Teaching Philosophy - The "Control Z" model of teaching emphasizes connection, humor, respect, lifting with feedback, and zero barriers to learning [1][14][15] - Connection requires presence and is a significant predictor of academic performance [1][2] - Humor reduces fear, improves memory, and opens cognitive doors, enhancing the learning experience [2][3][6] - Respect means valuing each student's voice and recognizing the unique values and principles of Gen Z [7][8][9] - Feedback should focus on potential and skill development rather than highlighting inadequacies, encouraging students to use AI as a tool for skill-building [9][10][11] - Zero barriers involve removing both academic and emotional obstacles to ensure equity and inclusion, meeting students where they are [12][13] Practical Application - Educators should strive to connect with students emotionally, creating a space where they feel seen and understood [1][2] - Incorporating humor into lessons can make learning more engaging and memorable [2][3][6] - Respecting students' perspectives and values fosters a more inclusive and participatory classroom environment [7][8][9] - Providing constructive feedback that focuses on potential can empower students to overcome challenges and develop their skills [9][10][11] - Implementing flexible policies and accommodations can help remove barriers to learning and ensure equity for all students [12][13]

[Applause] When I was a little kid, I really loved to play game video games. Uh, and sometimes it got so bad that I would sneak the Game Boy with me to bed and play for hours on end to get the most out of it. And I was a very impatient kid.So when I was playing those games, the only thing I wanted to do was compete it as quickly as possible and start with the next one. But uh as I grew up, gaming became more of a fun thing that I occasionally got to do. And I found that to make it more enjoyable, sometimes ...

[Applause] When it comes to conflict, I'm unapologetically intense, which sounds a little dramatic, and it's true. When I hear hesitancy in someone's voice, feel tension in the room, something in me is drawn like a magnet. This desire to navigate conflict began early. I was raised by two educators. Our home was filled with love and a deep belief in service, structure, and showing up for others. My dad, a former coach turned superintendent, and my mom, an award-winning school counselor. They had a gift. They ...

[Music] [Applause] What if I told you that everything you knew about connection was incomplete. That true connection, the kind that transforms lives and communities, is not about sameness, but about our willingness to bridge the gaps between us. We often think of connection as something that happens naturally through shared experiences, backgrounds, or beliefs.And the media thrives in making the collective belief there's an us and a them. And we're not supposed to trust each other. But the most profound con ...

[Music] So, I'm an anthropologist. Uh, which means I uh uh spend a lot of time asking what it means to be human. Not just in a tidy academic sense, but in all its gritty, glorious contradictions.from how we've evolved to be this flawed physical species to how this physical species has moved and migrated to nearly every square inch of the earth and not just survived in those different places but thrived. Not because we've done the same thing in all those different places but because we've done things differe ...