As some teachers sit in a formal classroom at a university this summer, others will be learning new skills and knowledge at an unfamiliar work site. Educators will serve 3-8 week summer internships at a wide variety of businesses. As a result of these non-traditional learning experiences, educators return to their classrooms with a new sense of vigor and exhilaration. They also return to classrooms with new tools. At the end of a summer internship, educators write an action plan that translates new teaching strategies or content into lesson plans and study units.
Teachers have relevant context for their teaching based on first-hand experience.
The best way to achieve that is through engagement of instructional staff in teacher internships in the community. Teachers stay in place. They need rich personal experiences on which to draw to move on.