Building Thinking Classrooms Conference 2026: Full Schedule

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8:00am EDT

Centering Teachers as Learners: Leveraging the BTC Framework for Effective Professional Development

Tuesday June 30, 2026 8:00am - 10:10am EDT

Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School - Room 332

Through an immersive experience of analyzing student work, participants will uncover practical approaches for embedding the BTC framework into professional development. They will leave understanding how to use the BTC practices with teacher teams as a way to cultivate an environment where teachers feel empowered to continuously explore and improve their practice. At the end, I hope that participants will consider the following question as they plan for future professional development: Which BTC moves best support teachers’ willingness to take a stance of curiosity about their own practice?

Speakers

Kyle Ferreira van Leer

K-12 Math Specialist, Coventry Public Schools

Kyle Ferreira van Leer (he/him) firmly believes that all students are capable of high level mathematics engagement. He began his educational career in the middle school sphere. Kyle spent 8 years - from Boston to Sacramento - teaching 7th and 8th grade math in Title I schools, mostly serving migrant students... Read More →

Leveraging Teachers as Learners BTC Conference 2026 pdf

Tuesday June 30, 2026 8:00am - 10:10am EDT
Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School - Room 332 177 College St, New Haven, CT 06510, USA

Coaching, Mild

Grade Level or Subject Area Instructional Coaches; Building Leaders

9:15am EDT

Lighting the Fuse: Coaching Approaches That Ignite BTC Momentum in Schools

Tuesday June 30, 2026 9:15am - 10:10am EDT

Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School - Room 326

This session supports instructional coaches and teacher-leaders in embedding BTC practices into the professional learning they already lead. Rather than adding a new initiative, it demonstrates how BTC instructional moves can strengthen existing district priorities and elevate adult learning. Participants will explore how to design PD that reflects the key traits of a BTC classroom—engaging, collaborative, intellectually rigorous, and grounded in visible thinking—through real district examples of how presenters “lit the fuse” by modeling BTC strategies in high-leverage areas such as lesson planning, reading comprehension, vocabulary development, and making student thinking visible. Attendees will leave with ready-to-use structures, adaptable protocols, and practical examples to deepen instructional impact and build coherence across professional learning systems.

Speakers

Kim Webb

Instructional Coach, Lyons Central School District

Jen Champlin

Igniting the Fuse BTC Conference Presentation 2026 (2) (2) pdf

Tuesday June 30, 2026 9:15am - 10:10am EDT
Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School - Room 326 177 College St, New Haven, CT 06510, USA

Coaching; BTC outside of math, Mild

Grade Level or Subject Area Instructional Coaches; Building Leaders

1:00pm EDT

Bridging the Gap: A Practical Continuum for Supporting Teacher Readiness for Building Thinking Classrooms

Tuesday June 30, 2026 1:00pm - 1:55pm EDT

Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School - Room 329

Participants will leave with: A visual continuum of instructional routines from teacher-centered to fully student-centered, showing how BTC sits at the far end of the continuum.An understanding of the incremental routines and moves (e.g., Turn & Talk, MPIRs, cooperative strategies) that build readiness for BTC.The ability to diagnose teacher readiness and motivation, recognizing why some teachers struggle with or resist BTC.Concrete strategies for supporting teachers and leaders in taking incremental, manageable steps toward building thinking classrooms. A deeper understanding of how classroom practices influence student engagement, collaboration, and access to learning.

Speakers

Daniel Kent

Regional Mathematics Coordinator, Capital Region ESD 113

Daniel is a former middle-level and high school-level mathematics teacher and current mathematics coordinator and coach for an Educational Service District in Western Washington State. Daniel supports up to 44 school districts across Western Washington, with a primary focus on schools... Read More →

Tuesday June 30, 2026 1:00pm - 1:55pm EDT
Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School - Room 329 177 College St, New Haven, CT 06510, USA

Leadership; Coaching, Medium

Grade Level or Subject Area Instructional Coaches; Building Leaders

1:00pm EDT

Building a Culture of Learning

Tuesday June 30, 2026 1:00pm - 1:55pm EDT

Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School - Room 303

Who are your favorite influencers? Now, who are your favorite influencers at your school? In this session, you will learn the conditions that need to be in place to influence professional inquiry and Building Thinking Classrooms! Meet the key players of coaches and teachers who took a book club inquiry question and influenced the culture of a school, district, local university, and state! Come be immersed in our experiences and examples in an interactive session that will help you build your professional path! Let’s move from influence to impact on learning!

Speakers

Margaret Nickerson

Instructional Coach, Lexington Richland School District 5

Margaret Nickerson is an instructional coach serving two elementary schools near Columbia, South Carolina. With more than 18 years of classroom experience spanning Preschool through third grade, she brings a deep understanding of early childhood education, literacy development, and... Read More →

Beth White

Instructor, University of South Carolina

Beth most recently worked as Senior Lecturer in the College of Education in the Department of Instruction and Teacher Education at the University of South Carolina for 12 years. She has over 32 years of experience in education. Her specialty area is teaching and coaching teachers... Read More →

Hollie Heming

Teacher, Lexington Richland School District Five

Hollie teaches 4th grade gifted learners at Piney Woods Elementary School. She has been one of the biggest advocates for BTC and has co-led a book club at her school. She has also hosted instructional rounds for her district. Hollie is her school's 2026-2027 Teacher of the Year and... Read More →

Angie Morvay

5th Grade Math/Science Teacher, Lexington Richland School District 5

Angie is a National Board Certified teacher with 22 years experience teaching gifted and talented 5th graders. She was in the original PLC book club 3 years ago that started BTC at her school. She has hosted numerous instructional rounds for other teachers across our district to observe... Read More →

BTCC26 Building a Culture of Learning Shareable pdf

Cambourne’s Conditions of Learning for Learning Handout pdf

Tuesday June 30, 2026 1:00pm - 1:55pm EDT
Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School - Room 303 177 College St, New Haven, CT 06510, USA

Leadership; Coaching, Medium

Grade Level or Subject Area Instructional Coaches; Building Leaders

8:00am EDT

9:15am EDT

1:00pm EDT

1:00pm EDT

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