2021 ISEEN Summer Teacher Institute

7th Annual ISEEN Summer Teacher Institute
Experiential Education Pedagogy & Practice

• Dates: Tuesday, August 10 to Saturday, August 14, 2021 
• Cohorts Include: Math, Science, History/Social Studies, English, World Languages disciplines, and an interdisciplinary Elementary Ed cohort
• Final Date to Register: The final deadline to register is July 23, 2021

About the Summer Institute 

The ISEEN Summer Teacher Institute fuses rigorous academic disciplines with deep thinking about the cognitive learning process through the experiential learning cycle. This professional development opportunity is for teachers who want to delve deeper into experiential education and reflective teaching practices while immersed in experiential and place-based activities in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  Whereas the ISEEN Winter Institute is an annual gathering for administrators to stay up to date with current thinking on experiential education practices and trends, the Summer Institute brings experiential education to the classroom in a practical, curriculum-based, and supportive environment led by master teacher facilitators from schools around North America.

Modeling a high-quality experiential education program, the ISEEN Summer Institute is the premier and founding experiential education PD for teachers that focuses on elements of place, skills and knowledge development, curriculum design, assessment, and building community while reflecting and connecting with other attendees. The Institute is conducted in partnership with Santa Fe Prep. It is truly a magical, transformative, and restorative experience through the incredible leadership of our team of facilitators.

2021 Academic Discipline Cohorts

Schedule at a Glance (subject to change)

What Participants Experience

Place-Based Learning: Throughout the week, participants will live and learn through experiential education lessons in practice through immersion within Santa Fe’s history and culture. They’ll participate in experiential education through the food, the setting, and the opportunities we create to explore the vibrant art scene and history of the city and region. 

Curriculum Development: Through discipline-specific, small group workshop cohorts, participants will be given the time to develop and receive feedback on curriculum and assessments that can be put to immediate use in their classrooms. Led by experts in their field, the facilitators help participants rethink assessment, learn new tools from colleagues, and broaden perspectives through immersive, experiential and practical workshops. 

Creating Connections and Community around Experiential Education: Participants will come away with a network of colleagues to connect with throughout the year and share ideas for curriculum, instruction, and assessment. 

Learning Objectives:

Participants will leave the Institute with the following:

• An understanding of the theory and pedagogy of experiential education and how it relates to academic rigor, student engagement, and classroom enhancement.
• A better understanding of the integrated role experiential education can play in classrooms, school mission, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racist initiatives.
• Learning how to apply and integrate experiential education pedagogy based on academic disciplines. 
• Access to extensive resources relevant to their discipline.

Registration

Registration is now closed, thanks to everyone who registered!

The registration fee is inclusive of all workshops and some meals (lunches, welcome and closing dinner) throughout the duration of the formal Institute.  

* Canadian Schools: We are offering an exchange rate discount to interested Canadian schools. Please contact Taras Ferencevych at [email protected] for more information.

Refund and Cancellation Policy: 

Should you need to cancel your registration you will have two options. A colleague may be substituted at no fee or, if you cancel without substituting your place, the refund policy below will go into effect.

• Cancellation greater than 61 days prior to the Institute: 90% refund
• Cancellation 60-30 days prior to the conference: 50% refund
• Cancellation under 30 days prior to the conference: 0% refund

COVID-19 Refunds: At the moment, in-person events are being guided by local health authorities. In the event public health dictates that we are not able to gather in August and ISEEN cancels, we will refund registration fees minus a $75 administrative fee.

Important Registration Notes:

• Additional costs include accommodations in Santa Fe.  ISEEN staff and facilitators will be staying at the Sage Hotel and have negotiated a reduced rate for Institute attendees.  Use this link to take advantage of the discounted rate, or mention ISEEN when you call to make a reservation. 
• Full payment will be required upon registration; be prepared with a credit card.
• Learn more about becoming an ISEEN member and the benefits connected to membership now.

COVID-19 Protocols

ISEEN is actively monitoring the incidence of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States and Santa Fe, NM specifically. ISEEN is following guidance from our host school, and New Mexico local health departments and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding face masks, social distancing,  large gatherings, and school/education events including CDC recommendations on preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Please note that, out of an abundance of caution, we will ask participants to either provide a copy of their COVID-19 Vaccination Card or a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of the start of the Institute.

At this time, our upcoming Summer Teacher’s Institute will take place as planned. However, if you are sick or feeling you are getting sick, we ask that you please stay home. Currently, older adults and persons with underlying health conditions are considered to be at increased risk of severe illness and complications from COVID-19. Examples of underlying health conditions include heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, people with weakened immune systems, and people who are pregnant. The CDC recommends that people in high-risk groups consult with their healthcare provider about attending any large gathering.

• Wear a mask in all indoor spaces and outdoors in crowds or when social distancing (6 feet) is not possible. 
• Practice social or physical distancing, staying at least 6 feet (about 2 arm lengths) from other people who are not from your household in both indoor and outdoor spaces.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.

Travel Logistics

The following are important details to know when booking travel to Santa Fe.

Lodging should be booked from August 10-14, 2021.

• August 10 | Check-In Details: Check-in at Santa Fe Prep will be from 2:45-3:45 pm. Please ensure your travel plans allow you to be at the school by 3:30 pm so you can pick up your name tag and check-in before we commence the Institute at 4:00 PM.
• August 14 | Check-out Details: The program will be over by the morning of Saturday, August 14. You are welcome to leave anytime that day, noting the specific check-out time of your lodging. 

Please know that we value your participation at the ISEEN Institute, but it is critical for you to arrive on time and leave on time. Arriving late or leaving early not only diminishes the quality of your experience, but also the shared experience of your peers. If you know that you cannot manage the full schedule, please consider joining us at a future Institute.

Getting to Santa Fe:

 Flying 
Santa Fe can be reached by two airports:

1. Santa Fe Municipal Airport (Airport Code: SAF). This is a small airport that is only serviced by American Eagle Airlines. Flights may be more expensive into SAF but also save you the shuttle/drive time from Albuquerque.
2. Albuquerque Sunport Airport (Airport Code: Albuquerque ). Albuquerque is serviced by a broad selection of airlines and will likely have more competitive rates. It is a one-hour drive from the Albuquerque Airport to Santa Fe.
3. There is a shuttle company that travels between Albuquerque and Santa Fe: Groome Transportation. Approx. $70 roundtrip for a shuttle.
4.  Albuquerque  Airport also has all of the major rental car companies and rates tend to be very competitive in New Mexico (and may be comparable to shuttle rates).

 Automobiles 
If you will be driving, use the address for Santa Fe Prep School:

Santa Fe Prep School
1101 Camino de la Cruz Blanca
Santa Fe, NM 87505

Lodging Options

Santa Fe is a popular travel destination, providing several options for accommodations.  ISEEN staff and facilitators will be staying at the Sage Hotel and we have negotiated a reduced rate of $129 a night (plus taxes and fees) for Institute attendees.  Use this link to take advantage of the discounted rate, or mention ISEEN when you call to make a reservation. We will provide a daily shuttle from a location close to downtown Santa Fe, so please keep that in mind when booking accommodations.  

Partners/Families and Full Engagement:

As Santa Fe is such an appealing destination, we are often asked by potential attendees if their partner or family can join them. We understand this desire and encourage attendees to spend some extra time in Santa Fe to truly experience the wonder of this amazing city/area. That said, much of what makes the ISEEN Institute so powerful is the community that we build through meals and social/downtime and, unlike typical conferences, the Institute is truly an immersion experience. Attendees are deeply engaged from sun-up to sun-down with each other and the program. Partners are invited to join the group for the closing dinner (additional cost) and the optional sunrise walk, but all other meals and activities are reserved solely for Institute attendees to help build and maintain that core community (and we assume and request attendees will fully participate with the program). Partners/families should be prepared to be very independent throughout the duration of the Institute and should plan any family time/activities before or after the Institute dates.  

Questions

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have questions about the event. Email us at [email protected] or call us at (206) 209-5288.

Your 2021 ISEEN Summer Institute Planning Team is excited to see you!