Spend two weeks in Washington, DC, working with education and STEAM experts to explore the connections between informal STEAM education and authentic learning. Propose and develop goals for your own professional development, gain the skills to incorporate museum learning into your practice, and meet colleagues from around the country. There is no cost for teachers to participate and most expenses are paid by the Museum.

The National Air and Space Museum's Teacher Innovator Institute (TII) will welcome up to 10 teachers from across the United States in Summer 2022. Teachers will remain with the program for two summers, returning to Washington, DC, in year two to reconnect, develop their practice, and mentor the newest class of Teacher Innovators.

Those accepted into TII in 2022 will join our existing cohort that was selected prior to the COVID-19 pandemic but have yet to begin their onsite experience.

All TII participants will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to participate.

Want to know what teachers do all day? See a sample TII schedule.

Dates

New TII Teachers will be onsite in Washington, DC, July 11-22, 2022.

 

Who Should Apply

Early career, Middle School (grades 5-8) STEAM teachers who have an interest in expanding their practice to include informal education techniques. Ideal candidates will have fewer than six years of full-time teaching experience and work with underserved student populations. Efforts will be made to enroll a cohort that supports a diverse, equitable, and inclusive learning environment. Educators of color, LGBTQ+ educators, educators with disabilities, and educators working in the public sector, particularly Title I schools, are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Not sure whether you are the right fit for the program this year? Use our eligibility tool to find out. The tool is intended to give educators a good sense of their fitness for the next TII cohort. It is NOT your application to the program. TII cohorts are selected after submitting a complete application, which is reviewed through a multi-step process. Strong results on the eligibility tool indicate that you meet several of the requirements to be a part of our next cohort, but they don’t reflect any judgement or have any bearing on your final application.  

Eligibility Tool

Teachers Will Learn

During their time in Washington, DC, and during the school year, teachers will focus on authentic learning, including the incorporation of real-world problems, open-ended inquiry, and hands-on, student-driven practices. Cohort members will work to define the term as it relates to their practice and design content around it as they progress through the program. 

Through hands-on activities, museum tours, visits to other museums, group work, and expertise from museum educators and content experts, teachers will use aerospace science, history, and technology to shape their ideas about authentic learning and bring informal education techniques into their classrooms. 

As a part of the application process, teachers will be asked to propose a plan for development of their practice, both as professionals and as a member of their school community.

We Provide

  • There is no cost for teachers to participate. Teachers are provided with lodging, food, and travel.
  • During the institute, teachers will be given special museum experiences and access to content experts in both informal education and aerospace content.
  • Participants will also have opportunities to connect with their cohort and museum staff several times during the school year.

Expectations for Participants

  • Commit to two weeks each summer for two consecutive summers.
  • Collaborate with other TII teachers to develop and iterate upon your proposed plan. 
  • Actively participate in sessions led by Smithsonian Institution staff and guests on the marriage of informal and formal learning. 
  • Assist in the evaluation of and iteration upon current educational programming at the National Air and Space Museum. 
    Teachers at a table with laptops open smile.

    Teachers participate in the TII. 

    Teachers in iFly outfits smile at the camera.

    Teachers participate in the TII.

    Teachers hold parts of a geodesic dome. A space shuttle is in the background.

    Teachers participate in the TII. 

    Teachers take a selfie on the national mall.

    Teachers participating in TII. 

    Teachers and former museum director Ellen Stofan inflate something.

    Teachers participate in the TII.

How to Apply

The TII application will remain open until 11:59pm EST on February 15, 2022. Applications will be reviewed and all candidates will be notified by April 15, 2022.  

The application form will ask for basic contact and school information, as well as several documents. You cannot save your information and come back to it later, so please be prepared to submit a completed application. Preview the application questions.

Please submit the following via the application form:

  • Administrator sign-off on participation in the Institute. You may use the following form or have your admin write a letter of support: TII Administrator Sign Off
  • Two recommendation letters. Letters should address your role as an innovator in your teaching practice and other qualities that make you stand out.
    • Letter of recommendation from a peer.  
    • Letter of recommendation from a member of your community. This can be a student, parent, community member or leader in your district.
  • Professional Goals Statement
    • While TII events typically take place over the course of two summers, our objective is to develop lasting outcomes for our participants, the students they serve, and the communities they call home. No two educators are alike, and no two learning environments are the same, so it only makes sense to ask our TII applicants: How do YOU want to make an impact as an Innovator? 
    • If selected for TII, you will create your personal professional development plan based on your goals as a STEAM educator. We want you to consider your current goals and share why you wish to pursue them in the years ahead. Please use the provided template. During your first summer, you will refine your goals and add action items for the upcoming school year.  
  • A link to a short (< 3 minute) video introducing yourself and your community. The video should showcase you and your work with students and your community. How is your identity shaped by who and where you teach? How do you hope to make an impact there? You may use YouTube (listed or unlisted), Dropbox, or Google Drive. YouTube is strongly preferred.  

Apply Now

The National Air and Space Museum requires all participants to be vaccinated except in limited circumstances where a person is legally entitled to a reasonable accommodation. Participants will be required to show proof of vaccination at the start of the program (do not submit as part of the application). Acceptable proof of vaccination includes:

  • A copy of the CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card
  • A copy of the record of immunization from a health care provider or pharmacy
  • A copy of medical records documenting the vaccination
  • A copy of immunization records from a public health or state immunization information system
  • A copy of any other official documentation containing required data points that state:
    • Type of vaccine administered
    • Date(s) of administration and the name of the health care professional(s) or clinic site(s) administering the vaccine(s)
If you have any questions about the program or your eligibility, contact us.

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