will learn effective ways to work with parents and how to get family members involved and excited to be a part of your classroom.
M10 Exploring STEM Concepts Through Unplugged Activities IMAGINATION
P • K • 1 • 2
Kevin Schouten
Join me for an engaging session where we dive into the world of STEM through hands-on, unplugged activities suitable for elementary students. Unplugged STEM activities are designed to be screen-free and promote critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration skills. Participants will experience a series of activities that can be easily implemented in the classroom with minimal materials. This session is perfect for educators looking to integrate STEM in a fun and accessible way.
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M11 Commitments for Authentic, Positive and Caring Educators INNOVATION
P • K • 1 • 2
Scott Kubelka
Kari Keith
In the spirit of the classic Choose Your Own Adventure series, this will be an interactive session with participants having an opportunity to select educator commitments that they would like to learn most about. This session will expose you to a variety of authors’ best practices and fundamentals, particularly in the areas of communication, relationships, and critical thinking. Participants will leave the session with awareness of daily techniques that if implemented in earnest, will improve and strengthen your current environment whether it be a classroom, department, or school; students will grow and staff will feel empowered and valued.
M12 Thinking Outside the Box for Students with Trauma KNOWLEDGE
P • K • 1 • 2
Katie Love
This presentation will focus on thinking outside of the “educational box” to support the social emotional needs of our youngest students with trauma. We will explain resilience along with ways to create and maintain a supportive environment. This presentation isn’t simply a sharing of strategies, but tells the story of a journey we were on with a particular student. Through this case study, we share what we learned, what we would have done differently, and how we supported teachers and staff along the way despite their frustrations. We present not only tried and true strategies like making meaningful connections and collecting data to find the function of behaviors, but then show administrators how they can “blow up their systems,” doing what’s best for the student, not what’s easiest for the school or the adults. We also talk about how to handle parent concerns about disruptive behavior and what to do when teachers are constantly saying, “He needs an IEP.”
M13 Beyond Four Walls: Outdoor Recess as a Complement to Classroom Engagement
EPIPHANY
K • 1 • 2
Valerie Mulvenna
Can outdoor recess help students engage with academic material in the classroom? Research has shown that allowing students to have regular breaks outdoors can improve their focus, attention span, and overall academic performance. Outdoor play has been linked to increased creativity, problemsolving skills, and emotional wellbeing. Valerie will also share her dissertation findings on this topic. Join us in this session to discover how providing students with opportunities for outdoor play can enhance their cognitive abilities, social skills, and physical health!
M14 Change is the Only Constant: How to Lead through Change A
PROSPERITY
Beth Napleton
Melissa Boshans
In schools, change is a given. It could be related to staffing… instruction… culture… or be a reflection of organizational growing pains or external events. Whether it’s in your locus of control or out of your locus of control, in this session leaders and administrators will learn a helpful framework for leading change management initiatives and how to emerge without permanent scars, organizationally
or personally! (Beth and Melissa have seen it all!). This session is hands-on, actionable, and uses real-life examples from Melissa’s school so others can analyze and model their practices, allowing participants to leave with an actionable framework to apply in their own school setting.
M15 Trauma 101: Trauma, the Alarm & the Response SERENITY
P • K • 1 • 2
Sarah Nauman
Trauma, the alarm, and the response explores many different objectives that revolve around understanding trauma and its impact on the way individuals navigate life. In this presentation, we will explore what trauma is, the impact of trauma on the brain, how trauma may impact our students and their academic performance and why, what trauma may look like in the classroom, and tips and tricks in supporting our school aged students from a trauma informed approach. Participants will leave this presentation with a shifted compassionate mindset and with confidence to support the main idea that it takes just one genuine connection to change the trajectory of someone’s life.
M16 “I See You, I See Me” The Multicultural Classroom
SCHAUMBURG A/B
P • K • 1 • 2
Chenelle Price
In this session, the objective would be to explore ways to provide learning opportunities for children to engage in difference, embrace sameness, and have confidence in their identity. This would be done through the exploration of ageappropriate literature (classroom readalouds), unique classroom activities, and ways to represent diversity in curriculum, increasing student motivation for learning. We will also discuss ways to support students from various cultures and with diverse learning styles.
M17 Reading Rescue: Small Group Support System
SCHAUMBURG C
K • 1 • 2 • A
Tamia Peterson
This presentation will deepen your understanding of the science of reading and effective teaching strategies , equipping you with the Knowlege to enhance your reading instruction for ALL learners . Participants will walk away knowing how to tailor their reading support to meet the diverse needs of their students , even if they struggle to provide personalized help due to time constraints or lack of resources to implement a systematic approach.
M18 Beanstalks & Billy Goats: Why Modern Children Still Need Folktales (And How To Teach Them)
SCHAUMBURG D
P • K • 1 • 2
Kristi Schauer
Every culture has fairy tales and folk tales that have been preserved through oral tradition or written language. These stories are our cultural and literary heritage, and they are essential for modern children to know. This session will explain what fairy tales and folktales are and why they are important. It will provide ways to teach folktales that honor the child as a unique individual, while also honoring the wonder and joy of the stories themselves. Attendees will learn how reading fairytales and folktales in their classrooms can help children improve language and literacy skills, and promote multicultural and social-emotional learning. They will also learn how to use the evidencebased practice of narration to teach folktales, and how narration lays the foundation that other academic skills build upon. Ideas for supporting neurodiverse learners will be provided, along with recommended book titles and recommended classroom resources. Teachers will leave the session knowing why folktales and fairy tales are important, and how to teach them even to their most challenging students.
In this session, we will discuss information regarding the Science of Reading - using phonics-based literacy strategies within reading and literacy instruction. We will discuss current research surrounding the Science of Reading in education today. We will break down the components of Structured Literacy and discuss how to implement this approach into the classroom setting.
M20 The Power of Stonework Play
SCHAUMBURG G
P • K • 1 • 2
Amy Sussna Klein
For most of this session, participants will have stones and participate in Stonework Play. Stonework Play, founded by Diana Suskind, is a self-directed way to engage in meaningful play with an element of nature. This play fosters imagination and has five carefully outlined steps that build upon one another. The steps are; (1) gathering, (2) constructing, (3) rendering, (4) narrating, and (5) sharing. Many national learning standards are met with an authentic and engaging approach during these steps.
M22 From Ideas to Ink: Engaging Emergent Writers through the Writing Process
SCHAUMBURG H
K • 1 • 2
Jessica Rodriguez
This training session will equip educators with practical strategies for guiding emergent writers through the writing process. Participants will explore creative approaches to inspire young learners as they progress from generating ideas to producing written pieces. Through hands-on activities and collaborative discussions, attendees will discover how to scaffold instruction, foster creativity, and promote meaningful expression in emergent writers.
CANCELLED
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Please call Illinois State University Conference Services at 309-438-2160 or 800-877-1478 if you have any questions regarding the conference registration.
Sessions Fill Quickly,
Register Early!
Registrations can be completed by mail, fax or online.
Illinois State University Conference Services
Campus Box 8610
Normal, Il 61790-8610
Registration Deadline for the Virtual Conference is MARCH 25, 2025
2025 Pre-K & Kindergarten In-Person Conference and Virtual Conference
Registrations Process
• Administrators attend FREE with a team of 4 or more teachers. The registration must come in all together or this will not be honored.
• Hardcopy registrations must be accompanied by a credit card or signed copy of the purchase order (P.O.). Payment or signed P.O. must be included with mailed registration in order to be considered for registration.
• Complete the Virtual Conference Registration Form on the following page and mail, email or fax as soon as possible.
• Online registration only accepts credit card payment.
• A “Group Registration” option is available again this year. Those attendees requesting the group rate MUST meet all three conditions below:
- Group pricing starts at 3 or more people
- Separate form must be used for each person in the group
- All group forms MUST be mailed or faxed together with payment
Click HERE to register only for the VIRTUAL CONFERENCE option.
2025 Pump Up Primary Conference
Virtual Attendee Registration
The deadline to register is March 25, 2025. Changes to how you are attending (in-person or virtual) will only be accepted through February 3, 2025. This form is for those attending virtually. On-demand access is available for 60 days, beginning on March 28, 2025. If you want to attend in-person, complete the in-person registration form.
Cancellation Policy: A full refund less a $25.00 processing fee will be provided for any cancellation request received prior to March 10, 2025. No refunds will be provided after that date. Substitutions will not be allowed after that date. All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing via email to Meg at mdrhoa1@ilstu.edu. A confirmation email will be sent to the participant after registration and payment are received.
Fees (Per Person)
On-Demand Access
Please view the online 2025 Pump Up Primary program book for information regarding sessions. The virtual viewing will be available on-demand starting on March 28, 2025.
* Non-member fees include a 1-year membership.
Participants at the 44th Annual Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd Grade Conference can receive graduate credit for their attendance at this event. Visit the University of St. Francis table located in the hallway near Schaumburg East/West. Additional information can also be found online at stfrancis.edu/real/ experiential. Questions? real@stfrancis.edu or 815-740-3699
Share your 2025 Pump Up Primary experiences using our official Twitter & Instagram accounts! Graduate Credit Available!
Please enjoy browsing products during the Conference from THESE VENDORS
423 Miss Carole
324 Areulia Davis
419, 421 Anderson Bookstores 329 Juice Plus
127 Illinois Reading Council
229 Dukes Designs & Creations
400, 402 Discovery Toys
223, 322 Let’s Dig In
304, 306
Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom
112 Illinois Early Learning
224, 226, 228 hand2mind
301 Squiggle Squad Handwriting
114 Learning Disabilities Association of Illinois
305,307,404, 406
Lakeshore Learning Materials
116 Delta Kappa Gamma, Key Women Educators' Society 107 Collaborative Classroom 130, 230 The Teacher Truck
The Written Word Center for Dyslexia and Learning 413 Brain to Belly Kids Yoga
222 Illinois Department of Natural Resources
227 Elmhurst University and the School of Education
Sunburst Digital Learning
Learning Props 118 Kids Read Now, Inc. 303 Class Solver
The phazelFOZ Company, LLC
Aurora University 415, 417 Seat Sack 401, 403 ESGI Software 103 Jus Ask Jan LLC
202 NuToys Leisure Products, Inc.
206 Wilson Language Training
Virco
105 Grand Canyon University 204 Really Great Reading
Lunch - Burrito Bowl Station- includes food and drink
Average line time is 10-20 minutes
Sandwich/Salad Lines:
Ground Level near EXPO Hall
Upstairs Hall near Utopia Rooms
Lunch - Sandwiches, salads, Chips, Drinks
Time in line for purchase 10 minutes
Gather Lounge - 10:30 am - 2:15 pm
Lunch 10:30 - 2:15
Lunch - Sandwiches, burgers, Salads, Beverages
The average dining time is 60 minutes! You may have to skip a session. Gather will be open for lunch 10:30 am - 2:15 on Thursday & Friday
Rendezvous Cafe - All day
Starbucks and snacks in the morning
Lunch - Starbucks, Fast Casual Food, Beverages
Average wait time is 5-15 minutes Allow more time in the morning.
Schaumburg Public House - All day
Lunch - burgers, steaks, bar snacks, salads, sandwiches
The average dining time is 1 hour to 1-and-a-half hours or more! You may have to skip a session.
FIRST FLOOR
SECOND FLOOR
LUNCH LOCATIONS
High Top Tables will be near each Lunch Line!
Sandwich Lines
Burrito Bowl Lines
LUNCH LOCATONS
Sandwich Lines
SCHAUMBURG PUBLIC HOUSE
RENDEZVOUS CAFE
GATHER BAR
SIT DOWN RESTAURANTS
www.ifeelbook.com www.ifeelbook.com Award-winning
Award-Winning Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Book Series focused on recognizing emotions and behaviors.
Celebrated for their artistic simplicity yet deep exploration of emotional themes. They clear away the confusing noise of busy stories and background illustrations.
Used in children’s therapy, early childhood, speech pathology, special education, trauma therapy and more!
