Building Thinking Classrooms Conference 2026

"But will this work for my students?" This is the most common question asked by teachers of students with disabilities, significant learning gaps, or executive functioning challenges. Leveraging my special education background as a general education teacher, I asked the exact same question. The answer is yes, but it requires intentional design. We must dismantle the myth that the Building Thinking Classrooms framework is only for students with conventional learning profiles and embrace the reality that all kids can thrive when we give them the space to succeed.

In this interactive session, participants will experience a "Thinking Classroom" intentionally designed to support diverse cognitive needs. We will engage in a thin-sliced lesson from launch to consolidation, explicitly modeling the teacher moves that lower anxiety and raise engagement for students who have historically been marginalized in math spaces. By exploring how vertical surfaces and specific consolidation routines like the "Mild, Medium, Spicy" ordering structure serve as powerful Tier 1 interventions, you will leave with a toolkit of practical, universal accommodations that maintain rigor while ensuring access for every learner.