News > September, 2026
Voices from ISTE: Educators share what works in today's classrooms
Each year, thousands of educators, administrators, instructional leaders, and education technology experts gather at the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Conference to share ideas and discover innovative ways to support student success. This year's event also marked the public introduction of ExploreK12TM, bringing together ExploreLearning® | Learning A-Z® under one unified brand focused on helping teachers create practical, effective, and joyful learning experiences.
Throughout the conference, one theme was clear: the right tools help teachers spend less time tackling obstacles and more time helping students grow. We connected with educators throughout the conference to capture their stories on how ExploreK12 solutions drive real student outcomes in math, science, and literacy.
From classroom challenges to student breakthroughs
Every classroom presents unique challenges. Some concepts are difficult to visualize. Some students struggle to stay engaged. Others need additional support to master foundational skills. At ISTE, educators showed us how ExploreK12 tools turn those everyday challenges into student breakthroughs.
Creating the moments when science clicks
Many educators describe their most rewarding teaching moments as the ones when students truly understand a concept that once seemed out of reach. For some, that means helping students explore phenomena that would be impossible to recreate in a classroom. For others, it's watching a student make a connection they hadn't been able to make before.
For Sarah Gill, AP Chemistry teacher and science department chair at Gainesville High School in Prince William County Schools in Virginia, Gizmos™ helps make the impossible possible.
"When I want to teach nuclear decay, well, I can't bring any nuclear products into my classroom," she explained. "So we can do nuclear decay on Gizmos. We can add in protons and neutrons and see what a stable nucleus versus an unstable nucleus is, which I can't do in my classroom."
By allowing students to manipulate variables and explore scientific phenomena in a safe, interactive environment, Gizmos helps bring abstract concepts to life with visual and hands-on discovery.
Teacher Briana Hargett from Annapolis, Maryland, shared a similar experience while using a Gizmos simulation to teach tectonic plates and continental drift.
"There is a student, when we were talking about tectonic plates, [who] was really struggling to understand," she recalled.
Working with a Gizmo that allowed students to reconstruct Pangaea and examine matching fossils across continents, the student began connecting the evidence.
"It was like I could see that light bulb go off in that moment when they finally clicked."
Interested in seeing Gizmos in action?
Building confidence through engagement
Engagement is often the first step toward achievement. When students are invested in their learning and believe they can succeed, they become more willing to tackle challenges and persist through difficult concepts.
Turning math success into motivation
Nicole Campbell, a middle school math support teacher in Georgia, has seen how ReflexTM can help students develop confidence alongside fluency.
"I do have students that come in, they're already defeated because they feel like they're not good at math," Campbell said.
Through personalized practice, goal tracking, and celebrations of progress, students begin to see themselves differently. Some students even arrive at class excited to share their accomplishments.
Campbell intentionally incorporates growth mindset strategies into her teaching and views every milestone as an opportunity to build confidence.
"When they get that certificate, and they're 100% fluent. That's success for me."
Explore how Reflex helps build fluency and confidence.
Why joy in the classroom matters
Across the ISTE conversations, educators repeatedly emphasized the importance of joy as a driver of learning.
Amber Britman, an integration specialist in Atlanta, believes joyful learning experiences can have long-lasting effects beyond the classroom.
"Joy is important because it's contagious," she said. "I would hope that some of the skills of inquiry, problem solving, and creativity make an impact on the students where they're able to use those skills wherever they end up."
For many educators, engagement is not just about keeping students interested. It is about helping them develop the confidence and curiosity that will help carry them throughout their lives.
Delivering measurable results
While engagement matters, educators also want to know that instructional tools are helping students achieve meaningful outcomes.
Helping students master foundational concepts
Mary Sills, STREAM Center Coordinator in Clearwater, Florida, has seen the impact FraxTM can have on students' understanding of fractions.
"In third grade, you're actually trying to get them to understand fractions for real," she said.
Unlike earlier experiences where students may work with pre-divided models, upper elementary learners must develop a deeper conceptual understanding of fractions and how they relate to multiplication.
"When they work with Frax, they're doing that over and over again. It's that rote practice that they really need."
The results were clear.
"At the end of the year, the teacher said, 'Wow, they know fractions so much better than they ever did before.'"
For Sills, the outcome was unmistakable: "We did see a measurable difference."
See how Frax helps students develop their understanding of fractions.
Saving teachers time while supporting readers
Literacy instruction was another area where educators highlighted both student growth and teacher efficiency.
Lynda Last, director of educational technology at Mercaz Academy in New York, described how Raz-Plus® with the student portal Raz-Kids supports reading independence among younger learners.
"We use Raz-Kids with our K-2 grades, and it has helped them tremendously with reading," she said.
Because students can work independently within the platform with personalized practice, teachers can devote more attention to small-group instruction and targeted support.
Mary Sills also highlighted the value of Raz-Plus resources in helping schools deliver high-quality literacy instruction efficiently.
"I think that for a school, Raz-Plus levels the playing field," she said.
She specifically highlighted fluency passages that students can practice at home with family members, helping strengthen school-home connections while reinforcing classroom learning.
"It helps them join with a teacher," she explained. "And it will give the parents a little more buy-in on educating their children as well."
Explore literacy resources that support reading growth and independence.
Discover educator-approved solutions from ExploreK12
At ISTE, educators made it clear that the best tools ease classroom hurdles and spark meaningful learning. ExploreK12 remains committed to providing those solutions — helping teachers unlock joy, build confidence, and drive measurable growth across subjects.
About the Voices series
Voices is a storytelling series that highlights the people, perspectives, and experiences shaping ExploreK12. From employees and leaders to educators and classroom insights, each article explores how we're advancing our mission, supporting learning, and creating meaningful impact. Through these stories, we celebrate the ideas, partnerships, and innovation that bring the ExploreK12 vision to life.
