2025 ROE8 Summer Institute

Arrive for the day with enough time to grab a light breakfast, grab your swag bag, choose your seat, and signin prior to 8:30am. Signin is digital, ensure you bring a device that can scan a QR code in order to complete the sign in process.

The morning kicks off with a short welcome, introduction, and general guidelines for the day.

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.

A recent Gallup poll found that the trait followers want most in a leader isn’t charisma, intelligence, or decisiveness—it’s hope. In schools, where burnout, stress, and uncertainty are at an all-time high, hope isn’t just a soft skill—it’s a leadership imperative.
Hope-driven leadership is more than just optimism; it’s about creating pathways for progress, instilling a sense of agency, and inspiring people to believe that a better future is within reach. Grounded in neuroscience and positive psychology, this session explores how educators and school leaders can intentionally cultivate hope to drive motivation, resilience, and achievement.
Through compelling research, real-world examples, and practical strategies, participants will discover how to turn hope from an abstract concept into a measurable force for transformation. Whether you're a teacher looking to reignite student engagement or a leader striving to build a culture of possibility, this session will equip you with the tools to make hope the foundation of your school’s success.
ObjectivesBy the end of this session, participants will:

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.

Hope isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s the most essential leadership tool of our time. And when wielded with intention, it has the power to transform schools, inspire educators, and change the trajectory of students’ lives.

A career in education is deeply meaningful—but it’s also demanding. With increasing pressures, burnout rates on the rise, and emotional exhaustion becoming the norm, educators need more than just encouragement—they need sustainable strategies to nurture their well-being and resilience.
The key? Hope.
Hope isn’t just wishful thinking; it’s a research-backed, measurable force that drives motivation, well-being, and perseverance—even in challenging times. This session explores how educators can cultivate hope and self-care as tools for personal and professional renewal. Grounded in neuroscience and positive psychology, participants will learn how to reframe stress, build psychological resilience, and create daily habits that foster mental and emotional strength.
Through engaging storytelling, practical strategies, and evidence-based insights, this session will provide a blueprint for thriving, both in and out of the classroom. Because when educators are at their best, their students and school communities benefit, too.
ObjectivesBy the end of this session, participants will:

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.

Hope isn’t just something we teach—it’s something we live. And when educators prioritize their own well-being, they create a ripple effect that transforms classrooms, schools, and communities.

What if the key to student success wasn’t just more rigor, more assessments, or more interventions—but more hope?

Hope isn’t just a feel-good idea; it’s a neuroscientific necessity. Research shows that hope rewires the brain, increasing motivation, resilience, and problem-solving skills. In fact, students with higher levels of hope perform better academically, persist through challenges, and are more engaged in learning. But hope isn’t just a personality trait—it’s a skill that can be taught, measured, and strengthened.
This session dives into the fascinating science of hope and neuroplasticity, exploring how educators can intentionally cultivate hopeful thinking in students. Through practical strategies and evidence-based approaches, participants will discover how to build schools and classrooms that foster agency, purpose, and goal-setting—creating an environment where every student can thrive.
ObjectivesBy the end of this session, participants will:

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.

The brain is wired for hope—and when schools embrace this science, they don’t just improve test scores; they create learning environments where students believe in themselves, persist through obstacles, and achieve more than they ever thought possible.