Summer Institute 2019

Join us this summer for 5 days of inspiring and hands-on professional development in beautiful Prescott, Arizona on the Prescott College campus*. Collaborate with a passionate and diverse group of ECE educators (birth-age 8) from all over the country, at the annual early childhood educator Nature & Place-Based Summer Institute.

The Summer Institute fee includes materials and resources, four nights of lodging on campus, and two to three meals a day. Enrollment is limited and a non-refundable fee of $100 is required to hold your place. As a part of the enrollment process, each participant will be asked to identify a nature- and place-based project they can develop during and after the Summer Institute with the assistance of a mentor.

This year’s Summer Institute participants will discover:

• What nature- and place-based early childhood education is and why
  it’s such a hot topic in ECE today.
• Ways to align their current teaching practices with the pedagogy
  of nature- and place-based learning.
• How to plan nature- and place-based experiences for young children
  that are developmentally and culturally appropriate, inclusive, and linked to
  early learning standards.
• Current advocacy efforts for increasing inclusive and equitable
  access by all children to nature- and place-based learning.
• Potential community resources and partnerships for increasing
  inclusive and equitable access to natural environments for children and
  families.

Participants receive:

• Year-long project development support from a Summer Institute Mentor
• Valuable resources and user-friendly materials to support integrating nature and place-based activities in your own program
• Nature and Place-based Early Childhood Education Certificate 
• Professional development hours

Past Participant Feedback:

“This Institute exceeded my expectations! The presenters, workshop material and community support has built a confidence and inspiration in me that I was craving so very much when I arrived. Thank you!”

“My experience at Summer Institute went far beyond my expectations. I not only learned lots of new activities, it made me look within to pull out my strengths and passions. An inspiring experience!”

To register online, please visit: www.prescott.edu/sifece. For questions and more information, please contact our Program Coordinator, Ellen Bashor, at npece@prescott.edu or 928-350-2235.

The Summer Institute is offered annually by the Prescott College Center for Nature and Place-based Early Childhood Education with the generous support of the George B. Storer Foundation.