2026 RenewEd Conference

Compassion is a powerful resource educators use to support others, but what happens when we shift from helping others to owning others’ problems? During the session we will define empathetic distress and learn how to detect signs and symptoms, so you can prevent burnout and increase your resilience throughout the school year. In addition, we will explore self-compassion as a source of coping and resilience to improve our mental and physical wellbeing.

Education is full of long-standing needs, goals, and frustrations that have, for generations, remained unresolved. This has lead to growing rates teacher burnout and turnover, dropping student achievement and enthusiasm, and politicized cultural tension around education. It's time we start taking those problems seriously. This session will examine the emerging technology (particularly, but not solely AI) and the giant opportunity we have to ask the kinds of questions that can transform school. By taking ownership of these difficult questions we might reclaim our will to create places students excitedly return to. Where communities will feel a new sense of pride worth celebrating, in the purpose of their local school and the powerful experiences students have as members of the school community.

Education is full of long-standing needs, goals, and frustrations that have, for generations, remained unresolved. This has lead to growing rates teacher burnout and turnover, dropping student achievement and enthusiasm, and politicized cultural tension around education. It's time we start taking those problems seriously. This session will examine the emerging technology (particularly, but not solely AI) and the giant opportunity we have to ask the kinds of questions that can transform school. By taking ownership of these difficult questions we might reclaim our will to create places students excitedly return to. Where communities will feel a new sense of pride worth celebrating, in the purpose of their local school and the powerful experiences students have as members of the school community.

This is a lighthearted session based on the books  The Coffee Bean: A Simple Lesson to Create Positive Change  &  How to Be A Coffee Bean. This session will explore simple and fun ways to create healthy and fun classroom environments and implement quick and effective positive change, especially when long days get long, heavy, and monotonous. Come and win a free copy of the book!