Tuesday Talks for Teachers

This session equips educators with a clear, practical framework for classroom management grounded in the five core elements of: Tone, Temperature, Trust, Time, and Trajectory. Participants will explore how TONE is established through inclusive welcomes, greeting students at the door, and creating a classroom environment that feels calm, organized, and culturally responsive. TEMPERATURE is strengthened through intentional daily practices such as circles, mindfulness activities , and structured transitions that support emotional regulation and readiness to learn. Teachers will also engage with strategies to consistently implement SEL competencies with fidelity, ensuring students develop self-awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making in distraction-free, engaging environments.

The session also highlights how TRUST is built through consistent expectations, social contracts, affirmations, and opportunities for every student to be seen and heard, while TIME focuses on maximizing instructional flow through clear procedures, visual schedules, and proactive classroom systems. Finally, TRAJECTORY emphasizes intentional closure practices that reflect on “glows and grows,” reinforce growth mindset language, and set meaningful goals for the next day. Throughout the session, participants will analyze classroom environment elements such as lighting, voice, organization, and engagement strategies, while aligning school-wide and classroom matrices to daily practice. Educators will leave with actionable tools and a cohesive system to move from inconsistent classroom management practices to intentional, relationship-centered, and highly effective learning environments.

Lisa is a Racine, Wisconsin native and is in her 25th year serving students in Racine Unified School District. She began her career in the classroom, teaching for 11 years across middle and elementary levels, before transitioning into school counseling and later district leadership. At the district level, Lisa served as an External PBIS Coach, supporting school-wide systems and practices and currently serves as Director of Student Services, where she leads efforts focused on student support, behavior systems, and inclusive practices.  She is passionate about creating school environments where all students can thrive and believes strong systems, relationships, and intentional practices are key to building supportive and engaging school communities.

Lisa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology with Teacher Certification from the University of Wisconsin–Parkside, along with advanced degrees in Education and School Counseling, and a Director of Special Education and Pupil Services license.

Everyone enjoys playing games—but how can we intentionally leverage them to deepen learning in middle and high school classrooms?

Join this engaging session to explore a variety of games and interactive activities designed to motivate students and enhance the learning experience. Participants will discover strategies that not only spark engagement, but also foster a lasting love of learning across all content areas. Walk away with practical, ready-to-use ideas that bring energy, purpose, and joy into your classroom.

 

Meghan Mota brings two decades of experience in education. She began her career as a middle school Spanish teacher, spending 11 years in the classroom where she developed a strong foundation in student-centered instruction and language acquisition. Building on her classroom success and a passion for supporting colleagues, Meghan transitioned into an instructional coaching role with a focus on literacy. In this capacity, she partnered with middle and intermediate school teachers to enhance student engagement and strengthen reading proficiency. She later served for three years as an early literacy coach and specialist, deepening her expertise in foundational literacy development.

In addition to her K–12 work, Meghan has taught courses at the University of Wisconsin–Parkside, focusing on literacy and multilingual learners. She currently serves as the Dual Language Instructional Coach for Racine Unified School District, where she continues to support educators in creating equitable and effective learning environments for all students.