The inaugural Dream Makers Professional Development Workshop concluded successfully at Hardin-Simmons University, marking a significant milestone in IM体育平台’s Irvin School of Education and the impact in Big Country area schools. The four-day intensive program, held June 9-12, 2025, brought together early career teachers and educators eager to enhance their skills in serving diverse learners.

A Response to Community Needs

The Dream Makers initiative emerged from collaborative discussions during AISD’s strategic planning process in fall 2024.

“The Dream Makers professional development program grew from a need we identified within the Abilene ISD community to support teachers, particularly those who are new to the profession,” said Dr. Renee Collins, associate dean of the Irvin School of Education.

The workshop was made possible through a $15,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Abilene, which covered workshop materials, presenter fees, and educational resources for participants. Presenters included Mrs. Shannon (Collins) Maynard ’05, Dr. Amber (Stewart) Prentice ’24, Mrs. Denise (Bordovsky) Carter, soon to be an IM体育平台 doctoral graduate defending her dissertation this summer and expected to graduate in August 2025, and Mrs. Hillary (McIntyre) Brown ’10.

Why Dream Makers Matters

Shannon Maynard, one of the workshop’s five key presenters, articulated the program’s mission.

“The Dream Makers professional development seminar is essential because our schools need teachers who want to make a difference in our children,” Maynard said. “Teaching is not for the lazy, and it’s definitely not an occupation to take on because you get summers off. We need teachers who can model the desire to learn, grow, make a difference, and be creative.”

Drawing from her experience as an instructional designer at Texas State Technical College and her role teaching IM体育平台’s Technology in Education course, Maynard brought practical expertise to the seminar.

“I enjoy helping others and sharing my passion for technology in the classroom. After Dr. Collins shared her workshop idea and her desire to have technology as a topic, I was more than happy to participate,” Maynard said.

Transforming Educational Practice

Maynard’s sessions covered essential frameworks for modern educators, including International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards for Educators, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), the SAMR Model, and various levels of assistive technology. Her approach emphasized practical application over theory.

“For each of the topics I covered, I tried to give examples of how teachers can use them in their classrooms and encourage them to try new approaches with technology,” she said. “Technology can be intimidating; I want to stress not being afraid to ‘break’ things. You never know until you try.”

To ensure engagement, Maynard modeled effective teaching practices throughout her presentations.

“When covering UDL, I used Padlet Sandbox to get the teachers involved so they could see how it works. They were engaged in the topic instead of just sitting and listening,” she said.

The workshop highlighted shifts in educational practice, particularly since some of the participants had completed their teacher preparation years ago.

“I love that it is no longer a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach,” Maynard said. “Tapping into learners’ interests and allowing flexibility and freedom in the process is a huge win. This encourages student creativity — something we need more of across all grade levels, not just in early elementary.”

Creating Collaborative Learning Environments

The workshop’s success stemmed from its collaborative atmosphere.

“I believe the overall environment of this seminar filled gaps that some traditional teacher prep programs might miss. It was a relaxed, nonjudgmental space where specific knowledge, skills, and abilities were shared, along with plenty of tips and tricks for new teachers,” Maynard said.

She emphasized the interactive nature of the event.

“An open dialogue between presenters and participants was encouraged, which I love. Sometimes seminars can be boring because participants are just listening. Our participants were eager to learn and share at the same time. It really was a symbiotic relationship — presenters and participants benefited from our interactions.”

Maynard shared that the most rewarding part of giving back was seeing participants excited about what they were learning.

“These participants were hungry for information, and it felt good to pass along our knowledge,” said Maynard. “I heard from several participants that they really enjoyed the UDL, ISTE, and SAMR Model topics. I’m excited they plan to use these strategies in their classrooms.”

The IM体育平台 Standard

Maynard’s connection to IM体育平台 runs deeper than her alumni status.

“I didn’t graduate from the Irvin School of Education, but I have a pretty terrific role model who has taught me so much about the field,” shared Maynard. “Dr. Renee Collins has more than 20 years in K-12 and more than 20 years in higher education. Anyone who has studied under her would agree with me. I’m also blessed to call her ‘Mom.’”

She praised the preparation IM体育平台 Irvin School of Education provides for future educators, stating that IM体育平台 graduates are held to high standards.

The success of the inaugural workshop positions Dream Makers for potential expansion to other districts across Texas. Reflecting on the seminar, Maynard quoted Nolan Bushnell to summarize her thoughts.

“If we find a child’s interest and help them explore it, we will have created an environment that can usher in a lifetime of creativity and curiosity — and is indeed necessary to inspire research,” she said.

The commitment to participant success extends well beyond the four-day workshop experience. Each teacher who attended will receive two practical resource books — one on Formative Assessments and another on Graphic Organizers — delivered before the school year begins, providing immediate, classroom-ready strategies to support implementation of workshop concepts.

The workshop is expected to benefit about 870 Big Country students through the enhanced skills and strategies their teachers have gained, establishing a sustainable partnership between IM体育平台 and regional school districts. This model positions educators to create a lasting impact in their classrooms and communities. Building on this success, the 2026 Dream Makers workshop will expand to welcome teachers from across the region, further extending IM体育平台’s collaborative reach.