2025 KEEN Conference

Unleash the potential of artificial intelligence to bring a fresh zest to your teaching! This session explores how educators can leverage AI tools to design meaningful, inclusive learning experiences that not only meet educational standards but also engage and inspire students. By integrating AI into lesson planning and instructional design, teachers can personalize learning, accommodate diverse needs, and introduce innovative approaches that add a “tang” to education. Join us to discover practical strategies and hands-on techniques for incorporating AI into your teaching practices, making learning more dynamic and accessible for all students.

Participants will experience the feeling of a “Because” culture in their math classroom through interactive conversations and explanations.  Having students not just answer questions in your classroom but respond with an answer followed by the word “because” and their explanation of thoughts.  Presenter will use the importance of using teacher bell work to connect with existing schema and fun interactive review ideas.

Welcoming a pre-service teacher into your classroom can be a challenge, especially for award-winning teachers who love to teach, but it is one of the most important forms of service to the profession. It can also provide current teachers with fresh ideas and help them cut through the day-to-day noise and remember why they first decided to be a teacher. This session will be collaborative in nature where we can discuss the placement experience from both the K-12 side and the
university side, with special attention to how we can make the mentorship experience valuable for both the classroom teachers and the pre-service teachers.

Join us for an interactive session designed to add excitement and zest to your ELA instruction! Discover innovative strategies to engage students and foster a love for reading, regardless of your curriculum. We’ll explore the power of Book Trailer Tuesdays, where you’ll learn how to introduce new titles using captivating video clips. Dive into First Chapter Fridays, an engaging way to hook students by reading the opening chapters of new books.
You’ll also uncover the benefits of Article of the Week to spark discussions, experience the joy of Book Tastings, and implement Notice and Note strategies that encourage students to slow down and interact with texts through signposts. These dynamic approaches will not only elevate your reading instruction, add rigor, but also cultivate lifelong readers and learners. Come ready to share ideas and walk away with practical tools to transform your ELA classroom!

Have you ever had a day when you felt like you just needed a quick win?  Well, this session will be catered to just that! Session attendees will leave with several different “quick win” strategies to engage their learners as well as make their students’ learning visible in unconventional ways.  Several strategies have been adapted from different popular resources including The Writing Revolution, Building Thinking Classrooms, LETRS, and more.  Students will experience several of these strategies and be given a resource presentation for other strategies discussed.  These strategies engage students across all disciplines and grade levels.

Amy Hillman and Taylor Bussinger will tag team our ENERGIZER session, where we will bring in the "ZEST" using the science, love, and power of MUSIC and Movement! This session promises to get you up, meet a few new Kansas ROCK STARS, and PONDER how a few new strategies and structures can be implemented in your "ZESTY" classroom!

Ignite your passion for teaching with a zestful approach to professional learning! Join us for an energizing session where Kansas Leads educators share how they've infused fresh habits and tangy teaching strategies into classrooms across the state. Kansas Leads is an educator-led initiative designed to connect, engage, and empower teachers from all regions of Kansas. Discover how we bring amazing educators together to collaborate and lead, ultimately aiming to "lead the world in the success of each student." Through our story of innovation and collaboration, you'll learn practical strategies to infuse new and unexpected flavors into your teaching, creating a vibrant and engaging learning environment. Don't miss this opportunity to connect, rejuvenate, and lead with zest!

Join us for an invigorating professional development session where we explore the transformative power of drumming in education! Discover how rhythmic activities not only enhance student engagement but also revitalize educators, fostering a sense of community and excitement among teaching teams. Best of all, no prior drumming experience is necessary! You’ll learn hands-on techniques to incorporate drumming into your lessons, creating a vibrant learning environment that captivates students and reignites your passion for teaching. This interactive workshop will leave you inspired and equipped to add zest to your classroom. Let’s make some noise and unlock the potential of rhythmic learning for both you and your students!

Discover how music can be a powerful tool in the classroom to enhance memory, regulate emotions, and boost cognitive performance. In this session, we will explore the science behind how rhythm and melody help encode information more deeply into the brain, leading to better recall and improved focus.
Participants will enjoy a fun, multi-sensory learning experience that blends music, movement, and instruments. No musical expertise is needed—just come ready to move, explore, and have fun!

Strategies for individual and collective efforts to gain and maintain a culture of support and value. Focused on participant-sharing of ideas and experiences which have contributed to positive teaching and learning environments. Engage with others through thoughtful conversation and collaborative activities.