DENVER, Colo., May 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Educators across the globe have faced ambiguity and uncharted territory for nearly two school years. As the U.S. slowly reopens, education, the current workforce and the way business is conducted has forever changed. mindSpark Learning® (MindSpark™), a nonprofit that creates and facilitates transformative professional learning experiences for educators and professionals globally, recognizes the need to upskill educators for a post-pandemic world that puts students first by addressing both academic and social-emotional needs. This summer, MindSpark is hosting its annual Summer Institutes that will equip educators with strategies to support an adaptable post-pandemic workforce, focus on well-being mindsets to prioritize recharging this summer, and align with emerging trends within tech and industry.
With four areas of focus, the MindSpark Summer Institutes will be offered virtually so all educators, anywhere can participate. The last Institute of the summer will offer an in-person or virtual option:
Equity-Centered Design Thinking: June 10 - June 11, 2021
This two-day institute will introduce and immerse participants in the process of equity-centered design thinking, deeply exploring how empathy can lead to more impactful, equitable and innovative solutions to real-world problems.
SEL Sensory Institute: June 16 - June 17, 2021
In partnership with the STAR Institute, this two-day enhanced social-emotional learning institute addresses sensory regulation and exploration, and relational approaches to the classroom. Participants will leave with the knowledge and strategies necessary to create a sensory-informed classroom, benefitting educators of general and special education students.
SEL Institute: June 23 - June 24, 2021
MindSpark believes social-emotional learning (SEL) should be woven into all learning environments. In this two-day institute, educators will develop the skills and strategies needed to construct resilient and empathetic classrooms by becoming more competent in modeling and teaching self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship-building.
STEM Problem-based Learning Institute: July 26 - July 30, 2021
This highly interactive five-day professional learning experience provides educators with the best practices to create stronger STEM and problem-based learning (PBL) curriculums. Through industry partnerships, participants will work through relevant, authentic problems in their community using MindSpark’s PBL model. This teaches them firsthand how to expose students to PBL projects that they work through with industry experts. This session is available in-person for those local to MindSpark’s Lakewood, Colorado office and virtual for those outside of the Denver metro area.
“After a year and a half of disruption to education, MindSpark’s 2021 Summer Institutes will address the collective trauma and uncertainty we’ve faced by integrating more social-emotional learning options and hands-on learning with STEM and PBL,” said mindSpark Learning CEO Kellie Lauth. “Our institutes range from two to five days to ensure they’re thorough and of superior quality, while still being cognizant of educators’ time and desire to unwind this summer.”
Prices for participation vary by institute topic. Educators can learn more and register at www.mindspark.org/summer-institutes.
About mindSpark Learning
mindSpark Learning® (MindSpark™), a nonprofit founded as Share Fair Nation in 2007 and rebranded in 2017, empowers educators to solve society’s biggest challenges by providing transformative professional learning experiences. As social designers, MindSpark creates and facilitates custom professional development opportunities using a foundation of innovation, equity, sustainability, entrepreneurship, and community and industry partnerships.
Programs focus on STEM Skills, Leadership Training, Social and Emotional Learning, sports and coaching with mSL CAPITA, and our mindSpark Learning Toolkit. Each experience relates back to one of our four causes, our societal challenges we hope to help educators and students overcome: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Resilient and Health Communities, Sustained Transformation, and Workforce and Talent Development. We evaluate our success based on our S.P.A.R.K. goals, which we’ve designed to ensure our work makes a noticeable difference in the schools, districts and communities in which we serve.
MindSpark’s disruption cycle challenges partners to think and act differently by creating viable, long-term solutions. To date, mindSpark Learning has impacted more than 31,847 educators and 985,410 students in 3,472 schools across 50 states, Washington D.C and 68 countries. MindSpark has also built meaningful relationships with more than 650 industry and community partners. For more information, please visit www.mindspark.org.
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