Supporting Science Teachers

Views on Professional Learning

Here at the Exploratorium Teacher Institute (TI), we’ve seen classroom video be a valuable tool for teachers to reflect on their practice. We think the same could be useful for teacher professional learning providers.

This website highlights core elements of our program design and uses video to provide the experience of taking four different TI workshops. We hope our philosophy of learning by doing, and our practice of providing long-term support for our community, will help you in your own work with teachers.

We thank all of our teacher participants for their contributions, and especially for sharing their views and insights.

1 min

Explore the core elements of our program

Watch these short videos to explore some of the core elements that guide our interactions with teachers, and serve as building blocks for our programs and workshops. Hear what participants and staff have to say, and consider the ways in which these elements might strengthen your own work with teachers.

Teachers as Learners

“I so look forward to coming, and being a learner again.” (4 min)

Professional Home

“It’s a lifelong continuum.” (7 min)

Meeting Learners Where They Are

“Every student feels successful on their own terms.” (4 min)

Learning Is Joyful

“There’s fun. And there’s joy. And there’s awe.” (4 min)

Learn Science by Doing Science

“That’s a great way to find the truth: Do it yourself.” (6 min)

Teachers Supporting Teachers

“They’re all learning together.” (6 min)

A Culture of “Yes”

“It’s like loaning people hope and confidence.” (4 min)

Connecting to the Classroom

“A piece of paper and a paper clip, and you have a sundial.” (4 min)

Experience a workshop

Immerse yourself in four different workshops to get a sense of our professional-learning experiences and environments. On each video, pedagogical annotations highlight moments that support science learning. You can turn these annotations on or off, depending on your needs.

Collaborative Learning with Earth and Moon

Watch teachers work together to understand natural phenomena. (13 min)

Instructor teaching Colored Shadows workshop

Facilitation with Colored Shadows

Notice how careful questioning guides learners to develop understanding using evidence. (22 min)

Instructor and teacher as student using a ruler in an activity

Scientific Inquiry with Mirrors

See how everyday questions can be answered through experimentation. (10 min)

Teachers with pinhole cameras on their heads being guided outside

Community Construction with Pinholes

Explore how building together supports understanding and community. (15 min)