Promising Pathways
Reaching and Teaching Today’s Young Adolescents
June 24-26, 2024 • In Person at the University of Maine
We are educating young adolescents at unprecedented times. Teachers are finding managing, engaging, and inspiring students more challenging than ever. Likewise, students are finding it more challenging than ever to invest in learning and school. We need new pathways and promising solutions to create schools and classrooms where our young adolescents and their teachers can thrive.
There’s good news. Our middle schools may hold the weight of the world, but they also hold the amazing promise of young adolescents. Moreover, we have historic wisdom and new innovative approaches that can help us face these challenges successfully. This institute is designed to help middle school educators:
- Understand and respond to the changes observed in today’s students
- Rethink and improve student engagement in learning
- Design wrap-around support for students and adults
- Gain the tools needed to make positive change happen
Attending teachers are encouraged to come as a team and are asked to bring a target project to address during the Institute. Every afternoon will be devoted to teacher team planning time with support from the consultants. Products are developed and returned to school for use in the coming year.
For more information, contact Raphael Okutoro at 207.581.4750 or um.summerprograms@maine.edu.
Meet the Team
Three Days and Three Themes
Day 1 Theme: From Vulnerable to Vibrant: Embracing Today’s Young Adolescents
We’ll study the changes in our students and ourselves and explore how to create supportive, caring, and trust-filled relationships in developmentally responsive middle schools.
Opening Session
Breakout Sessions
- Engaging Students through Community Connections (Room: Lown)
- Building Empathy to Support Students (Room: Bumps)
- What the Digital World is (Not) Doing for Our Adolescents’ Brains and Literacy (Room: FFA)
Optional Special Afternoon Session
- Creating Learning that Matters to Kids, Part 1 (Room: Lown)
Optional Evening Session
- Courageous Conversations (Room: Graduate Common in Stodder House)
Day 2 Theme: Creating Calm, Engaging, and Empowering Learning
How do we create safe, nurturing places and engage today’s learners? Here, we’ll examine unique approaches to cultivating student investment and engagement, creating safe spaces for all children, and approaches to help students move beyond compliance.
Opening Session
- The Middle School Philosophy’s Answers to True Engagement (Room: Bangor)
Breakout Sessions
- Engaging Our Most Disengaged Students (Room: FFA)
- Developing Student Agency, Optimism, and Skills Through Inquiry to Action Projects (Room: Bumps)
- Bring Content Alive with Americans Who Tell the Truth (Room: Lown)
Optional Special Afternoon Session
- Creating Learning that Matters to Kids, Part 2 (Room: Lown)
Day 3 Theme: Breakthrough Change
Can we bring innovative change home to our schools and classrooms? This theme directs our attention to making lasting change happen by making the bold changes needed in our thinking, practice norms, tools, and protocols to implement and sustain change in our classrooms and schools.
Opening Session
- Soul Talk: What Does it Take to Make a Difference Today? (Room: Bangor)
Breakout Sessions
- Sustaining Positive Relationships with Students (Room: FFA)
- Building Change from the Ground Up with Successful Teams (Room: Lown)
- Do Restorative School Practices Really Work? (Room: Bumps)
Event Registration
Attending teachers are encouraged to come as a team and are asked to bring a target project to address during the Institute. Every afternoon will be devoted to teacher team planning time with support from the consultants. Products are developed and returned to school for use in the coming year.
Choose one of the following options:
Option 1: Graduate Credit (Includes Middle Level Education Institute)
- Registration Starts: Monday, February 5, 2024
- Course: EHD 590 0800: Middle Level Education Insititute
- Course Modality: EHD 590 0800 is held 100% online and includes the 3-day Middle Level Education Institute on campus at the University of Maine, June 24-26, and an additional half day during the summer (half day to be determined by the participants).
- Course Credit: 3 Credits
- Course Dates: June 24-August 16, 2024
- Course Description: This course is designed for middle-level educators seeking to improve their understanding of and capacity to implement exemplary middle-level educational practices. Students will engage in an intensive 3-day summer study of responsive middle-level practice and then develop a school or classroom initiative that implements selected best practices. These applied action initiatives will be drafted during the summer institute and refined during the course.
- Costs:
- Graduate Tuition: $1,716
- Program Fee for Graduate Course: $125 (includes meals, snacks, and supplies)
- For more information about tuition rates and refund policies, visit Student Business Services.
- How to Enroll:
- CURRENT DEGREE STUDENTS can enroll in the EHD 590 0800 course at umaine.edu/portal
- NON-DEGREE STUDENTS must complete a non-degree application to enroll in the course. Use code UMSUMNDAP24 to waive your application fee. Start your application here. In addition, please complete the registration form for the three-day institute here.
- Registration Deadline: See the Summer University drop/withdrawl refund policy
- Cancellation and Refund Deadline: See the Summer University drop/withdrawl refund policy
Option 2: Middle Level Education Institute (Professional Development)
- Institute Dates: June 24-26, 2024
- Contact Hours and/or CEUs: 21 contact hours and 2.1 CEUs
- Cost: $595 (includes program, meals, snacks, and supplies)
- Group Rate/Team Discounts:
- Groups of 5-9: $25 discount per person
- Group Rate/Team Discounts:
- Registration Deadline: Friday, June 14, 2024
- Cancellation and Refund Deadline: Monday, June 10, 2024
Lodging Options
Additional Booking Instructions
Black Bear Inn
To receive the room rate of $150 per night, call the Black Bear Inn at 207.866.7120 and mention you are part of the UM Summer Institute at registration.
Ursa
Please follow the booking instructions closely:
- Click Here to start making a reservation.
- The system will default to a one-night stay. Please know that phone reservations will be available on March 5th.
- Click the “Check-in date” button at the top, and a drop-down calendar will appear.
- Select your check-in date, followed by the desired check-out date, both on the drop-down calendar. DO NOT click on the checkout date button at the top.
- Click “Search” to see all updates and move forward with creating the booking.