BBK Program 2025

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR NOVICE TEACHERS

BRING'EM BACK KATS CONFERENCE September 20, 2025, 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM The Woodlands Center

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Table of Contents Schedule Overview .................................................................................................................2 2025 BBK COE Committee Members ...........................................................................3 BBK Sponsors, Vendors & Exhibitors ............................................................................3 Morning Breakout Session Schedules ......................................................................... 4 - 7 Keynote Speaker Information ........................................................................................... 7 Afternoon Breakout Session Schedules ..................................................................... 8 - 9

BBK 2025 Annual Meeting Schedule At a Glance Registration / Check In: Sam Houston Room, TWC 430

8:00am – 3:00pm

Intro and Welcome: Sam Houston Room, TWC 430

8:30am – 8:45am

Breakout Session #1

8:50am – 9:40am

Breakout Session #2

9:45am – 10:35am

Breakout Session #3

10:40am – 11:30am

Lunch and Kat Chats

11:35am – 12:25pm

Keynote Speaker: Author and Illustrator, Huda Fahmy

12:30pm – 1:00pm

Breakout Session #4

1:05pm – 1:55pm

Breakout Session #5

2:00pm – 2:50pm

Closing/ Door Prizes/ Exit Tickets

3:00pm – 3:30pm

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BBK 2025 Planning Committee Dr. Andrea Foster: Chair

Dr. Rose Brock

Dr. Christina Gushanas

Dr. Kathleen Rice

Dr. Susan Harte

Dr. Tershundrea Branch

Dr. Tina Hammons

Dr. Clare Resilla

Dr. Bill Calderhead

Dr. Kristina Vargo

Dr. Katie Moses

Dr. Brian Brown

Dr. Tina Valenzuela

Amy McCormick

Dr. Helen Berg

Angie Taylor

BBK 2025 Sponsors, Vendors, and Exhibitors Lakeshore Learning Store The Bag Ladies Delta Kappa Gamma (DKG) Giddy-up Glamor Massage Envy Crust Pizza Co. Willis

School of Teaching and Learning Graduate Programs Counseling Higher Education & Leadership Curriculum & Instruction Library Science Instructional Systems Design and Technology

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Introduction and Welcome Session: Sam Houston Room, TWC 430 8:30 – 8:45am Dr. Andrea Foster, Chair of the BBK Committee

Dr. Stacey Edmonson, Dean of the College of Education Dr. Helen Berg, Associate Dean

Dr. Kristina Vargo, Chair of School of Teaching and Learning

Breakout Session #1: 8:50am-9:40am

Location Presentation Details TWC 240 Research-based Instructional Strategies to Promote Learning Experiences for Students with Exceptionalities Dr. Peg Pinto, Emma Le This presentation discusses research findings of teachers’ perspectives and practices whether instructional strategies implemented to promote literacy skills for students with exceptionality are described as research-based practices.

Targeted audiences include classroom literacy practices, administrators, and teacher education.

TWC 241 Tips on Managing Problem Behavior Dr. William Calderhead Behavior management issues often impede a teacher's ability to deliver instruction. In this session participants will learn to positively reinforce appropriate behaviors before focusing attention on problem behaviors. The session will also include a discussion of ways of deescalating extremely disruptive interactions.

TWC 245 Building Effective Practice One Step at a Time: Guiding New Teachers with Self-Reflection and Action Research Dr. Mary Petron, Dr. Burcu Ates The goal of this session is to equip novice teachers with strategies for ongoing professional growth. Participants will be introduced to the concept of action research and guided in creating and carrying out an action plan focused on a selfidentified area for improvement.

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TWC 246 Evidence-Based School Safety: Current Research and Practical Applications from the Center for Assessment, Research, and Educational Safety (CARES) Dr. Matthew Fuller This session is designed to introduce teachers to concepts drawn from research led by CARES. Participants will engage in a dialogue about ways to sustain a safe school culture and support student and staff safety.

TWC 250 Effortless Cycles of Reflection & Goal Setting to Grow Classroom Students by Utilizing Academic Data and Student Perception Data Dr. Valeece Simmons-Davis, Dr. Jennifer Morrison, Dr. Lautrice Nickson In this session, participants will leave with practical, research-based data cycles for continuous feedback that fosters classroom community, student-belonging, and high-achievement in individual teachers’ classrooms and within teacher teams. These practices will increase teacher self-efficacy and collective teacher efficacy.

TWC 251 Implementing AI Tools to Enhance Teaching and Learning Dr. Andrey Koptelov, Abby Guillaume Teachers will explore innovative AI tools to enhance teaching and learning.

Discover how these resources can support diverse learners, increase engagement, and transform teaching practices while also examining the ethical considerations and practical strategies for effective implementation AI in today’s classrooms.

Breakout Session #2: 9:45am-10:35am Location Presentation Details TWC 240 Data Doesn’t Bite: Using Assessment to Empower Your Teaching Megan Bishop Data can feel intimidating, especially for new educators. When used well, assessment and data are powerful tools that can highlight student needs and guide instruction. Participants will learn about different types of assessments, interpret sample data, develop instructional recommendations, and practice communicating data results to various stakeholders.

TWC 241 Mystery Envelopes: A Multimodal Strategy for Building Literacy Dr. Christina Hammons, Dr. Susan Harte Explore how mystery envelopes using objects from children’s books can build oral language, story mapping, writing, and reading skills. This hands-on session offers a creative, multimodal literacy strategy you can use immediately in K–12 classrooms.

TWC 245 "I Wasn’t Trained for This!” Navigating Language Barriers with AI as a Guide Dylan Jircik This interactive presentation incorporates a novice teacher's approach to being placed in a bilingual classroom. The presenter describes and demonstrates the use of AI tools along with SIOP pedagogy to not only support their 2nd graders' success but reduce their own cognitive load in managing the work.

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TWC 246 Behavior 101: Strategies for Classroom Teachers Amber Naylor Entry-level behavior management strategies every teacher can use, from general education to special education. It reviews the two main functions of behavior, goes into antecedent interventions, behavioral interventions, and consequences.

These are all trauma informed strategies with the heaviest emphasis on antecedent interventions. These can be implemented in every classroom setting.

TWC 250 STEM Sparks: Igniting Innovation in Elementary Science Dr. Tina Valenzuela This hands-on workshop is designed for elementary educators eager to bring STEM to life in their classrooms. Grounded in the 5E instructional model and aligned to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), participants will explore how STEM integration deepens scientific understanding and builds essential 21st-century skills.

Breakout Session #3: 10:40am-11:30am Location Presentation Details TWC 240 Using Literacy to Deepen Content-Knowledge and Community Dr. Kristen Henry Participants will learn how the integration of literacy practices can not only deepen content-learning but can also help build classroom community.

Participants will leave with concrete ways to use reading, writing, listening, and speaking to increase student engagement and knowledge.

TWC 241 Every Learner Matters: Reimagining Curriculum Through Authentic Differentiation Dr. Salandra Grice-Johnson This interactive session explores differentiation as a mindset rooted in equity and culturally responsive teaching. Educators will learn strategies to adapt instruction to students’ diverse needs, engage in collaborative activities, and leave with tools to create inclusive, student-centered classrooms that honor identity, foster engagement, and support academic growth.

TWC 245 T-TESS Ready: Making the Teacher Evaluation Tool Work for You Dr. Cynthia Martinez-Garcia, Dr. Clare Resilla In this session, participants will use their student data to improve student learning and their T-TESS Domain 1-Planning or Domain 2 Instruction. Participants will learn more about these two domains and use self-reflection and goal setting to improve student learning and their professional growth goals.

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TWC 246 Building Bridges: Strengthening Parent Communication for Early Career Teachers Dr. Katie Moses, Rachel Warren New teachers are often given extensive instruction on how to handle students, curriculum, and classrooms, but little instruction on working collaboratively with parents. This session is designed to provide attendees with the confidence they need to work with students' first teacher... their parents!

TWC 250 Asking More, Thinking Deeper: Higher-Order Questions with Global Texts and HQIM Dr. Tracey S. Hodges Are you feeling stuck in your questioning routine? Do you crave incorporating high-quality literature into your HQIM lessons? In this interactive session, you will discover how global texts from the Notable Books for a Global Society lists can transform surface-level prompts into powerful, higher-order questions that spark critical thinking and engagement.

Lunch and Kat Chats 11:35 – 12:25pm Location: Sam Houston Room, TWC 430

Faculty facilitators will initiate informal “Kat Chat” discussions during lunch time. Facilitators will share a synthesis of the table discussions prior to the keynote speaker’s address.

Keynote Speaker Huda Fahmy 12:30 – 1:00pm Location: Sam Houston Room, TWC 430

Introduction by Dr. Rose Brock About the author: Huda Fahmy was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. She is the author and illustrator of the internationally successful webcomic, yes, I’m Hot in This, the graphic memoir That Can Be Arranged, and the widely popular Huda F graphic novel series. Her graphic novel, Huda F Cares? was a 2023 finalist for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. She currently lives in Texas.

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Breakout Session #4: 1:05pm-1:55pm

Location Presentation Details TWC 240 Unlocking the Secret Sauce of Classroom Management and Engagement Dr. Sarah Mitchell Gain ready-to-use strategies that strengthen classroom management and enhance student engagement. This interactive session combines proven routines, relationshipbuilding techniques, and attention-grabbing tools to prevent disruptions and boost participation-helping you create a positive, focused learning environment where both students and teachers thrive.

TWC 241 From Standard to Success: Using Assessments & Data to Build Your Lesson Blueprint Cicely Ward Transform your lesson planning! This hands-on session provides a 3-step blueprint for teachers to align TEKS standards, formative assessments, and instruction. Leave with a practical process to make your planning more efficient and your teaching more impactful.

TWC 245 The Power of Teacher Candidate Data, Feedback, and Co-Teach Models: Fostering a Pipeline of Effective Mentor/Cooperating Teachers Dr. Valeece Simmons-Davis, Angie Taylor Analysis of teacher candidate feedback is critical to supporting candidates strategically. This session will empower aspiring teacher leaders and current mentor/cooperating teachers to confidently and effectively offer feedback and implement co-teach models. These strategies will develop teacher candidates who are ready on day 1 of their first year of teaching.

TWC 246 Book Battle 101: How to Engage in a Bookish Competition with Friends Dr. Kimberly Kinnaird Are you trying to increase student engagement and strengthen reading skills? Learn how to start a book battle at your school. This session presents step-by-step instructions and helpful tips for collaborating with other campus educators to create a sustainable book battle program for any grade level.

TWC 250 "Who Can Tell Me..."--- and No One Raises Their Hand!

Dr. Clayton Dodson Scenario: You are in the middle of a super engaging lecture. You pause for a second and pose a question to the class. What happens? No one raises their hand? The SAME student raises their hand every time? Come learn some strategies to engage your students and get all of them involved in academic conversations.

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TWC 251 Empowering Educators to Connect Disciplines via Multisensory Approaches Dr. Patricia Durham This interactive workshop equips novice teachers with practical strategies to introduce content-rich vocabulary, build reading fluency, and foster student engagement through visual and collaborative learning. Participants will experience the lesson as learners while reflecting on instructional purposes, scaffolds, and adaptations for diverse classrooms, emphasizing presenting content in multiple ways and connecting content to other disciplines such as literacy, science, and social studies.

Breakout Session #5: 2:00pm-2:50pm Location Presentation Details TWC 240 3 E's to Elevating Your Impact Steven Craig Toney This is a dynamic professional development session designed to Equip, Empower, and Energize teachers. Through practical strategies, powerful motivation, and collaborative learning, educators will strengthen their instructional skills, boost their confidence, and reignite their passion for teaching—all with the goal of maximizing their impact in the classroom and on their campus.

TWC 241 Teaching in the Age of AI: Ethics, Impact, and Innovation for New Educators Dr. Jessica McQueston This interactive session introduces educators to the promises and challenges of using AI in the classroom. Participants will explore practical tools for supporting students with disabilities while considering ethics, equity, and the environmental impact of AI. Participants will leave with strategies for innovative and responsible teaching.

TWC 245 Empowering Early Career Teachers Through Inquiry and Hands-On Learning Dr. Hatice Inan, Dr. Dawn Gatlin, Dr. Aysenur Gungor This interactive session equips novice teachers with strategies for launching inquirybased projects that build engagement, collaboration, and higher-order thinking.

Through a hands-on example of the Quilt-Making project, participants will see how integrated teaching and learning bring culture, math, science, literacy, and art together, transforming authentic student questions into meaningful, standards-aligned experiences that foster critical thinking, student voice, and classroom community.

TWC 246 The Interpretations of Fractions Dr. Ke “George” Wang In this session, the presenter will explain the interpretations of fractions: parts-whole, measurement, operator, division and ratio through interaction with the participants.

This session focuses on math for 4 – 8th graders.

Closing Remarks/ Door Prizes/ Exit Ticket 3:00 – 3:30pm Location: Sam Houston Room, TWC 430

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