January 31
1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
[PREMIUM BADGE REQUIRED TO ATTEND]
Escape the Jungle: An Elementary Teacher Survival Adventure!
Presenter: Brandy Hawthorne
Designed like an Escape Room for Elementary Educators, this workshop offers practical strategies for THRIVING—not just surviving—the school year.
Led by veteran elementary teachers with over 30 years of classroom experience, participants will embark on a jungle Ed-Venture. Working in teams with colored bandanas, maps, and passports, you’ll tackle interactive simulations—avoiding quicksand, paddling against strong currents, and climbing impassable mountains—to navigate real-world classroom obstacles.
This dynamic session blends classroom management, organization, student engagement, positive culture, and teacher wellness into one immersive experience. Instead of just learning strategies, educators will live them. You’ll leave with a complete “Survival Guide” packed with templates, research, journaling pages, and immediate Day 1 ideas, making this an energizing, unforgettable way to launch your TCEA experience!
Participants will leave with:
Each participant will receive a Teacher Survival Guide containing:
- Classroom organization checklists
- Procedure templates
- Parent communication sentence starters
- Positive behavior ideas
- Student job templates
- Data collection forms
- Green/Yellow understanding cards
- Classroom expectation lists
- Budget-friendly reward ideas
- Reflection and gratitude journal pages
- Monthly mindset coloring pages
- Classroom planning pages
- Brain break ideas
- Relationship-building activities
- Action planning pages
Workshop Experience
Rather than listening to a lecture, participants travel through themed “Adventure Stops,” each featuring a combination of mini-lessons, collaborative discussions, hands-on activities, games, movement, and reflection.
Examples include:
|
Adventure Stop |
Focus |
|
Pack Your Backpack |
Classroom organization, supplies, materials management |
|
Before We Take Off |
Teacher reflection and goal setting |
|
Follow the Map |
Procedures and classroom systems |
|
Parrot Spotting |
Attention signals and engagement strategies |
|
Quicksand |
Positive parent communication |
|
Waterfall |
Procedures, routines, and organizational flow |
|
Adapt & Climb |
Flexibility, transitions, brain breaks |
|
Data Dive |
Stress-free assessment and data collection |
|
Pitfalls |
Avoiding burnout, negativity, and comparison |
|
Base Camp |
Celebrations and positive behavior supports |
|
Treasure |
Expectations and affordable rewards |
|
Cenote Stop |
Relationships and classroom community |
|
Campfire |
Teacher wellness, gratitude, and boundaries |
Participants will experience:
- Team challenges
- Movement activities
- Call-and-response games
- Hexagonal Thinking
- Beach Ball discussions
- SCOOT review game
- Musical Chairs brain breaks
- Parent communication games
- Live classroom simulations
- Reflection journaling
- Collaborative planning time
- Space for workshop notes
