Educators, Find Your Community in 2023

Opportunities for learning, hope, and renewal in the year ahead

What do you want to grow in 2023?

Perhaps you’re looking to grow your leadership capacity, or build your understanding of teaching for climate action. Or, maybe you’re looking for ways to connect your curriculum to the community, elevate students’ voices, or reinvigorate your teaching practice.

No matter your goals, we can support you in achieving them through our approach to professional learning and education, called Education for Sustainability. Each one of our programs is anchored in this approach. Why? Study after study shows that the approach of Education for Sustainability can re-energize educators, improve school culture, and, ultimately, increase student achievement and engagement.

Here’s what early childhood educator Dawn had to say about the experience of taking her first program with the Shelburne Farms Institute for Sustainable Schools:

We have a variety of programs to choose from that kick off this summer.

• For early childhood educators, join us for an immersive, energizing week on the farm with Project Seasons for Young Learners: Cultivating Joy and Wonder. You’ll gain ideas on developing a curriculum that utilizes the natural world and integrates farm to early education. 
• If you're interested in helping your students establish lifelong positive relationships with food while supporting a more just food system, consider forming a team and applying for the 2023-24 Northeast Farm to School Institute. This year-long opportunity is a program of Vermont FEED, our partnership project with NOFA-VT.
• Foundations in Education for Sustainability is a five-day immersive introduction to EFS. Part conference, part workshop, and part retreat, you’ll develop a project of personal interest while learning from colleagues and facilitators. 
• Immersion in Education for Sustainability is the recommended second course in the EFS sequence. In this action-oriented, two-month program, you’ll create an EFS portfolio and deepen your expertise.
• For those who already have a foundation in Education for Sustainability, apply for the 2023-24 EFS Leadership Academy. This year-long residential program brings together education leaders to explore systems thinking and leadership for school transformation.
• And, if you’re interested in all of our Education for Sustainability offerings, advance your career and demonstrate your commitment to sustainability with an Education for Sustainability Graduate Certificate, offered with the University of Vermont. These multi-year graduate certificate programs include the EFS courses listed above as core requirements. Apply in spring for a summer start.

See all of our professional learning offerings. 

If you have questions about which program is right for you, send me an email at jcirillo@shelburnefarms.org. We hope to see you in the coming year!

P.S. I’ll be presenting at conferences including the NSTA National Conference on Science Education March 22-25 in Atlanta and the National Service-Learning Conference April 2-5 in Nashville. If you’ll be there, please say hello!