UFT President Michael Mulgrew and Chancellor Carmen Farina have a conversation about education at the morning town hall forum.

A 50-year teacher and grandmother appeals to Carmen Farina to reduce the importance of state test scores in high school admissions during the town hall forum.

Culinary arts teacher Dawn Watson, poses with her William E. Grady high school students at the exhibit hall.

Lori Spector, a teacher at PS 48M, picks up information in the exhibit hall.

Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina and UFT President Michael Mulgrew talk to teacher Kissoon Ramkaran, left, about Pathways to Graduation, District 79, during a tour of the exhibit hall.

Isabel Valentin, a teacher at PS 375 in Manhattan, has her hair styled by a student under the guidance of teacher Virginia Orlando (center) at the Coop Tech booth in the exhibit hall.

High School of Art and Design teacher Jaclyn Roberts sits for a pastel portrait by her colleague, teacher Rich Weinstein, in the exhibit hall.

A big contingent from Hillcrest HS attended the conference, including Chapter Leader Marilyn Beckford and Principal David Morrison.

The IS 228K David A. Boody Jazz Band performs under the direction of James Chiarello at the luncheon.

NYSUT President Karen Magee gives greetings at the luncheon.

Mayor Bill de Blasio, a surprise guest, is the first mayor in two decades to speak at a UFT Spring Conference.

UFT Michael Mulgrew asks educators to reflect on three questions: Why did you become educators? Why did you stay in the profession when so many of your colleagues left? And why did you become active in your union?

Attendees of the “Using Apple Technology to Transform Classroom Learning” workshop.

Attendees at a session of the “Using Apple Technology to Transform Classroom Learning” workshop.

UFT VP for Academic High Schools Janella Hinds, the facilitator of the “Educating for the 21st Century: Practitioner Developed & Student Focused Performance Assessments” workshop, thanks Urban Academy teacher Avram Barlowe, seated alongside student Eva Garcia–Ferres.

Mindy Schwartz of the UFT Teacher Center leads a session of the “Digital Tools for Instruction: Engage All Learners” workshop.

Attendees at the “Digital Tools for Instruction: Engage All Learners” workshop participate in a “selfie” demo.

Debra Sigismondo and Patricia Murphy, both of IS 381 in Brooklyn, compare notes before the start of a session of the “Digital Tools for Instruction: Engage All Learners” workshop.

The panel at the “Making, Managing and Refining School Program Partnerships” workshop included Antonina Simeti, the director of planning and implementation at the NYC Community Learning Schools Initiative, at podium, and (from left to right) Sophy Aponte, a teacher at PS 18X; Rachel Cytron, from Harlem RBI; Norma Ortega, the resource coordinator at PS 18X; Brenda Shufelt, a teacher/librarian at PS 30M; Shell Lewis, the resource coordinator at PS 30M.

Attendees of “The Institute for Understanding Behavior: Sharing Practices (K-12)” workshop share a laugh.

Attendees of the workshop “Growing Young Learners: Building a Comprehensive Early Childhood Foundation (Pre K-2).”

Attendees of the workshop, “Growing Young Learners: Building a Comprehensive Early Childhood Foundation (Pre K-2).”

Members of the UFT Political Action Department pose in front of their balloon display at their conference booth.