Supporting Local Educators
Educators grades K–12
Applications are closed for 2026.
Dive into ways formal and informal education can come together in collaborative learning, innovation, and authentic science experiences. The local offerings this year are a collaboration between the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey Peninsula Unified School District (MPUSD), and the Monterey County Office of Education.
Dates
Elementary Educator Institute
- June 15–17, 2026 (Mon.–Wed.)
- Saturday follow-ups: October 17, 2026, January 23 and April 24, 2027
Secondary Educator Institute
- July 20-22, 2026 (Mon.–Wed.)
- Saturday follow-ups: November 14, 2026, January 30 and April 24, 2027
About the institutes
Elementary Educator Institute
During the Elementary Educator Institute, you'll embark on an immersive exploration of Monterey Bay’s dynamic coastal ecosystems. From the towering kelp forests, the winding sloughs, and the ever-changing sandy shore, you'll get an up-close look at the animals in these habitats, just as your students might.
Alongside fellow educators, Aquarium staff, colleagues, and scientists, you’ll take part in field investigations, using real-world scientific tools and techniques that can be applied to your own schoolyard or community. Through these activities, you’ll see firsthand how authentic science experiences can ignite curiosity and inspire deeper learning in your students.
With a focus on patterns and systems in nature, the workshop will introduce developmentally appropriate climate literacy concepts, helping you to integrate equitable teaching practices with social-emotional learning (SEL) and science and engineering practices. You’ll discover strategies to enhance student engagement across multiple disciplines, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Secondary Educator Institute
Throughout the Secondary Educator Institute, you’ll roll up your sleeves and get making! From brainstorming bold ideas to bringing them to life, you’ll experience the design process as you explore a variety of low- and high-tech tools. Whether you’re crafting with simple materials or exploring cutting-edge technology, you’ll gain hands-on experience in how the maker movement can transform learning. Through engaging discussion and hands-on experiences, you’ll explore Liberatory Design—a framework that fosters equity, creativity, and inclusivity in education—and learn how to apply it to curriculum and projects with your students.
With your colleagues, you will identify opportunities to blend STEAM into your teaching and exchange ideas about integrating the Next Generation Science Standards, maker pedagogy, and future-ready skills.
Programming will take place in our state-of-the-art Innovation Lab in the Bechtel Family Center for Ocean Education and Leadership as well as the Maker Space at Seaside High. Once complete, you'll leave with fresh ideas, practical tools, and the inspiration to create learning experiences that inspire your students to think, design, and build with purpose!
Opportunities
- Go behind the scenes at the Aquarium
- Collaborate with colleagues
- Engage in equity-centered practices
- Integrate place-based education and inquiry-based curriculum
- Explore local field sites
- Support Next Generation Science Standards
- Support Common Core State Standards
Fees
- The institutes are free and include a catered lunch each day
- A stipend is provided upon completion of the program
- CEUs are available through CSU Monterey Bay—verify that your district office accepts CEUs (these are non-academic units)
Eligibility and requirements
We welcome educators of all disciplines who align with the following:
- Full-time classroom educators (grades K-5 for the Elementary Educator Institute; grades 6-1 for the Secondary Educator Institute)
- Can attend all summer sessions and all Saturday follow-ups during the school year
- Implement your learning with your students and share your efforts with insitute participants
- Priority will be given to educators in the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District.
How to apply
Applications are closed for 2026.
For more information, please email educator@mbayaq.org.
In collaboration with
- Monterey County of Education
- Monterey Peninsula School District
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