Celebrate the profession of teaching at the 2026 Teacher Education Conference! We invite the teacher education community (current students, alumni, graduate students, instructors, partner district host teachers, professional staff, etc.) to join us for a day of conversation and learning.
Students, educators, alumni, faculty, and staff are invited to join us for a day of professional development, creative outlets, well-being, and communities of practice. This is a free event with lunch provided.
Saturday, April 18th
9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Townsend Hall
Register here
Schedule
9:00 am – 9:30 am: Registration, Breakfast, Gallery
9:30 am – 10:00 am: Keynote: Dr. Jen Wingert
10:05 am – 10:55 am: Session I
11:00 am – 11:50 am: Session II
11:55 am – 12:45 pm: Session III
12:50 pm – 2:00 pm: Lunch, Recognition, Prizes
Presentations
Registration, Breakfast, Gallery • 9:00 am – 9:30 am
Townsend Hall Lobby and The Reflector, 201 Townsend
Registration: Check-in, connect with colleagues and friends, and plan for your day of learning and celebration.
Breakfast: Enjoy coffee and light breakfast snacks from Toasty Goat, a locally-owned, family-friendly coffee shop and roastery in Columbia, MO serving ethically-sourced coffee and in-house made baked goods.
Gallery Stroll: Take a self-paced stroll through a gallery designed to inspire! Seniors in LTC 4241: Diverse Literature for Children and Youth and honor student present curated collections of texts, highlighting recommended books for today’s classrooms. As you explore this interactive gallery, turn the pages, be inspired by the art, and engage with future elementary educators as they share reflections on the transformative power of diverse literature in their student teaching experiences. Leisurely enjoy your breakfast while perusing and leave with fresh ideas to enrich your own teaching practice!
Instructors: Kirsten Tivaringe & Mengying Xue
Honors Project: Alleyna Neal
LTC 4241 Students: Natalie Young, Abby Mahfood, Alli Castor, Madelyn Polisner, Hannah McLee, Thomas Skiendziel, Lillie Spencer, Kaitlyn Theberge, Holly Savoye and Lexi Pinks
Keynote • 9:30 am – 10:00 am
Jen Wingert
Principal, Grant Elementary
The Reflector, 201 Townsend Hall
Jen Wingert approaches leadership the same way she approaches education: with attention, intention, and a deep respect for the people doing the work. As principal of Grant Elementary School and three-time graduate of the University of Missouri, Wingert spends her days learning, teaching, and leading in the communities she knows best. Join us for an inspiring keynote from a veteran school principal whose leadership has made a lasting impact on students, educators, and the broader school community. Drawing from her years of experience, she will share her personal and professional journey—highlighting the moments, challenges, and values that have shaped her commitment to education. Her message will explore what it means to lead with heart and purpose. Wingert’s recent recognition as the 2025 Outstanding Administrator by Columbia Public Schools highlights her leadership, but its influence extends far beyond the award. By uplifting educators and strengthening school culture, her leadership creates ripple effects that touch students, families and communities. Attendees will leave energized, equipped with a renewed sense of purpose and the clarity to put it into action.
Session I • 10:05 am – 10:55 am
Early Teaching Career Panel: Alumni Voices
205 Townsend Hall
Moderator:
Thomas Skiendziel, ’26, BSEd, Elementary Education
Graduating Teacher Candidates, are you wondering about your next steps after commencement? New teachers, are you interested in connecting with other new teachers and hearing about their experiences? Hear from recent graduates of Mizzou’s teacher preparation program in Years 1 to 4 of teaching! Join the Early Career Teacher Panel to learn how recent alumni have navigated the transition into their first teaching position, their lessons, tips and tricks, and adventure.
Panelists:
Nicole Bazile, (BSEd ’22), Year 4, Carter Lawrence Elementary School, Nashville, TN
Melaney Cotton, (BSEd ’23, MEd ’25), Year 3, New Haven Elementary School, Columbia, MO
Katie Espinosa, (BSEd ’24, Current MPER Scholar), Year 2, Russell Elementary School, Columbia, MO
Brayden Langendoerfer (BSEd ’23, MEd ’25), Year 3, Thomas Jefferson Middle School, Jefferson City, MO
Session I • 10:05 am – 10:55 am
“When Youth Voice Thrives”: High School Researchers Reflect on Teaching Future Teachers
206 Townsend Hall
Facilitators:
Daryl Moss, Teacher, Rock Bridge High School
Amanda Schirmer, Doctoral student, Language & Literacies for Social Transformation
This session shares what came out of a co-research project with high school students exploring what it means for youth voice to thrive in schools. Led by their teacher and a doctoral student–with a few youth researchers joining in–we will also reflect on how the group prepared for and carried out their experience teaching future educators at Mizzou. These insights show what educators can learn when youth are seen and trusted as knowledgeable partners, able to contribute in meaningful ways alongside teachers, teacher educators, future teachers, and researchers.
Session I • 10:05 am – 10:55 am
Imposter Phenomenon, Identity, and the Professional Journey
220 Townsend Hall
Facilitators:
Kevin Botkin, Certification Officer, Office of Clinical Experiences & Partnerships
Sarah Walters, Career Services Coordinator, Office of Clinical Experiences & Partnerships
Who am I? Do I belong here? If you have ever asked yourself those questions, please consider joining us as we explore how identities can shape our lives and careers. Topics covered include Imposter Phenomenon, the Dunning-Kruger Effect, and professional growth.
Session I • 10:05 am – 10:55 am
Kid Connection
222 Townsend Hall
Facilitator:
Tom Whelihan, Teacher, Russell Elementary School
One of the biggest factors in class for student success is connection with students. Come to this breakout session to see what it looks like.
Session I • 10:05 am – 10:55 am
From Paper to Powerful: Turning Lesson Plans into Engaging Experiences
223 Townsend Hall
Facilitator:
Jenifer Smith, Elementary Math Coordinator, Columbia Public Schools
In this session, participants will learn how to transform provided math lessons into engaging experiences for students that build positive math identities. We will discuss videos of students in a third grade classroom grappling with beginning understanding of multiplication.
Session II • 11:00 am – 11:50 am
Questioning the Bot: Teaching Critical Thinking with AI in Secondary Classrooms
202 Townsend Hall
Facilitator:
Christy Goldsmith, Campus Writing Program Associate Director & Assistant Teaching Professor
Generative AI can produce answers instantly and (confidently!), but that doesn’t mean those answers are accurate, thoughtful, or complete. In this interactive session, we’ll explore classroom activities that ask students to question AI-generated texts to evaluate the quality and expose gaps, biases, or inaccuracies. These critical analysis activities can help students develop 21st century media literacy skills that are useful for all content areas and apply to the media world beyond AI, too. (target audience: Grades 7-12)
Session II • 11:00 am – 11:50 am
Trauma-Informed Language and Communication Support
206 Townsend Hall
Facilitator:
Kathryn Fishman-Weaver,
Mizzou Academy Executive Director & Associate Teaching Professor
All behavior is communication. For children and youth who have experienced trauma, behavior is sometimes connected to underlying communication and safety needs. This workshop equips current and future teachers with trauma-informed strategies to recognize and respond effectively to communication challenges. Through case studies and practical examples from Heart of Missouri CASA, participants will learn strategies to identify potential speech and language concerns and learn responsive, strengths-based approaches to meet children where they are.
Session II • 11:00 am – 11:50 am
Administrator Panel
205 Townsend Hall
Moderators:
Stephanie Goldberg, ’26, BSEd, Special Education
Eliza Pierce, ’26, BSEd,
Middle School Language Arts Education
Panelists:
Jacob Adams, Principal, Jefferson Middle School, Columbia, MO
Mary Grupe, Principal, Hickman High School, Columbia, MO
Brian Rehg, Principal, Parkade Elementary School, Columbia, MO
Kim Uffman, Principal, Russell Elementary School, Columbia, MO
Chelsea Jackson, Principal, Hannah Cole Primary School, Boonville, MO
This panel brings together experienced school administrators to share the insights, lessons, and perspectives they have developed over the course of their careers in education. Panelists will offer practical advice, reflect on pivotal moments in their professional journeys, and engage in an open dialogue about the evolving landscape of education. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of educational leadership and actionable ideas to inform their own practice.
Session II • 11:00 am – 11:50 am
Recharge your Body, Refresh your Mind
220 Townsend Hall
Facilitator:
Jenny Bossaller, Professor, School of Information Science & Learning Technologies
Take a mindful pause to recharge. In this session, you’ll balance your body, build gentle strength, and release tension—plus learn practical stress-reduction techniques you can use anytime.
Session III • 11:55 am – 12:45 pm
Beyond Face Value: Leveling Up Digital Content
202 Townsend Hall
Facilitator:
Keri Jones, Assistant Teaching Professor, School of Information Science & Learning Technologies
Digital documents, slideshows, and online assignments can look polished but still create barriers that make it harder for learners to make sense of information and show what they know. In this session, participants will learn practical accessibility and multimedia design strategies to level up digital materials and create materials that better support learning.
Session III • 11:55 am – 12:45 pm
Arts to Build Your Classroom
205 Townsend Hall
Facilitator:
Brian Stuhlman, Assistant Professor of Professional Practice, Mizzou Academy & Learning, Teaching, and Curriculum
In this session, we will be making some meaningful curricular connections to the arts by exploring how the arts might facilitate such goals as perspective taking, meaningful expression, being succinct, challenging respectfully, and much more. We will explore strategies such as differentiation and backward design that can help us more solidly frame our curriculum…whatever our curriculum might be! Come ready to have some creative fun and be prepared to leave with some ideas and some possible pathways to building the arts into our work!
Session III • 11:55 am – 12:45 pm
Opening Doors and Windows: Using Picture Books to Teach Content
206 Townsend Hall
Facilitators:
Whitney Hoffman, 5th Grade Teacher, Grant Elementary School
Kara Johnson, 5th Grade Teacher, Russell Boulevard Elementary School
In this session, participants will learn how diverse picture books can act as windows and doors for student learning, be used to increase engagement, and make complex concepts accessible and visual. We will explore text selection, before, during and after reading strategies, and hopefully have a chance to practice everything we’ve learned!
Session III • 11:55 am – 12:45 pm
Give Them the World!
220 Townsend Hall
Facilitator:
Gabrielle Malfatti, Director, Global Engagement, Teaching Professor, Higher Education
Using the framework of the Global Issues Networks (GIN) and Ashoka’s Everyone a Change Maker Initiative, this session interactively explores strategies to enhance students’ abilities to connect global stewardship to their local context. Participants will learn how these initiatives are being used by educators worldwide to support students’ curiosity and intercultural learning, develop social entrepreneurship skills, contribute to the betterment of their communities, and connect with peers around the globe. Together we’ll think of ways to bring these strategies into their classrooms.
Session III • 11:55 am – 12:45 pm
Music Instrument Petting Zoo
222 Townsend Hall
Facilitators:
Kevin Botkin, Certification Officer, Office of Clinical Experiences & Partnerships
Brendan Frazier, Musician and Graduate Assistant, Higday Mozart Outreach Concert Series
The Higday and Mizzou Instrument Petting Zoo is an outreach event sponsored by the Paul D. Higday Mozart Trust. Participants will have the opportunity to try out brass, string, woodwind, and percussion instruments while being guided by Mizzou Music student volunteers. If you would like to book an instrument petting zoo or any outreach event for your school, email communitymusic@missouri.edu.
Lunch, Recognition, Prizes • 12:50 pm – 2:00 pm
Lunch from Tammie’s Convenant Kitchen
The Reflector, 201 Townsend Hall
During lunch provided by Tammie’s Covenant Kitchen, we will come together for a special time of celebration and community. As we share a meal, we will honor our outstanding host teachers and administrators, whose mentorship, generosity, and daily work make such a profound difference in the preparation of future educators. Their partnership is at the heart of this community, and we are grateful for the many ways they support learning and growth.
Following the awards ceremony, we will hold our much-anticipated prize drawing featuring some great giveaways, including classroom favorites and practical treasures to support your work. We hope this time together offers not only good food, but also joy, gratitude, and a chance to celebrate the educators who make this work possible.