Book Erin Sponaugle, TEDx Speaker and Author, for Your Next Professional Development Event, Conference, or District Gathering
Honest. Practical. The kind of session your teachers will still be talking about on the drive home.
If your teachers are running on empty, they don't need another checklist on work-life balance. They need someone who has been in a classroom for 23 years, battled her own anxiety and burnout from the inside, and came back with something real to say about it. That's what I bring when I step in front of your staff.
I'm Dr. Erin Sponaugle, a full-time art teacher, TEDx speaker, bestselling author of Teachaholic, National Board Certified Teacher, and former West Virginia Teacher of the Year. I still teach third, fourth, and fifth graders every single day, which means nothing I share with your people is theoretical. I live it. I've also watched the teacher shortage up close, worked with educators across West Virginia, and spent over two decades thinking about what actually keeps good teachers in the classroom long-term.
The answer, in my experience, is never more endurance. It's something that looks a lot more like a creative comeback.
Featured Talk
The Creative Comeback: When Teacher Resilience Is No Longer Endurance
This is the talk that started everything. Featured as a TEDx talk, this keynote reimagines what it actually means to support teachers' mental health and professional sustainability, moving past the tired conversation about "pushing through" and into something more honest, more sustainable, and more human. Your teachers will leave this session feeling seen, not lectured.
Additional Keynote Topics
MakeBelieveABLE: What Happens When Art Becomes Your Literacy Strategy
Every administrator right now is asking the same question: how do we move the needle on literacy? The answer most people aren't expecting is the art room. In this session, Erin introduces the MakeBelieveABLE framework, an approach that shows classroom teachers across all subject areas how to use art-based strategies to build reading comprehension, support students who have experienced trauma, and address the behavioral challenges that can make literacy instruction nearly impossible in the first place. This is not about adding a craft to your lesson plan or making things look pretty. It's about understanding why students who struggle with traditional literacy instruction often thrive when creativity is the entry point, and what you can actually do with that information starting Monday morning.
Find Your Voice Before You Lose Your Mind: Classroom Management and Identity for New Teachers
The first few years of teaching are genuinely hard, and most new teacher training doesn't prepare educators for the emotional and psychological weight of the job. This session pairs practical classroom management strategies with a deeper conversation about professional identity, so new teachers can build authority in the room without losing themselves in the process. Great for new teacher induction programs, university teacher education programs, and district onboarding events.
What Educators Are Saying
Pam, Music Teacher
“You have such a great message, and it's great to hear you speak with such passion!”
Heather, Academic Coach
“I loved this. A phenomenal job, and you truly have a gift.”
Stefanie, Title I Teacher
“Love this so much! Thank you for these words of wisdom!”
A Note on Who This is For
Book Erin to Speak
Let's talk about what your staff needs and how we can make it happen. Fill out the form, and we'll be in touch ASAP.
