Stay up to date on the latest developments in the Teaching and Learning pathway. This session will provide key updates on course offerings, including revised course descriptions, new teacher toolkits, and available industry certification options. Participants will also gain insight into go-to resources, recruitment strategies, and opportunities designed to support high-quality GYO success.
Educators Rising Teacher Leaders from across Kentucky for a special luncheon celebrating the accomplishments of our students, educators, and programs. Together, we will recognize competitors and winners from the National Educators Rising Conference, explore meaningful ways to honor and elevate our pathway, and strengthen connections among educators across the state. This session offers an opportunity to celebrate success, build community, and inspire continued growth for Kentucky’s future educators.
Artificial intelligence is changing the way we work, including the work of teachers. In this interactive session, CTE educators will explore how to use AI as a professional support tool for lesson planning, assessment design, instructional material creation, and other high-impact tasks. The session will be co-led with AI Fellows participating in a statewide CTE initiative, who will share tested examples and practical insights from their experiences.Rather than focusing on AI tricks, this session introduces repeatable prompts and practical processes for using AI responsibly and strategically. Participants will generate and refine lesson components aligned to pathway standards, design authentic performance tasks, and elevate instructional materials while maintaining strong alignment to program expectations. Throughout the session, we will emphasize how AI can support high-quality, standards-aligned instruction while preserving teacher judgment and professional expertise.Participants will actively test AI tools and strategies during the session and leave with ready-to-use prompts, example workflows, and adaptable resources they can immediately implement in their CTE classrooms.
Through lecture, video, injury identification and group work, attendees are prepared to recognize, report, and prevent child abuse and neglect within their role as child and/or family-serving professionals. This workshop reviews Kentucky mandated reporting laws, definitions of abuse and neglect, what to expect after a report has been made to the authorities and outlines specific action steps which prevent child maltreatment.
This session aims to equip participants with the knowledge and resources necessary to implement a Grow Your Own model within their communities. Attendees will explore strategies to motivate students to pursue careers in education, leverage resources to support current teachers in inspiring future educators, and learn how to start, grow, or sustain an Educators Rising chapter.ObjectivesExamine strategies to encourage students to explore careers in educationExplore resources available to support current teachers to inspire future teachersStart, grow, or sustain an Educators Rising chapter
This session shares a teachers perspective on the evolution of teacher preparation, highlighting the shift from traditional approaches to intentionalGrow Your OwnandTeaching models. This session also features authentic student perspectives through short video reflections from middle school and high school students currently engaged in the Teaching and Learning pathway, as well as a recent graduate now enrolled in postsecondary education. These voices illustrate how early classroom experiences, leadership opportunities, and pathway participation build confidence, preparedness, and clarity around career goals.Attendees will leave with practical ideas for developing or strengthening Teaching and Learning pathways, integrating student voice, and creating sustainable Grow Your Own programs that begin well before graduation.
Are you ready to start a CTE Career Lab in your middle school? During this session attendees will learn about how I run my Paxton and Patterson Career Lab. We will explore the 16 different modules that I currently run in the classroom at one time. They will receive different teacher created resources and resources I have been using that will work in any career lab.
CTE Career Lab Teacher at a middle school level. A KEDC Renaissance Teacher Learder 2024-present time. I have presented at KAST and the KEDC Grant Summer Conference.
Take a seat at the table as we dive into Kentuckys Registered Youth Apprenticeship models with our TRACK Apprenticeship experts: Mary Taylor (KDE), Brandy Scott (JCPS), Lee Barger (Bullitt County Schools), and Courtney Newton (LEAD Nelson). Together, they will share their unique models, program designs, and practical approaches to launching and building a registered Youth TRACK Apprenticeship in your district.
Presentation will cover basic tools and concepts for designing and developing virtual reality applications for the Meta Quest 3 headset. We will also touch on the research and data behind the tools, and ways to integrate these tools and applications into the classroom and workplace training environments.
Managing CTE Supplemental Funding doesnt have to be confusing! In this practical, user‑friendly session, we break down the key dos and don'ts for both middle and high school programs. Learn what counts as an allowable expense, what to avoid, and how to plan spending that strengthens your program and supports students. We'll also explore examples, common mistakes, and tips for stretching your funds effectively. Whether you're new to CTE funding or looking for a helpful refresher, you'll walk away with clear guidance, confidence, and strategies you can use immediately.
New teachers don't struggle because they lack effort or care. They struggle because no one teaches them how to survive the emotional and structural realities of the job. This session is designed for early-career educators and those who support them. Drawing from classroom experience and the forthcoming book Surviving Your First Years of Teaching, this presentation explores the often-unspoken emotional challenges of year one and beyond, alongside the classroom foundations that actually make teaching sustainable. Participants will examine common myths about natural teachers, the hidden causes of burnout, and the emotional load that comes with managing students, systems, and expectations. From there, the session shifts into high-yield strategies: practical classroom structures, routines, and decision-making frameworks that reduce stress, improve student engagement, and protect teacher longevity. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of why the first years feel so destabilizing, along with concrete tools they can apply immediately to create calmer, more effective classrooms that last.
A middle school educator (2026 Kentucky Teacher of the Year) presents how intentionally designed project-based learning (PBL) can reignite joy in teaching while raising expectations for all students by using real-world projects, community connections, and student choice to create classrooms of curiosity, purpose, and growth. Participants will learn practical strategies for designing authentic, multi-entry projects that allow every learner to experience success while still challenging them to exceed rubrics and ways to involve local mentors, advisors, and feedback partners to boost relevance and engagement. Attendees will leave with actionable ideas to implement PBL in their own classrooms and to empower Teaching and Learning pathway students to design and lead project-based experiences that support joyful, sustainable teaching practices.
TEDS is the authoritative source for all CTE data in Kentucky. Anyone working with secondary TEDS data should attend this session for important reminders and updates.
Are you starting with a blank slate and a big vision? Transforming a Teaching and Learning pathway from a mere concept into a thriving, high-impact pipeline set to prepare your next generation of Kentucky educators. Join us as we explore how to build a Tll guide you through the essentials of digging in, from crafting a rigorous yet relatable curriculum to setting ambitious monthly travel goals that broaden student horizons and allow for career exploration. Discover how to wrap your program in engaging branding all while staying fiercely aligned with the Grow Your Own (GYO) vision and mission. Whether you are starting from the ground up or looking to elevate your current population, join us for a conversation designed to strengthen your community and help you find the right place to plant and grow.
Participants will learn the essential requirements and scaffolds needed to support English Learner (EL) students in career and technical education (CTE) classes. By exploring students' civil rights, the connection between Program Service Plans and CTE coursework, and practical instructional scaffolds and accommodations, attendees will gain strategies to make learning accessible for EL students.
