by Sarah Halson | Jul 29, 2022 | Blog, Civic Action / Leadership, climate change, Curriculum, High School
TEACHING THROUGH A KING LENS By Willie King III Through my many experiences as an educator, I have found that the spark never really disappears; the flame just looks different. Transitioning into the second semester of the 2021-2022 school year as an official SEMIS...
by Ethan Lowenstein | Aug 31, 2020 | Civic Action / Leadership, Community Stewardship, Place-Based Education, Readings, Social & Emotional Learning
Living into our values What is education for? The past 13 years have prepared us for this moment of uncertainty and possibility in education. Many in our community are facing significant hardships. As educators – of all kinds – we play several roles and have responded...
by SEMIS Coalition | Aug 30, 2020 | Author: Becca Nielsen, Author: Lisa Voelker, Civic Action / Leadership, Community Mapping, Events, Leadership Development, Professional Development Materials
“Even though we were virtual, it was so nice to see faces of people I met last summer. It’s hard to believe you can build relationships in a weeks time and then see people on a computer screen and then feel the warmth of community like we were right back...
by SEMIS Coalition | Jul 1, 2020 | Civic Action / Leadership, Events, Intergenerational Dialogue, Lower Elementary, Middle Grades, Place-Based Education, Professional Development Materials, Student Voice
Place-based education (PBE) is an approach to teaching and learning that uses the local environment and community to investigate content and engage students in stewardship and civic action. PBE, at its root, is a humanizing practice that puts youth and...
by Lisa Voelker | Jul 1, 2020 | Civic Action / Leadership, Community Mapping, Community Stewardship, Events, High School, Inquiry-Based Learning, Leadership Development, Lower Elementary, Middle Grades, Place-Based Education, Professional Development Materials, Summer Institute, Upper Elementary, Water Quality / Studies
SEMIS Coalition Orientation & Place-Based Education 101 During these two events on June 17 & 24 participants included new and returning member teachers, community partners, district leaders and administrators. At this orientation people were given a sense of our...
by Lisa Voelker | May 1, 2020 | Civic Action / Leadership, Community Mapping, Curriculum, Professional Development Materials
Community Mapping Brief - Best Practices, MSU Outreach Partners With new technology, the possibility of mapping information about communities as a basis for decision making has captured the imagination of policy makers. This Brief is one of two that will explore the...
by Lisa Voelker | Apr 19, 2017 | Arts in PBE, Civic Action / Leadership, Community Stewardship, Events, High School, Inquiry-Based Learning, Leadership Development, Lower Elementary, Middle Grades, Upper Elementary
What stood out to participants from last year’s forum… “What stands out today for me was learning new things and learning how to listen.” Student participant, Grade 9-12 “The young students from Ann Arbor presenting on the Ann Arbor carbon plume and the...
by admin | Mar 31, 2015 | Civic Action / Leadership, High School, Middle Grades, Upper Elementary
Are our schools preparing young people to be informed, active citizens of a democratic society? Are we instilling in our young people the dispositions and values needed to be civic actors in their communities? Is our educational system giving them the skills and...
by SEMIS Coalition | Dec 15, 2014 | Civic Action / Leadership, Community History, Early Childhood, EcoJustice, Ecosystems / Biodiversity, Environmental Impact, Food Security, Food Systems, Gardens, High School, Inquiry-Based Learning, Literacy, Lower Elementary, Middle Grades, Place-Based Education, Social & Emotional Learning, Upper Elementary, Water Quality / Studies
Have you used these books? Share how! At the Summer Institute, teachers received several books to support EcoJustice literacy and investigating the commons. These books were chosen for their support of a few different concepts: integrating multiple perspectives into...
