“In Place-Based Education the community becomes the classroom, students use the subject matter to address issues and problems that are important and meaningful to them, students are empowered to become writers of their own stories and the stories of their communities.” Dr. Ethan Lowenstein, SEMIS Coalition Director
Summer Institute
Our Annual Learning Series year ends and begins with this event as we look backward to reflect and share stories, and forward to plan for the coming school year and grow as educators. The SEMIS Coalition facilitates school-community partnerships to develop students as citizen-stewards of healthy ecological-social systems.
Our Institute is designed for educators at all levels of experience and open to:
K-12 teachers, and students, community partners and field educators, administrators, instructional coaches, curriculum support staff, district level instructional staff, municipal leaders, grounds infrastructure managers, and undergraduate and graduate students in education.
This event is a multi-day experience that guides learners through a place-based education inquiry process and immerses them in our southeast Michigan communities. We follow our established Launch/Build/Act/Reflect sequence to model learning practices and build community through teams, engage in dialogue about education, and share autobiographical stories to deepen our connections. Community partners and classroom-based teachers will learn in a collaborative setting throughout the Summer Institute.
Gain Great Lakes content knowledge, historical understanding, and form a deeper connection to the Great Lakes region through understanding the ecological-social issues facing our communities. Explore how these are all interconnected.