A Virtual Retreat for Teachers Who Love the Arts
This Retreat is no longer a live event. However, you can still gain access the workshops!
Learn new arts integrated ideas and activities to use in your face-to-face AND remote classroom!
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Workshops in various art forms
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Earn 10 PD Hours
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Everything is recorded and on-demand for 1 year!
Press Play to Learn about the Virtual Retreat!
You have been living through quite an experience of teaching remotely and it’s been tough.
Have you missed the contact with creative colleagues?
Are you looking for some new, creative ideas for your classroom?
(Do you need a little creative time for yourself?)
Are you thinking about how you might help transition your students back to learning in the fall?
Transitioning into the next phase of teaching will be a challenge, but you can find great success with new arts integration ideas at the
Virtual Teacher Art Retreat!
What is a Virtual Teacher Art Retreat?
It is online professional development for ALL educators that inspires you with new arts integrated ideas and lessons for your classroom – no matter if you are face-to-face or teaching remotely.
This isn’t your typical online conference, this is a RETREAT!
We’ve been hosting Retreats for Teachers at The Inspired Classroom for 10 years and we know just what you need to Get Inspired so you can Be Inspiring to your students.
One of the best parts of participating in the teacher art retreat is the renewed excitement I have for getting back in the classroom to initiate all the new learnings I have encountered here.
The retreat is a time to get rejuvenated and prepared to get back to school.
The Benefits of a Virtual Retreat
Online Workshops
Learn from the comfort of your home (or coffee shop or bedroom – your choice!)
Join in on Monday, August 3rd & Tuesday, August 4th from 9:00 am -12:00 pm EST
These online workshops all focus on building a foundation for a new school year, arts-integration and SEAL – Social-Emotional Artistic Learning.
Join the Community!
This is more than just attending workshops and getting great ideas.
This is about being part of a community as well!
Join this Private Retreater Community to share ideas and get excited for the event.
(Not to mention this is how you access ALL the bonuses, challenges and prizes!)
Earn 10 PD Hours!
After the event, you will get a certificate worth 10 PD hours for the workshops and time in the community!
Get the Bonuses!
In the weeks leading up to the event, we are going to spoil you!
There will be fun challenges, little surprises, bonus workshops and even some prizes inside the group, so join early to take the most advantage!
On-Demand Access for an Entire Year!
Can’t make the live event? No problem.
You will have access to all the workshops and bonuses for an entire year after the retreat.
Watch them as many times as you want and download all the handouts when it’s convenient for you.
Super Affordable!
You get ALL 13 workshops, access to the Virtual Retreater Community, 10 PD hours and all the bonuses and surprises(remember we like to spoil teachers)!
You only pay $127!
Grad Credit Available!
The Inspired Classroom is partnered with Adams State University and is able to offer ONE graduate credit for the work you do at this event.
You will need to participate in all the workshops and fun challenges, discussions and bonus sessions inside the Retreater Community.
Everything you need will be inside the Virtual Retreat experience and Elizabeth will walk you through every step!
Poetic Possibilities
Students need to fall in love with words, with poems, and with ways to share their voices in surprising, extraordinary ways. In this workshop, you will learn techniques for using poetry to inspire and prompt writing, as well as tips for incorporating poetry into SEL and mindfulness exercises. Whether you are looking to celebrate poetry with your students during a unit of study, or throughout your year, this workshop will have ideas and resources for both.
Kristina Peterson
has been teaching English and Creative Writing at Exeter High School since 2008. She’s also worked as an adjunct instructor and supervisor of teaching interns for UNH since 2016. She has a master’s of arts in teaching, and is the secretary for the NH Council of Teachers of English. She is a creative and passionate teacher, who is deeply committed to empowering students to become successful, confident readers and writers, who think critically about the world around them. She spends her summers continuing her education at UNH, teaching in their Writers Academy, and writing SEL based curriculum for middle school advisories. She’s a wife, Mom to two crazy boys, and loves to dance (poorly) in Zumba classes, and paint (very poorly) in local Paint Nights.
Making Rhythms
In this fun and interactive rhythm making session you will be encouraged to use your own instruments or household/homemade supplies (container, box, bucket, shakers, etc). Ideas and strategies of how this applies to social- emotional skills will be demonstrated and discussed.
Jorge Ochoa
is an occupational therapist and group drumming facilitator in San Antonio, TX. He is the founder of TamboRhythms, a company dedicated to promoting FUNctional living through rhythmic expression regardless of age or previous musical experience. Drums and percussion are used to promote health and wellness and social-emotional skill development. He has facilitated at schools/learning centers, worked with seniors and those with special needs, and has provided adult and community education programs.
Math in Motion: Origami in the Classroom K-8
Discover how to connect math manipulatives across the curriculum, organize your classroom for active participation, and create an exciting hands-on learning environment in this creative fun-filled, hands-on session. Learn how to fold a square that transforms into different shapes: a kite, a whale, and finally a penguin. Teacher and budget friendly — all you need is a piece of paper. Integrate mindfoldness and a growth mindset to inspire and unfold the beauty and joy of mathematics. You will find out how to adapt and modify lessons to meet your exact needs.Weave in the CCSS-M and learn how SEL adds up with origami…where every child counts! Visit www.mathinmotion.com.
Barbara Pearl
is an international award winning educator and author. She is the recipient of the Graduate Faculty “Excellence in Academic Achievement and Leadership” Award from La Salle University and serves as President of the Philadelphia Chapter for Pi Lambda Theta, the Honor Society for Educators. Three time winner of the Nat’l Library Week and Multicultural Award and John F. Kennedy, “Artists as Educator” participant, Barbara developed Math in Motion: Origami in the Classroom while working as a K-8 teacher. Featured on Nat’l TV and in Creative Classroom, Barbara has been invited to present for the Ministry of Education in Japan. She installed the first “Origami & Math” Exhibit at The Franklin Institute Science Museum, hosted and developed “Origami” for Comcast-On Demand, and her work was selected for the ARTmobile Tour that travelled to over 20,000 school children. Today, Barbara is dedicated to helping schools and districts improve the quality of teaching and learning mathematics through STEAM and professional staff development and student and family workshops.
STEAM Up Your Classroom
Learn a number of ideas for STEAM lessons that you can use with your K-12 students this fall. Whether you’ll be teaching in person or remotely, these versatile ideas are paired with online video resources, connections to many contemporary artists, and they allow for meaningful exploration by your students.
Stacie Greenland
teaches in a public elementary school in Arlington, MA, and is certified in both elementary education and visual art. She loves combining the two whenever possible for meaningful teaching that is engaging and memorable for students. She has taught at the Cool Science Camp in Winchester, and this past school year, she had the opportunity to pilot a separate enrichment section of STEAM-based art in addition to the regular visual art program.
Grateful Mandala
The word Mandala means circle. Think about all the circles in your life … the Earth, the Sun, the Moon, and your circles of friends of family!
Think about all the things for which you are grateful … Big and Small … Silly and Serious … Crazy and Thoughtful …
You will work to combine these things in a way that will support you and your students!
Melissa Edwards
wears and has worn many hats in education over 19 years. She has taught 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade as well as been a Gifted Education teacher. For several years, she led professional development on Instructional Technology for teachers at all grade levels. Creativity has always been key in all the things she has done. It is something that seems to flow in her family as well Melissa’s husband is an engineer and her 14 year old daughter dabbles in art of all kinds, especially sidewalk chalk right now. There is creativity inside each of us and we just have to find ways to express it.
Making Math Fun With Math Starters
Are you ready to start the year sparking curiosity in students? This bonus workshop will focus on math classroom starters that will motivate and engage your students. You’ll explore some classroom starter routines that you can implement that aren’t a traditional worksheet. These routines require no supplemental materials and they are accessible to all learners and grade levels. Make those first few moments of math class engaging, interesting and curious! Let’s maximize the beginning of the school year by making math fun!
Rosalba McFadden
is an elementary math consultant in New York and the founder of Zenned Math where she provides on-site and online professional development for mathematics teachers. Rosalba presents regularly at regional conferences and is active in math organizations such as the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics where she was a part of their regional planning committee. Rosalba is also a professional development facilitator for Build Math Minds. She also spends time freelancing by editing math books for publishing companies. Rosalba has used her experience as a classroom teacher as well as a math coach to build a consulting business that continues to support teachers in deepening their understanding of mathematics and their use of effective teaching practices.
Drama Activities for SEAL
(Social-Emotional Artistic Learning)
The drama activities we will go over are great for SEAL (Social-Emotional Artistic Learning) in that they help students build an understanding of emotions and empathy. We will look at 4 activities that helps with all the SEL competencies as well as how to integrate these ideas into a variety of content areas.
Mindful Meditation through Art
This activity is focused on slowing down, focusing on your mind and body, and creating art along the way. You will learn two different versions of this lesson, both focused on mindfulness and art making. You can try each, and decide which works best for you and your students. All you will need is a hand, something to write with, and something to make color with. Watercolors, crayons, markers, anything you have handy will do.
Erin Warren
is an art teacher living in Southern New Hampshire. She got her bachelor’s degree in Art Education from Plymouth State University and has worked as a florist, photographer, para educator and now as a K-8 Art Teacher in Haverhill, MA. Erin has also taught several workshops to both adults and children through the Merrimack NH YMCA and the Durham NH Parks and Recreation department focusing on photography, graphic design, and recycled arts.
Peacing Yoga Together
Stress is not necessarily a bad thing. It has the capacity to connect brain cells. Prolonged periods of stress however can be harmful and interfere with the learning process, primarily social-emotional learning. Yoga and mindfulness unites the body with the mind. This workshop will offer yoga and mindfulness experiences that will serve as ideas for integrating yoga and mindfulness into your classroom or school curricula. Peacing Yoga Together will encourage you to access learning tools to find calm and peace within yourself and your relationships toward others in order to increase your students’ learning potential.
Marie Zappala-Stewart
strives to help all children embrace their full potential and live their lives with joy through the practice of yoga and mindfulness. Following a 35 year career as an early childhood/special education teacher, Marie began an exploration of yoga. While completing her RYT 200 at Prasada Yoga Center in her hometown of Hampton, NH, Marie developed a unique conflict resolution workshop for children called Peacing. The desire to combine these two practices led Marie to Child Light Yoga, and eventually to Little Flower Yoga, a yoga and mindfulness program. After these and other various programs, Marie acquired a Register Yoga Teacher certification through Yoga Alliance. As well as teaching children, Marie has recently applied her experience with an organization entitled, Yoga In Action, teaching a class called “All Abilities”. She continues to work in schools, studios, libraries and presently through virtual classes to both children and adults.
10 Ways That 5 Community Values Can Make 1 Great Learning Community
With lots of schools pushing for social-emotional learning and character education, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with where to start. This workshop will give you the tools to create and integrate five character values into any learning environment and your school community. You will develop your own 5 values and look at 10 ways that you can use them in school, virtually and in person.
Ayanna Gallant
is a musician, poet, voice-over talent, and educator with a passion for creativity. She has been a music and poetry artistic leader for non-profit groups such as Arts in Reach, Jazzmouth: The Portsmouth Poetry and Jazz Festival, With Open Minds and The Young Women’s Drumming Empowerment Project. Ayanna shares her love for the arts as a music teacher at Capital City Public Charter School in Washington D.C.
Build Relationships with Good Communication Strategies and SEAL
(Social-Emotional Artistic Learning)
Building Relationships with your students is the number one thing you need to do at the beginning of the year to have a successful year. Communication with students and families is the key to this success! In this workshop, you will learn some great online tools that will help you communicate in meaningful ways. You will also learn activities that you can use in your physical classroom and in remote teaching to build relationships with your students so that they are ready to learn.
SEAL for Back to School and Beyond
What better way to build a solid foundation of relationships and trust than through Social-Emotional Artistic Learning (SEAL)? With SEAL, you have your students creating and thinking about their emotions about going back to school (in an uncertain time), their place in your classroom, their relationships with their peers and the learning that is ahead! In this workshop, we will look at how SEAL’s framework can help you to build a foundation of trust and engagement with your students.
Elizabeth Peterson
is a classroom teacher, arts-integration specialist and host of The Inspired Classroom. In recent years, she has developed the framework for SEAL, Social-Emotional Artistic Learning where teachers are empowered to reach and teach their students through the ARTS.
Self Care for the Caring Teacher
Pulling resources from across the fields of self care, yoga, mindfulness, and psychology, teachers will discover their own self care strategies and tools to use now and into the future. Six tangible self care opportunities and takeaway tools will be explored, plus time to think about and reflect upon our learning. Teachers will leave this workshop with a blueprint and action steps to bring space for themselves into their teaching practice, will learn more about themselves, and will be given strategies for differentiating their learning to meet the social emotional needs of their students.
Kate Burgess-MacIntosh
(Mrs. Mac to her kiddos!) is the art teacher in Lowell, Massachusetts, who brings creativity, joy, and enthusiasm to her teaching. After establishing a consistent hot yoga practice, Kate decided to pursue certification to bring yoga and mindfulness to her students and their families and to emphasize teacher self care. Kate seeks to find ways to merge art, mindfulness, and movement to increase joy and decrease stress and anxiety. She lives with her two sons, her husband, and her cat. An adoptive and foster parenting advocate, a volunteer and supporter of Autism Speaks and Sensory Santa, and a Disney fanatic who loves reading – especially picture books, she looks forward to bringing self care to her fellow teachers.
Transitioning Back to Learning!
Your students (and YOU) will be transitioning back to a new normal in your classroom. Regardless of what that looks like, you will need to help your students transition back in a safe and caring way.
The workshops in this Virtual Retreat will serve you well as they will focus on arts integrated ideas to engage and inspire AND SEAL (Social-Emotional Artistic Learning) focused activities that will help your students’ social and emotional well-being as they make their way back to learning.
Join us in this amazing experience!
Here’s what you need to do…
1. REGISTER
Register for the Virtual Retreat and get excited!
2. Join the Retreater Community
Meet and engage with like-minded educators.
3. Attend the Workshops
Immerse yourself in the Teacher-Centered workshops and activities from the comfort of your own home.
Take a moment. . . take a deep breath. . . and imagine. . .
You have started teaching and are doing a great job!
Your colleagues comment on how you have set up a great community for your students and that you seem really confident heading into this unusual start to the year!
After your first few days are done, you’re actually excited. You feel like you can do this and that you will be able to take this school year and rock it!
Your students are smiling and are looking forward to the next chance you get to be together. They are participating in the creative back-to-school activities you have prepared for them. They are engaging with their classmates and YOU are overseeing this new group of students as they successfully create the foundations of a new community.
Take a minute to imagine what that feels like!
I’m Right Here with You!
When we get back to our students, they will need hands-on, creative experiences to transition back to learning and have a sense of normalcy and belonging again, even if we are not 100% “back in the classroom.”
And as you already know, experiences in the arts will be one of the best ways to help with that transition. Now, more than ever, we are going to have to help our students get back to learning.
For 10 summers, The Inspired Classroom has been helping teachers transition back to the classroom through arts-inspired, Teacher-Centered PD. This summer, let us help you find the inspiration you need!
I’m your retreat host, Elizabeth Peterson a 21 year veteran teacher and arts integration specialist. I can’t wait to share these experiences with you!
Is the Virtual Teacher Art Retreat Right for YOU??
What materials do I need?
You do not need any special materials for any of these workshops. In fact, we have worked hard to make sure you can complete all the activities with the materials you have on hand.
About 2 weeks before the Virtual Event on August 3 & 4, you will get a materials list so that you can gather the things you will need from around your home. That way, you’ll be ready to do the hands-on work as the workshops are going!
(Remember – this is Teacher -Centered PD, so you will have the time and opportunity to participate in the activities!)
Do I have to be a teacher to attend?
Nope. In fact, over the years we have had such a variety of educators attend our retreats: ocupational therapists, school nurses, librarians, technology specialists, administrators, speech pathologists, paraprofessionals, after school care givers, parents and retirees!
And of course, we’ve had classroom teachers from Pre-K through 12, special ed teachers, PE teachers, and teachers of all the various arts: drama, dance, visual art and music!
See, here’s the thing: the ARTs touch our learning in so many ways, so educators of ALL walks find value in what it can do for them and for the students they work with!
Can I attend the Virtual Retreat with my colleagues?
Absolutely! If fact, we encourage you to invite your friends. This is going to be a blast for all of you!
Please note that each registration is for a single enrollment. That means one person per registration. If you’d like to invite a friend or colleague, please enroll separately.
Do I have to be there live on August 3rd & 4th?
If you can’t attend the Virtual Event on August 3rd or 4th, that’s ok! It’s one of the benefits of having a Virtual Retreat. Everything will be recorded and available for you for an entire year after the retreat is over.
Not to mention, there’s so much more to this retreat than the live workshops on August 3rd & 4th. Remember, we have the Retreater Community that will have ongoing discussions, challenges, bonus workshops and prizes too!
This is going to be a blast!
But, I'm so sick of being online!!!
I get it! Really. After doing remote teaching for so long, you probably are craving some face-to-face professional developmet.
But… this is our reality. And I PROMISE, this retreat is NOT going to be like your normal online conference. Here’s what I mean:
- The workshops are hands-on! That means you will actually DO the activities in the workshops.
- The live workshops are scheduled for only 3 hours of your day so that you can ENJOY the rest of it doing what you want.
- The Retreater Community is going to be a place to engage sporadically in other activities including bonus workshops and challenges. (Did I mention the prizes??)
- We are creating special ways for you to make connections with other retreaters. This is one aspect of the retreat that people always love!!
- Creative Challenges will be posted inside the Retreater Community. These are fun ways to stay engaged and learn more arts integrated and SEAL activities.
- We have lots of surprises in store too. But I’m not going to give away everything. Like I said, I love spoiling our Retreaters and I can’t wait to spoil you!
See this is a RETREAT! You are going to be treated special… again and again. (Get it? Re-Treat!) That is actually my #1 goal for ANY educator who attends PD through The Inspired Classroom. And YOU, my friend deserve it!
How is this going to be "hands-on" if this is online?
Each live workshop is created in a way that allows you the chance to DO the activity in real time. That means that while the presenter is presenting, you also get to create. A big benefit of attending a Retreat from The Inspired Classroom is that we give you the TIME to try out the activities. We don’t just throw ideas at you and hope you give them a try, we want you to DO them.
A couple weeks before the Live Workshops, we will send you a materials list. This way, you can gather the materials you will need and have them nearby so that you are ready to create!
What if I'm not tech savvy?
We are going to make the tech as simple as possible!
We have participants of all ages and tech abilities join in with our online content. As long as you are ready to participate and learn, you’ll be fine.
And, of course, if you ever run into any snags, our team is ready to help you out with whatever you need!!
What will I learn?
The theme of this Virtual Retreat is how to use arts integration and SEAL strategies to help transition yourself and your students back to school in the fall…regardless of what that looks like.
At the Retreat, you will learn numerous arts integrated strategies and activities you can use to build community in your classroom. You will also learn ways to help your students develop their social-emotional skills through a variety of art forms and activities that help build their self-awareness, self-managment, empathy and kindness.
These are all skills we will need to focus on as we transition back to learning in the fall.
What if I'm not artistic?
There are no artisitic expectations or skills needed at the Virtual Retreat! The only thing we require is an open mind and willingness to try. 🙂
See, the thing about the arts is that they are naturally differentiated. That means they meet you where you are and challenge you at the same time.
Besides that, the Virtual Retreat is a NO JUDGEMENT ZONE. Our Retreater Community is going to be filled with encouraging and supportive educators. I know this to be true, because it happens every year!
We all understand that we all have our strengths and weaknesses and, let’s face it, we are all here to learn!
Why do you call this a RETREAT?
This is WAY more than just a online conference. We want you to feel taken care of and treated special. Here’s a reminder of how we will do that:
- The workshops are hands-on! That means you will actually DO the activities in the workshops.
- The live workshops are scheduled for only 3 hours of your day so that you can ENJOY the rest of it doing what you want.
- The Retreater Community is going to be a place to engage sporadically in other activities including bonus workshops and challenges. (Did I mention the prizes??)
- We are creating special ways for you to make connections with other retreaters. This is one aspect of the retreat that people always love!!
- Creative Challenges will be posted inside the Retreater Community. These are fun ways to stay engaged and learn more arts integrated and SEAL activities.
- We have lots of surprises in store too. But I’m not going to give away everything. Like I said, I love spoiling our Retreaters and I can’t wait to spoil you!
See this is a RETREAT! You are going to be treated special… again and again. (Get it? Re-Treat!) That is actually my #1 goal for ANY educator who attends PD through The Inspired Classroom. And YOU, my friend deserve it!
How is this Teacher-Centered?
At The Inspired Classroom, we believe that if we want our classrooms to be student-centered, then our professional development needs to be Teacher-Centered!
See, if you are going to learn new and engaging activities to try out with your students, then YOU need to first try them out yourself. That’s why we build in time to create.
It has everything to do with our motto:
You have Get Inspired in order to Be Inspiring to your students!
Where does the Virtual Retreat take place?
The Retreater Community will be hosted in a Facebook Group. (You will get access to that on July 6th.)
The Live Workshops on August 3rd & 4th will be done webinar style. A week before, you will get a link and a password to enter the webinar room.
After the Virtual Retreat is over, all the Workshop Recordings will be available to you on a special page at The Inspired Classroom.
Who teaches the workshops?
All of the workshops are taught by current and former educators and artists.
We love bringing you workshops from people who have used the activities and found success. This is the kind of PD that is build for and by educators!
Be sure to read the biographies of the presenters above!
Will I have contact with the presenters?
Absolutely! The presenters will all be inside the Retreater Community with you. And on the day of the Live Workshops, they will be present to answer any questions you may have.
As your host, I will also be with you every step of the way. So, if you need anything, just ask!
How will I get my certificate?
On August 5th, a certificate will be sent to you for 10 PD hours. These hours include the 6 from the Live Workshops and the time you will spend inside the Retreater Community watching bonus workshops, participating in challenges and engaging in conversations.
In addition, you can opt to earn 1 graduate credit. This option will be available this summer and will cost an additional $150.
When and how can I enroll?
Enrollment is open NOW!
Get early bird pricing if you enroll on or before June 15th – only $97!
After that, the price will go up to $127.
You can enroll by clicking any of the RED buttons on this page that say, “I’m Ready to Register!”
I can’t wait to see you at the RETREAT!
I still have a question...
If you still have a question, please ask it! We are happy to answer any and all of your questions because we want you to be sure this is the right fit for YOU!
Use this form to get in contact with us and we will answer you in 24 hours.
Terms and Agreements
The Basics:
A paid registration gives you access to the live event and the private community. You will have unlimited access to the workshops inside the live event from the date of the event until August 3, 2021. You will have unlimited access to the private community from July 3, 2020 until August 31, 2020. The private group will then be archived and available for your reference until August 3, 2021.
Each paid registration is good for ONE liscence and cannot be used for a group of people. If you want to attend with a colleague or group, each individual must purchase their own registration.
If you cannot make the live event, you can watch the workshops anytime and from any device. For that reason, there is no refund of money once you purchase your registration.