WY TeacherCon 2026

As a secondary literacy specialist, and middle & high school English teacher I understand the demands of curriculum maps and pacing guides as well as the challenges of inheriting struggling adolescent readers in a tier 1 classroom. I've done the work and can model and explain how it can be done.
This session stands out because it tackles a critical—but often neglected—component of adolescent literacy: oral reading fluency in secondary classrooms. While fluency is widely emphasized in elementary settings, many middle and high school educators assume it is either already mastered or only relevant for struggling readers. This session challenges that misconception by clearly connecting oral reading fluency to comprehension, confidence, and academic success across all content areas.
What makes this session especially compelling is its practical, cross-curricular focus. Rather than presenting fluency as a stand-alone intervention, participants will experience modeled routines that seamlessly integrate into English language arts, science, social studies, and other secondary classrooms. Attendees will not just hear about strategies—they will see them in action, participate in them, and leave with ready-to-use tools that require minimal preparation and instructional time.
The session is uniquely valuable because it:
Bridges research and practice by clearly explaining the “why” behind fluency instruction for adolescents while immediately translating that research into classroom routines.
Addresses common misconceptions that often prevent secondary educators from prioritizing fluency.
Provides low-risk, engaging instructional approaches that build student confidence without embarrassing or stigmatizing older learners.
Supports both core classroom teachers and interventionists, making it broadly applicable.
Educators should choose this session because it offers something rare at the secondary level: concrete, realistic strategies that can be implemented the very next day to improve comprehension and engagement. Participants will leave not only understanding the importance of oral reading fluency, but equipped with actionable routines that help students become more fluent, confident, and capable readers in every content area.

My session is unique because it presents an innovative computational modeling tool that allows students to construct and represent complex systems. The tool, called SageModeler, is a systems dynamics modeling platform that has been shown to support students in making sense of complex scientific phenomena while applying systems thinking.

I have been working with high school science teachers in Green River and Douglas to develop a unit that uses this tool to support students in making informed decisions about Socio-Scientific Issues. Many contemporary issues in Wyoming require scientific knowledge to inform social decisions. Questions such as whether wolves should be reintroduced into Yellowstone, whether a new modular nuclear reactor should be built in Kemmerer, or whether AI data centers should be developed in the state all demand careful scientific reasoning.

This session will not only introduce a powerful new tool that teachers can integrate into their classrooms, but will also provide practical strategies to support teachers in preparing scientifically literate citizens capable of navigating complex and consequential public issues.

The PBS Learning Media site is a powerful FREE tool for teachers who are interested in using video, online games, primary sources and self-paced digital lessons with their students. If you are a teacher in a K-12 classroom, a librarian, a technology specialist or an administrator there is something for you on PBS Learning Media. Teachers can learn how to harness the power of PBS media to create engaging and fun activities for students of all ages and abilities. Bring your favorite device and headphones or ear buds and come ready to launch the power of PBS in your classroom!

Civic education is no longer limited to a single course or a single grade level. This session offers a clear, practical definition of 21st-century civic education and shows how it can be meaningfully embedded in classrooms at every level, from elementary through high school.

Unlike sessions that focus on theory alone, participants will engage in hands-on civic learning models, analyze real classroom examples, and leave with ready-to-use activities aligned to existing standards.

This session because it moves beyond why civics matters to how civics works, equipping teachers with immediately actionable strategies to build student voice, civic learning and civic engagement, regardless of content area or grade level.