July 21-22, 2026
The Summer Teaching Festival has come to an end! 
Thank you for being part of this year's event. We hope to see you at a future edition!
START THE SCHOOL YEAR LIGHTER
What if you could bottle that carefree, happy feeling that only comes around in summer and bring it back to school?
Join us for real talk and real takeaways to lighten your mental load this school year. Come for the good vibes, and leave with practical tips and strategies to go back with less anxiety and more of that refreshed, summer feeling.
LINEUP
11 AM ET | 8 AM PT
From Overwhelmed to I Got This: Tame Your To-Do List
Quim Sabrià with Lindsey Foster, Cecelia Guillam, Mohammed Abo Hassan, and Stormy Daniels
Feeling behind before you even get started is too common in teaching. Join former teacher and Edpuzzle CEO Quim Sabrià with a panel of educators for an honest conversation about the mental load of teaching and walk away with the practical tips you need to go back to school with less anxiety and more lightness.
12 PM ET | 9 AM PT
Emotional Regulation Tools: Bye-Bye, Burnout
Eric Kussin
How do you manage your own stress as an educator to avoid burnout while emotionally supporting your students? Join the founder of #SameHere Global, Eric Kussin, to learn how to incorporate nervous system regulation tools to build a shared mental health language in schools that lasts.
1 PM ET | 10 AM PT
Beyond Easy Answers: Boost Authentic Learning With Appsmashing
Justin Unruh
It’s no secret: AI has created an off-ramp for student thinking. If you’re wrestling with the question: What does authentic learning actually look like now, this is for you. Learn how to teach your students the value of meaningful thinking, making, and discovery learning, even in an AI-driven world.
2 PM ET | 11 AM PT
Hype the Room: Building Creative Cultures Where Every Learner Wants to Show Up
Shelly Veron
The best classrooms have a feeling the moment you walk in... energy, safety, creative risk, and the sense that something good is about to happen. That feeling is absolutely teachable. Get templates, strategies, and learn to create the kind of classroom hype that makes kids want to show up and teachers remember why they started.
3 PM ET | 12 PM PT
From Taking Up Space to Taking On Challenges: How to Reach Disengaged Students
Arturo “El educateko” Archundia
Are your students just completing work—or actually thinking? Ditch passive compliance and learn simple ways to use structured choice and visible thinking to create active learning. See progress instantly, cut down on decision fatigue for everyone, and boost meaningful engagement without adding more to your plate.
11 AM ET | 8 AM PT
Build a Window Into Student Learning: Gain Clarity With Formative Assessment
Dr. Michael Harvey
Stop guessing if students are learning! Formative assessment provides the real-time window into student thinking you need to intervene before small misunderstandings become major learning gaps. Make faster, more confident instructional decisions and reduce your mental load.
12 PM ET | 9 AM PT
Finally Get a Leg Up on Differentiation
Jessica Campos, Janet Corder & Tania Gonzalez
Differentiation overwhelm is real. Stop feeling like you're the only one who hasn't figured it out! This session shares real teacher stories and simple, visible learning strategies to make meeting every K-12 student’s needs doable and beat impostor syndrome.
1 PM ET | 10 AM PT
Always On: How to Lighten the Cognitive Load of Teaching
Stacey Roshan & Alex Isaacs
Always feeling like you have to be "on"? The emotional and cognitive load of teaching is real, but you don't have to live in survival mode. Learn how making student thinking visible helps you spot confusion before it becomes a bigger problem. When you can see what students are thinking, you spend less time guessing, make faster instructional decisions, and avoid the mental drain of constantly putting out fires.
2 PM ET | 11 AM PT
From Running on Empty to a Full Tank: Your Map to A Sustainable Teaching Practice
Jennifer McCrary & Ali Worsham
Answering students’ questions, managing behavior, adapting lessons live, keeping your energy up until the bell rings… teacher burnout is real. Together, we’ll rethink what sustainable teaching looks like and explore how clearer routines, reduced decision fatigue, and more intentional instructional design can help you move from survival mode to feeling grounded, focused, and human again.
3 PM ET | 12 PM PT
From Sandbox to Seminar: Real Learning for K-12 Students in the AI Era
Stephanie Clinise & Brandon Powell
Get the guidance you need for AI in your class. You’ll learn how to help students ditch the shortcuts and develop their ability to think critically. Take away real strategies for AI-smart assignments that build accountability, visible thinking, and deep learning, no matter the grade level or subject area.
4 PM ET | 1 PM PT
Rapid-Fire Festival Edition: Biggest Takeaways for a Better Back-to-School Start
Majo Araujo, Jesus Sanchez, Manny Curiel
Looking for the festival highlights on how to lighten your mental load and start the school year in control and excited? Check out our roundup of the top tips to get you ready to go back to school!
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