Two days. Two featured sessions. One mission: helping middle school educators bring more creativity, confidence, and purposeful play into their classrooms!
We’re excited to announce that EMC² Learning co-founder, author, and middle school educator John Meehan will be presenting TWO featured sessions at the 2026 AMLE Annual Conference, hosted by the Association for Middle Level Education!
And if you know John, you know he’s not showing up with another hour of sit-and-get professional development. We’re bringing the games. We’re bringing the energy. And we’re bringing a whole lot of practical, classroom-tested strategies that teachers can put to work the very next day.
Whether you’re looking to navigate the rapidly changing world of artificial intelligence or breathe new life into your classroom through the power of purposeful play, there’s something for everyone!
Session #1: AI Classroom Survivor: Teacher Tools to Outwit, Outplan and Outlast the AI Blindside
Thursday, November 5, 2026
2:05–3:05 PM | Delta Ballroom B
Featured Session
The AI revolution is here. But with new tools, trends, and teaching technologies popping up seemingly every five minutes, how can busy educators possibly keep up?
It’s time to find out who’s ready to survive!
In this high-energy, Survivor-inspired professional learning adventure, John will help educators navigate the wild world of artificial intelligence without getting voted off the island.
Participants will explore practical, classroom-ready AI strategies, forge powerful new technology alliances, and uncover hidden tools that can help teachers reclaim their time, reduce burnout, and make smarter instructional decisions.
But this isn’t about chasing every shiny new AI tool that washes ashore. It’s about keeping great teaching at the center of the conversation and using emerging technologies to make meaningful learning more accessible, engaging, and sustainable.
The ultimate goal? Help teachers outwit the overwhelm, outplan the challenges, and outlast whatever the next wave of educational technology throws their way.
No immunity idol required.
Session #2: Now That’s What I Call Gamification ’26
Friday, November 6, 2026
2:05–3:05 PM | Delta Ballroom B
Featured Session
Remember those iconic Now That’s What I Call Music! albums? The greatest hits, all in one place?
Well, get ready for the ultimate classroom remix.
In Now That’s What I Call Gamification ’26, John is bringing together a greatest-hits collection of practical, powerful, and ridiculously fun ways to transform everyday teaching through the magic of game-inspired learning.
And here’s the twist: ZERO technology required!
Forget the misconception that gamification means putting everything on a screen or turning every lesson into another multiple-choice review game. This session goes beyond the buzzwords to explore how simple game mechanics can unlock student motivation, encourage collaboration, and transform passive participation into active, meaningful learning.
Through hands-on challenges and ready-to-use strategies, participants will experience firsthand how a little creativity and a few purposeful design choices can make an enormous difference in the classroom.
Because the best classroom games aren’t just about winning points or earning prizes.
They’re about getting students to do the doing.
More thinking. More teamwork. More meaningful engagement.
And yes, a whole lot more fun.
Real Classrooms. Real Strategies. Real Engagement.
What makes these two sessions especially exciting is that John isn’t just sharing ideas from the conference circuit.
He’s still teaching middle school students every single day.
As a classroom teacher and Staff Development Teacher at Silver Spring International Middle School in Maryland, John understands the realities of today’s middle school classrooms: packed schedules, competing priorities, diverse learning needs, and the never-ending challenge of keeping students engaged in meaningful academic work.
That’s why both sessions are grounded in the same philosophy that drives everything we do at EMC² Learning:
Great teaching doesn’t have to be complicated. But it should always be intentional.
From harnessing AI to save teachers time to using playful learning structures that challenge students to think harder, collaborate more effectively, and take ownership of their learning, these sessions are designed to send educators home with more than just inspiration.
They’re designed to send teachers home with a plan.
See You at AMLE 2026!
If you’re attending this year’s AMLE Annual Conference, we’d love to see you at one (or both!) of John’s featured sessions.
Come ready to participate, connect with fellow educators, and discover a few new tricks to add to your teaching toolkit.
Whether you’re surviving the AI blindside or turning up the volume on gamification, one thing’s for sure:
We’re bringing the EDrenaline. You’re bringing the energy. Let’s play with purpose!
See you at AMLE 2026!