Teachers have one of the most influential jobs on the planet. Whether you are a lawyer, doctor, health care worker or even a president, every one of us needed a teacher who believed in us. The keynote reminds us that teachers create lifelong interactions that stay with students for the rest of their lives. Teachers matter.
This session offers realistic, practical wellness strategies designed for the busy world of preschool teaching. Learn simple ways to manage stress, protect your energy, and build sustainable self-care habits that actually fit into your workday. Because caring for yourself is essential to caring for children.
Sherri Heiting has been in the field of education for 20 years and currently serves as Educational Consultant for Counseling Services and T4 Mental/Behavior Health. Before joining Region 18, she served as an elementary teacher, elementary counselor, and her last assignment with MISD... Read More →
Wednesday July 8, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm CDT Worship Center
This session offers realistic, practical wellness strategies designed for the busy world of preschool teaching. Learn simple ways to manage stress, protect your energy, and build sustainable self-care habits that actually fit into your workday. Because caring for yourself is essential to caring for children.
Sherri Heiting has been in the field of education for 20 years and currently serves as Educational Consultant for Counseling Services and T4 Mental/Behavior Health. Before joining Region 18, she served as an elementary teacher, elementary counselor, and her last assignment with MISD... Read More →
Wednesday July 8, 2026 3:15pm - 4:30pm CDT Worship Center
Limited Capacityfull Adding this to your schedule will put you on the waitlist.
Executive functions like working memory, impulse control, emotional regulation, and cognitive flexibility don’t emerge through compliance, they grow through safe relationships, movement, play, and repetition. In the early years, the brain’s “control center” is under construction, and every game of freeze dance, pretend play, turn-taking, and silly problem-solving is literally building the neural pathways for learning and self-regulation. This session will connect the brain science behind executive function growth with practical, joyful activities educators can use immediately, because for young children, play isn’t a break from learning… it’s how the brain actually learns!
Hi, I’m Layne Pethick, a Brain Nerd with a Passport, decoding why humans do what they do. Texas-based behavior and autism consultant, educator, and speaker with 30+ years’ experience. I translate neuroscience into practical, human-centered strategies for learning, behavior, and... Read More →
Thursday July 9, 2026 9:00am - 10:15am CDT Worship Center
Limited Capacityfull Adding this to your schedule will put you on the waitlist.
Executive functions like working memory, impulse control, emotional regulation, and cognitive flexibility don’t emerge through compliance, they grow through safe relationships, movement, play, and repetition. In the early years, the brain’s “control center” is under construction, and every game of freeze dance, pretend play, turn-taking, and silly problem-solving is literally building the neural pathways for learning and self-regulation. This session will connect the brain science behind executive function growth with practical, joyful activities educators can use immediately, because for young children, play isn’t a break from learning… it’s how the brain actually learns!
Hi, I’m Layne Pethick, a Brain Nerd with a Passport, decoding why humans do what they do. Texas-based behavior and autism consultant, educator, and speaker with 30+ years’ experience. I translate neuroscience into practical, human-centered strategies for learning, behavior, and... Read More →
Thursday July 9, 2026 10:45am - 12:00pm CDT Worship Center
Limited Capacityfull Adding this to your schedule will put you on the waitlist.
This session concept is basically professional development meets playground neuroscience! You’ll jump into playful games, movement challenges, and simple activities designed to do what young brains need most: build executive function, regulation, attention, flexibility, and social problem-solving. Every game we play connects directly to the developing young brain, showing how play isn’t “extra,” it’s neurodevelopment in action. You’ll leave with a toolbox of easy, research-aligned recess activities that strengthen working memory, impulse control, emotional regulation, and learning readiness, because the truth is simple: you can’t grow a child’s brain through compliance and control…you grow it through play!!
Hi, I’m Layne Pethick, a Brain Nerd with a Passport, decoding why humans do what they do. Texas-based behavior and autism consultant, educator, and speaker with 30+ years’ experience. I translate neuroscience into practical, human-centered strategies for learning, behavior, and... Read More →
Thursday July 9, 2026 1:30pm - 2:45pm CDT Worship Center
Limited Capacityfull Adding this to your schedule will put you on the waitlist.
This session concept is basically professional development meets playground neuroscience! You’ll jump into playful games, movement challenges, and simple activities designed to do what young brains need most: build executive function, regulation, attention, flexibility, and social problem-solving. Every game we play connects directly to the developing young brain, showing how play isn’t “extra,” it’s neurodevelopment in action. You’ll leave with a toolbox of easy, research-aligned recess activities that strengthen working memory, impulse control, emotional regulation, and learning readiness, because the truth is simple: you can’t grow a child’s brain through compliance and control…you grow it through play!!
Hi, I’m Layne Pethick, a Brain Nerd with a Passport, decoding why humans do what they do. Texas-based behavior and autism consultant, educator, and speaker with 30+ years’ experience. I translate neuroscience into practical, human-centered strategies for learning, behavior, and... Read More →
Thursday July 9, 2026 3:15pm - 4:30pm CDT Worship Center
There is science behind laughter, and this veteran stand up comedian has mastered it. Now, imagine being able to bottle that energy, positivity and feel-good vibe that you get from a comedy show, and channel it into your classroom, workplace or everyday life. It’s easier than you think. Devin delivers a comedy-filled message that puts the power of the punchline into the hands of the staff in a way that benefits the entire school- better mental health, lower turnover rate, improved classroom participation, and a massive drop in disciplinary issues. All of these have proven, real-world demonstrations that Devin experienced in his classroom, and can pass on to you!
