Reignite Joy: A Teacher's Summit

Rediscover your purpose. Reignite your classroom.

Date: Saturday, March 21, 2026
Time: 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: Anne Frank Inspire Academy
11216 Bandera Rd
San Antonio, TX 78250
Cost: FREE (Includes Lunch!)
✅ CPE: Earn 6 CPE Credit Hours

Open to all San Antonio-area educators

You became a teacher to inspire, not just to instruct.

In the daily grind of grading, testing, and “have-to-dos,” it is easy for your “joy meter” to run low. You didn’t become a teacher to manage compliance; you became a teacher to make an impact.

“Reignite Joy” is a free, one-day summit designed to help you pause, reflect, and gather the tools you need to reignite the spark in your classroom. Whether you are looking to master Universal Design for Learning (UDL), “hack” the brain’s science of learning, or simply connect with fellow San Antonio educators who share your passion, this summit is for you.

About

Hosted by the nonprofit BRAINATION, this summit brings together visionary leaders and expert practitioners from across the country for a day of deep learning and connection.

We are moving beyond theory. Our sessions are grounded in neuroscience, asset-based pedagogy, and inquiry-based models. You will leave not just with inspiration, but with concrete strategies and moves to upgrade simple activities into anchoring experiences.

Join us to reimagine education, grounded in the belief that every student (and every teacher) deserves to belong, find joy, and be great.

What You Will Gain

Neuroscience "Hacks"

Discover the "5 Laws of Learning" to help students take ownership of their own attention and memory.
Design Better Experiences

Shift from assigning simple "activities" to creating deep, anchoring learning experiences.
Practical UDL Strategies

Learn how to honor student strengths and expand access using flexible goals and materials.
Joy & Playfulness

Practice specific moves to make learning fun again without sacrificing rigorous objectives.
Community & Connection

Network with like-minded educators and enjoy a complimentary lunch on us.

Explore the Sessions

The 5 Questions We Should Ask All Learners

Good questioning challenges the learner to push past first thought and make meaningful connections to the themes, topics, and skills we teach. We will unpack and practice 5 question types to get students to share their thinking in the classroom, and some tips and tricks to support them to be willing to do so.

Finding Your Way as an Innovative Teacher

Innovation in teaching is not about having all the answers. It is about curiosity, courage, and a willingness to take thoughtful risks in the service of students. In this session, teachers will reflect on their own professional journeys, explore what it means to teach with purpose and agency, and consider how small, intentional choices can lead to meaningful change in classrooms and school culture.

Bringing Joy and Playfulness into Teaching and Learning

When we get bogged down by all the checklists and “have to do’s” of teaching, our joy meter can be running low. Come practice some moves and strategies to remind us that learning can still be FUN and playful while maintaining all our other objectives.

Upgrade from Activities to Experiences

In this workshop, we will look at the key design and delivery strategies that turn simple activities into engaging, anchoring, learning experiences that we can reference and build upon to deepen student learning.

Universal Design for Learning: Teaching That Starts with Strengths

This session offers a practical exploration of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) grounded in asset-based pedagogy and real classroom examples. Participants will examine how flexible goals, materials, and assessments can honor student strengths while expanding access and engagement for all learners.

Obeying The Laws of Learning

Explore the 5 Laws of Learning that are always in play when students take in new information. Help learners to take ownership of their learning by hacking their own brain’s desire and ability to create attention, connection, association, repetition, and demonstration.

Meet Your Speakers

Justin Johnston

Superintendent, Inspire Academies

Justin Johnston is a visionary leader dedicated to reimagining and transforming global learning. As the Superintendent of BRAINATION’s Inspire Academies, he champions an educational philosophy that views learning as a transformative journey where every student can belong, find joy, and be great. Justin brings over a decade of administrative experience to this mission, having served 12 years as a campus administrator and four years as Head of Schools at Anne Frank Inspire Academy. Currently completing his doctorate at the University of Houston, he combines academic research with practical leadership to redefine traditional education.

Jeffrey Scott Miller

Transformation Coach and Trainer

Jeffrey Scott Miller’s career is centered on a deep love for learning and teaching. With 15 years of experience in public, private, and charter classrooms, he understands the education landscape from the inside out. Jeffrey has served as a Director of Education and Curriculum for national youth development organizations, shifting his focus over the last decade to supporting educators in building positive environments, relationships, and transformative experiences. A Baltimore native with an MFA in Creative Writing, he combines his storytelling roots with practical strategies to help teachers connect authentically with youth.

Jon Mundorf, EdD

Teacher & Researcher, University of Florida

Dr. Jon Mundorf is an award-winning teacher and researcher at P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School at the University of Florida. He teaches creative writing and leads innovative literacy initiatives centered on student voice and authentic learning experiences. Dr. Mundorf presents and facilitates workshops nationally and internationally on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and research-based approaches to literacy teaching.

Shari Murphy

CEO, Quantum Learning

Shari Murphy is passionate about empowering people to discover and unleash their full potential. Her journey began in the classroom, where she spent over a decade teaching 4th- and 5th-graders. After feeling overwhelmed and ineffective, a Quantum Learning training transformed her outlook. Today, she travels the country sharing the neuroscience and strategies that help educators become more intentional with who they are and what they do.

Ready to Reignite Your Passion?

Spaces are limited for this free event. Secure your spot today and prepare to rediscover the joy of teaching.

This free event is made possible by the generosity of the BRAINATION Foundation.

This event is made possible thanks to the support of the BRAINATION Foundation.