Dear Friends,
These are strange times. These are especially strange times for experiential educators. The last thing we thought we’d be doing was teaching online or planning for an online experiential educator workshop.

As experiential educators, what we do have are the skills to weather these times; the flexibility, growth-mindset, vulnerability, adaptability, collaboration, belief in the power of community, passion, reflective nature, and the tools to teach independent thinking and inquiry.

This is hard. It is hard for me personally, it is hard for ISEEN and it is hard as a parent and a partner. Yes, we are extremely privileged, we have a house over our heads, food, nearby parks, access to health care and yet it still feels like a huge dark cloud over my head with the ever-present worry. Will my parents be okay? Will my daughter get to start kindergarten in the fall? Will our organization survive? What will the next two years look like? What will the world be like when this is over? Will it ever be over?

Even though it is hard, there are silver linings and I do think the biggest one, if we choose to see it, is the opportunity to re-think our society, our planet and how we want to live when we come out of the big pause. 

“From one citizen to another, I beg of you: take a deep breath, ignore the deafening noise, and think deeply about what you want to put back into your life. This is our chance to define a new version of normal, a rare and truly sacred (yes, sacred) opportunity to get rid of the bull and to only bring back what works for us, what makes our lives richer, what makes our kids happier, what makes us truly proud.” Julio Vincent Gambuto, Prepare for the Ultimate Gaslighting 

Especially those of us who work in independent schools have a true opportunity to shake things up and practice what we’ve talked about for years at ISEEN; student well-being, social emotional learning, and mindfulness.  As Dave Mochel, guest facilitator at Winter Institute, St. Michaels University School, 2018 writes: “Dear Independent Schools, This is Your Kodak Moment. Will You Seize It?”   

And finally, this global pandemic makes me think about the biggest existential threat to our planet - Climate Change. On this Earth Day, will we use this as a wake-up call and take the bold steps needed to avert another, far bigger crisis?  Coronavirus is a fire drill for climate change.  

As experiential educators, we know that another world is possible (to borrow from past anti-corporate global movements).

We know that we want:
More time outdoors, less time inside four walls,
More time with people, less time on screens,
More time meditating, less consuming stuff,
More justice, less inequality.

Who will dictate, when we all go back, that we do not go back to normal, the old way, but a new way?

A more just, a more humane existence is possible.  It is up to all of us…

Experientially yours,

Shoshanna & Taras

We need you!

ISEEN is first and foremost a community of people dedicated to meaningful education and we are all in service of a better future.  As part of this network, let’s each one of us be generous and share resources and ideas.  Toward that end we have added several discussion topics (risk management/insurance, DEI, Ex Ed online) to the Member Center as a place for folks to seek feedback and share resources. The more actively people engage in the forums, the more useful they will become. Additionally, we have been adding articles to the ISEEN Bibliohive (new additions are always welcome), and reaching out to various ISEEN partners to collaborate.

Other things you can do:

• Reach out to ISEEN colleagues/friends and see how they are doing. 
• Use Amazon Smile when shopping at Amazon and designate ISEEN as your charity.
• Donate to ISEEN directly (donations are tax deductible)
• Through our website or PayPal ([email protected])
• Check to: ISEEN, 2150 N 107th St, Ste 205,  Seattle, WA, 98133, USA

Zoom sessions week of April 27th (registration required)
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

• Tuesday, April 28, 1pm PT/4pm ET

• Social Justice & Diversity, Equity and Inclusionduring the pandemic.
  Facilitators: Dwight Vidale, Director of Institutional Equity and Community Engagement, Riverdale Country School, Riverdale, NY & Emily Schorr Lesnick, Social and Emotional Learning Coordinator,  University Prep, Seattle, WA
  

• Click here to register.

• Wednesday, April 29, 1pm PT/4pm ET

• Service-Learning and Community Engagement when we are under Stay-at-Home Orders. 
  Facilitator: Kerri Redding, Coordinator of Community Building & Inclusion for WISSIT, Washington International School, Washington, DC

• Click here to register.

• Thursday, April 30, 1pm PT/4pm ET

• Taste of Summer: ISEEN ONLINE Webinar
  Facilitator: Lynne West, founder, Sunodia Educational Consulting
  

• Click here to register. 

Express Interest in ISEEN ONLINE Summer Teacher's Institute 2020

 If you are interested in a distance professional learning opportunity with ISEEN's experienced facilitators, complete this no-commitment survey and we will get back in touch with you when registration opens. Cost $879 (Discounted from $1550). 

The ISEEN Summer Teacher Institutes fuse rigorous academic work with deep thinking about the cognitive learning process through the experiential learning cycle.

The three-week, June 15- July 3, 10 hours a week, online course will focus on:

Curriculum Development and Coaching: Through discipline-specific, small group cohorts, participants will be given the time to develop and receive feedback on curriculum and assessments that can be put to immediate use in their classrooms. Led by experts in their field, facilitators help participants rethink assessment, learn new tools from colleagues, and broaden perspectives through immersive, experiential and practical workshops.

Experiential educators empower active student learning through inquiry, reflection, authentic experiences, and connection to future learning opportunities.

Let us know if you’ll join us by April 30th and we will send registration info to those who express interest.

Partner Events/Resources

Episcopal High School Service-Learning Resource
Envoys Basecamp training  for educators
Envoys Campfire for students
World Leadership School Programming
NAIS webinars
AEE- Covid 19 Community Resource Library
NAIS Sharing Solutions
NAIS community Service Networking
Bibliohive - article sharing platform

There are certainly many more things happening - we are trying to filter a bit for you, however if you hear of anything valuable happening please let us know so we can share with our members.

Sneak Peek…

• Zoom Session for Canadians eh! 

• Affinity Group Zoom Sessions (Leadership, Outdoor Ed, Global Ed., Service Learning, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Classroom Teachers)