2025 ROE8 Summer Institute

What if the secret to unlocking student engagement wasn’t just about better lessons or stronger classroom management—but about something deeper? Research shows that hope isn’t just a feel-good concept; it’s a measurable, teachable force that drives motivation, resilience, and learning. In this session, we’ll explore the surprising science behind hope and how it shapes student engagement. You’ll walk away with practical, research-backed strategies to cultivate a classroom culture where students take ownership of their learning, persist through challenges, and see a future filled with possibilities.

What You’ll Learn:

• The Science of Hope: Why hope fuels engagement—and how it’s wired into our brains.
• Hope in Action: How small shifts in teaching can create big leaps in student motivation.
• Tools for the Classroom: Practical strategies to help students set goals, build agency, and stay on track.
• The Hope Effect: How a culture of hope transforms not just students, but teachers and entire schools.

1. Understand the Science of Hope – Explore research-backed insights on how hope fuels motivation, resilience, and achievement in both students and educators.
2. Develop a Hope-Based Leadership Approach – Learn how to integrate hope into daily leadership practices to foster agency, trust, and a shared vision for success.
3. Create Pathways to Progress – Discover strategies to help students and staff set, pursue, and achieve meaningful goals.
4. Strengthen Educator Well-Being and Retention – Implement hope-driven strategies to reduce burnout, increase job satisfaction, and retain high-quality teachers.
5. Cultivate a Culture of Possibility – Design a school environment where every student and educator feels valued, supported, and capable of achieving more than they thought possible.

1. Understand the Science of Hope – Explore how hope impacts mental health, motivation, and resilience in personal and professional life.
2. Recognize the Signs of Burnout – Identify early warning signs and learn strategies to mitigate stress before it leads to exhaustion.
3. Develop Sustainable Self-Care Habits – Discover practical, research-based self-care strategies that are realistic and effective for busy educators.
4. Reframe Challenges as Opportunities – Learn how to shift perspectives, foster optimism, and use setbacks as stepping stones for growth.
5. Build a Supportive, Hopeful School Culture – Implement strategies to create a positive, supportive environment that nurtures both students and staff.

1. Understand the Neuroscience of Hope – Explore how hope functions in the brain, enhancing motivation, learning, and resilience.
2. Apply Hope Theory to Education – Learn how hope impacts academic achievement, emotional well-being, and student engagement.
3. Develop Strategies to Strengthen Hope – Discover classroom practices that cultivate agency, pathways thinking, and goal-setting in students.
4. Foster a Culture of Hope in Schools – Implement school-wide approaches that empower teachers, staff, and students to create a climate of possibility and success.
5. Use Hope as a Tool – Explore how fostering hope can break cycles of discouragement and create pathways for all students to succeed.