Teaching is a marathon, yet we often try to run it on empty stomachs and cold coffee. This workshop is a judgment-free "Honesty Hour" designed for the reality of the classroom—where lunch is often eaten standing up and "self-care" feels out of reach.
This presentation will review the Skate4Concrete Certification and share an example(s) of how it was implemented in the classroom within Washington Schools. Teachers will share their experience and provide insight on how best to utilize the program within the classroom. We will also cover the Statewide MiniConcrete Skatepark Competition for the 2026/27 School Year to be hosted by the Washington Aggregates and Concrete Association (WACA).
What if I told you the key to developing 21st-century skills lies in a board/card game? In this session we will explore, discuss, and discover how using popular games can be used in the curriculum to make learning more fun. These games will allow us to teach and develop skills that will benefit our student’s futures. These games have been used throughout the school year to teach/develop the following life/employability skills, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking skills.
QTIP, "quit taking it personally". Focused on understanding students personalities to help keep yourself present in the classroom with practical suggestions on avoiding burnout.
Cross-Curricular Seminar / Interactive Workshop In any CTE lab - from Welding to Culinary to Math - the fear of making a mistake kills innovation. This session teaches how to build a high-accountability, low-anxiety environment where students master the pivot when things go wrong and learn resiliency on the job..Key Points:The "Red Line" vs. The "Gray Zone": Distinguishing between non-negotiable safety rules (Red) and areas where experimentation and failure are encouraged (Gray).Grading the Recovery: Moving the focus from the final product to a "recovery grade" - evaluating how a student diagnoses an error and adapts.Psychological Safety: Using "The Wall of First Tries" to normalize the learning curve and reduce Perfectionism Paralysis. Let students show off their failures as growth points and achievements. Designed Micro-Failures: Intentionally creating low-stakes scenarios where things go wrong so students can practice problem-solving in real-time.Takeaway: A Recovery Rubric and a toolkit of Growth Mindset scripts to replace high-pressure lab language.A more focused culinary approach: Safe, Not Perfect: Safety in the KitchenInteractive Seminar / Peer DiscussionIf students are terrified of making a mistake, they’ll never take the risks needed to become great cooks. How do we balance industry standards with the learning environment?Key Points:The Clean Mess Concept: Distinguishing between a messy workstation/community paces (fixable) and an unsafe practice (non-negotiable).Celebrating the "Fail": Sharing stories of the burnt roux and what it taught the class about heat management.Standardized Rubrics: Using rubrics that grade the process and safety more heavily than the final aesthetic of the plate.Takeaway: A "Kitchen Culture" manifesto and a set of non-punitive correction techniques.
