Illuminate: Curriculum Conference 2026

Illuminate neon sign on brick wall with Where Ideas Come to Shine, July 15-16.

Keynote Breakouts Why Educators Love Illuminate Sponsors & Vendors Our Team

July 15-16, 2026 | Region 7 ESC

Illuminate Curriculum Conference 2026

Join us for the third annual Illuminate Conference, a dynamic and inclusive curriculum conference designed for educators across all grades and content areas, with a special focus on math, science, social studies, and ELAR.

Illuminate is where ideas come to shine. This two-day conference spotlights great teaching, sparks meaningful collaboration, and inspires the kind of work that moves education forward.

Conference Details

Date: July 15-16, 2026
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Location: Region 7 ESC
Workshop: 368166
Audience: Teachers, instructional coaches, curriculum specialists, and campus or district leaders

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Gerry Brooks

Keynote Session: Morning of Day 1

Gerry Brooks is a veteran educator, speaker, and school leader known for his humor, encouragement, and real-world take on education. His keynote will leave you laughing, encouraged, and reminded of the powerful impact educators have every day.

Learn more about Gerry Brooks at gerrybrooksprin.com.

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After the keynote, attendees will dive into breakout sessions for the remainder of Day 1 and throughout Day 2. Use the dropdowns below to view sessions by time.

Wednesday, July 15

8:15-9:15 (11 sessions)

Aspen

Getting Students to Think

Presenter: Shawna Blissett and Madolyn Wise

Birch

Accelerate Student Learning: Strengthening Readers by Empowering Writers

Presenter: Amanda Shelley with Cengage

Collaborate

Shifting the Spotlight in Learning

Presenter: Lori Ashby

Cypress

Spotlight on Spelling Instruction with Phoneme-Grapheme Mapping

Presenter: Christi Perkins

Dogwood

Learning on Track: Differentiation With a Digital Twist

Presenter: Angela Duncan and Brandy Hawthorne

Elm

Making Learning Stick: A Practical Approach to Spiraling

Presenter: Cullen Carroll

Innovate

The Joy of Inquiry: Helping Students Discover the Past

Presenter: Mary Jane Dean

Magnolia

TCMPC Essentials: Streamlining Unit/Lesson Planning and Design

Presenter: Crista Black

Maple

From Gaps to Gains: Smart Science Intervention

Presenter: EduSmart

Pine

Are You Decomposing?

Presenter: Jose Bribiesca

Sycamore

Modeling for Meaning: Making Student Thinking Visible

Presenter: Stacy Gwartney

10:30-11:30 (10 sessions)

Aspen

Let's Make a Champion

Presenter: Michaelle Coker

Birch

When Reading Gets Off Balance: What Happens When Accuracy, Word Recognition, and Fluency Don't Work Together?

Presenter: Brandi Barlow

Collaborate

WriteAlign: Smarter Writing Feedback. Stronger Instruction

Presenter: Cyndi Nyvall

Cypress

From Requirement to Reality: Implementing Financial Literacy TEKS Without Overwhelming Your Teachers

Presenter: Jacob Yano

Dogwood

Teacher Wellness: Boost Energy, Reduce Stress, and Thrive with Tech Tool

Presenter: Mary Jane Childs AnnaLeigh Herrin

Elm

You've Got to be Knowt-ing Me! AI Tools That Work for Every Learner

Presenter: Heather Brantley

Magnolia

Six Thinking Hats: Structuring Perspective and Civil Discourse in the Classroom

Presenter: Nila Stewart

Maple

Words in Action: Boost Vocabulary & Reading Confidence!

Presenter: Heather Foster

Pine

Mix Tape Learning: Connecting Content Through Music

Presenter: Michael Pettiette

Sycamore

Everyday Science Through Inquiry - Empowering All Students to Think Like Scientists

Presenter: Rachel Hilchey and Mary Fox

12:45-1:45 (11 sessions)

Aspen

Supporting Student-Centered Learning with Thinking Classroom Strategies

Presenter: Julie Fowler

Birch

Illuminating Thinking: Helping Students Get Unstuck

Presenter: Lori Ashby

Collaborate

From Blank Page to Bright Ideas: Building Confident Student Writers with Curipod

Presenter: Rebecca Worden

Cypress

Accelerate Student Learning: Strengthening Readers by Empowering Writers

Presenter: Heather Rosplock

Dogwood

TCMPC Essentials: Streamlining Unit/Lesson Planning and Design

Presenter: Crista Black

Elm

Teaching Upstanders: Building Community, Leadership, and Courage Through History

Presenter: DHHR

Innovate

From Gaps to Gains: Smart Science Intervention

Presenter: EduSmart

Magnolia

Evidence-Based Stations

Presenter: Dee Youngblood

Maple

Savor the PHLavors of PFL: Treats for Student Success

Presenter: Dr. Ray Hughel

Pine

Enhancing Writing Through Writeable and AI

Presenter: Jose Bribiesca

Sycamore

Start Your Engines: Middle School Physics Fun

Presenter: Amy Rush, Jennie Rudel, and Becky Walker

1:55-2:55 (11 sessions)

Aspen

Fueling Curiosity: Bringing TEKS to Life at the East Texas Oil Museum

Presenter: Olivia Moore with East Texas Oil Museum

Birch

Sparking Possibility: Moving Beyond the Single Right Answer

Presenter: Lori Ashby

Collaborate

Differentiation with AI

Presenter: Holly Curry

Cypress

Teaching Tools to Go

Presenter: Shawna Blissett and Jules Brooks

Dogwood

Canva: Templates and Bulk Creating

Presenter: Kylee Crist

Elm

Growing Thinkers: From “I Do” to “You Do”: Empowering K-5 Learners Through The Gradual Release of Responsibility in All Content Areas

Presenter: Christi Perkins

Innovate

The “BOT” Budget Challenge: A STEM Activity

Presenter: Angela Duncan and Brandy Hawthorne

Magnolia

Growth That Matters: When Local Data Meets STAAR Results

Presenter: Natalie Woods

Maple

From History to Action: Teaching Civic Responsibility and Leadership Through Historical Upstanders

Presenter: DHHR

Pine

Classroom AI Top 3

Presenter: Cyndi Nyvall

Sycamore

Flower Power

Presenter: Michaelle Coker

Thursday, July 16

8:15-9:15 (10 sessions)

Cedars

Applying Advanced Word Study and Language Comprehension in Secondary Classrooms

Presenter: Liza LaRue

Aspen

Mix Tape Learning: Connecting Content Through Music

Presenter: Michael Pettiette

Birch

Enhancing Math Instruction Through Everyday Routines

Presenter: Jules Brooks

Collaborate

Show and Tell Redux

Presenter: Ryan Davis

Dogwood

Tier 2 Interventions for Math and Reading: Supporting Students Who Struggle

Presenter: Jannica Griffith

Elm

Slide to the Right, Slide to the Left: Coding the Cupid Shuffle in Python

Presenter: Amy Rush and Becky Walker

Innovate

Branding Better Writers: Explicit Writing Instruction

Presenter: Jeannie Hipp

Magnolia

Finding Ways to Help Students SHINE in Social Studies

Presenter: Mandy Carlton

Pine

The Lazy Genius Educator: Practical Systems for Teacher and Leaders that Protect Energy and Impact Student Learning

Presenter: Constance Mendez

Sycamore

Tricks, Treats, and Thinking: A Spooky Science Sneak Peek

Presenter: Michele Stokes

9:25-10:25 (10 sessions)

Cedars

From Writing Time to Writing Instruction: Shifts that Actually Grow Writers

Presenter: Liza LaRue

Birch

Illuminating Thinking: Helping Students Get Unstuck

Presenter: Lori Ashby

Collaborate

Teaching That Sticks

Presenter: Katie Baker

Dogwood

Making Learning Stick: A Practical Approach to Spiraling

Presenter: Cullen Carroll

Elm

Exploration Stations

Presenter: Amber Hartzog

Innovate

Canva: Templates and Bulk Creating

Presenter: Kylee Crist Tucker

Magnolia

Creating an Environment Where Productive Struggle is Productive!

Presenter: Katie Knight

Maple

Sticky Vocabulary: Play Your Way to Vocabulary Mastery

Presenter: Stacy Gwartney

Pine

Transforming Literacy Instruction with Into Reading Texas V2

Presenter: Jose Bribiesca

Sycamore

Perspective Power: Illuminating the Science Warm-Up

Presenter: Michele Stokes

10:35-11:35 (10 sessions)

Aspen

The HB 27 Clock is ticking: A Texas-built PFL Solution for your district

Presenter: U Thrive

Birch

Reset, Refocus, Re-engage: The Power of Purposeful Brain Breaks

Presenter: Lori Ashby

Collaborate

Cashing in on the Corn: Growing A-Maize-ing Financial Literacy

Presenter: Michelle Cornell

Cypress

Shining Through Dialogue: Structures Discussions for Civic Discourse

Presenter: Victoria Morris

Dogwood

Unlocking Texts: Practical Close Reading Strategies for the Classroom

Presenter: Patsy Ramirez

Elm

From Silent Nodes to Scientific Talk: Transforming Formative Assessment with Human Bingo

Presenter: NaKendra Matthews

Innovate

Making Knowt-it-Alls: Easy Test Prep for Every Student

Presenter: Heather Brantley

Magnolia

Lessons of Courage: Teaching Holocaust Literature and History Across the Curriculum

Presenter: DHHR

Pine

From Conceptual Understanding to Math Fluency

Presenter: Jose Bribiesca

Sycamore

Matter of Fact: You can have Art in Science

Presenter: Monica Cooke

12:50-1:50 (11 sessions)

Cedars

Growth that Matters: When Local Data Meetings STAAR Results

Presenter: Natalie Woods

Aspen

The Lazy Genius Educator: Practical Systems for Teachers and Leaders that Protect Energy and Impact Student Learning

Presenter: Constance Mendez

Birch

Enchanted Writing: Magical Tips to Transform Student Writing

Presenter: Angela Duncan and Brandy Hawthorne

Collaborate

Enchanted Writing: Magical Tips to Transform Student Writing

Presenter: Angela Duncan and Brandy Hawthorne

Cypress

Read Receipts & Real Regrets: Mapping our the ECR and SCR using the TEXT Method

Presenter: Shelley Shellhorse

Dogwood

Supporting Student-Centered Learning with Thinking Classroom Strategies

Presenter: Julie Fowler

Elm

National History Day and your Classroom: A Teacher's Guide

Presenter: Kimberly Pena

Innovate

From Names to Narratives Making Learning Stick with Biography Cards

Presenter: Nila Stewart

Magnolia

Revising with Purpose

Presenter: Dee Youngblood

Maple

Differentiation with AI

Presenter: Holly Curry

Pine

Clarity, Not Compliance: Establishing Structures and Expectations for Strong Bluebonnet Learning Implementation

Presenter: Kameisha Floyd

2:00-3:00 (8 sessions)

Cedars

Elementary RLA Content Chat

Presenter: Patsy Ramirez

Aspen

Administrators Chat: Leading Illuminated Educators

Presenter: Kari Cahill and Crista Black

Birch

Secondary RLA Content Chat

Presenter: Dee Youngblood

Cypress

Elementary Science Content Chat

Presenter: Michele Stokes

Dogwood

Elementary Math Content Chat

Presenter: Jules Brooks, Madolyn Wise, Shawna Blissett

Innovate

Social Studies Content Chat

Presenter: Mary Jane Dean

Magnolia

Science Content Chat

Presenter: Stacy Gwartney and Michele Stokes

Pine

Secondary Math Content Chat

Presenter: Julie Fowler

Teal Why Educators Love Illuminate text on dark brick wall background.

Illuminate 2025 was a huge success, welcoming educators from across the region for two incredible days of learning and connection.

“The presenter was engaging, relatable, and gave information that deepened my desire to educate students.”

“I learned several incredible ways to actively engage my students in learning while making it exciting for them.”

“I walked away with strategies I could use immediately in my classroom.”

Take a look back at moments from last year’s conference.

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We are grateful for the sponsors who help make Illuminate possible. Their support allows us to provide a high-quality experience for educators across the region.