Teacher Professional Development
Teachers netting invertebrates“The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.”
—Mark Van Doren

At the Missouri Botanical Garden, we regard teachers as close colleagues. The role they play in our world is simply heroic, and we thank them for their daily, unwavering commitment to creating curious, lifelong learners. To support and strengthen teachers, we offer a diversity of courses, workshops and other experiences in the summer and throughout the school year.

Some schools and districts count Garden professional development toward district-required professional development units. College credit is available for select summer workshops.

For more information, please call (314) 577-0819 or e-mail teachertraining@mobot.org.

 

Special Opportunity
Educator Appreciation Event
Thursday, August 19, 2021; 5:30–7:30 p.m.

As a token of our appreciation for ALL you do, educators PreK through Higher Ed. are invited to a special evening to stroll through the Garden, listen to live music and view our current exhibit, Origami After Hours.

School administrators, faculty, staff and home school parents/educators are all welcome. Come out and enjoy the Garden after hours, as well as engage with our Missouri Botanical Garden instructors. Garden educators will be available onsite to offer fresh ways to connect students with plant science and provide information about our multi-site programs for students, teachers and schools.

Registration is required to receive two complimentary admission tickets to Origami After Hours. Additional tickets can be purchased separately through the online event ticket portal.

Register for two complimentary admission tickets

 

Virtual Energy Efficiency Teacher Workshops

Join EarthWays Center at the 2021 Energy Efficiency Educator Workshops virtually this summer! This free workshop is a great professional learning opportunity to discover new ways to teach energy. Educators will explore the science behind energy and sustainability through hands-on, interactive activities and classroom lessons.

Workshop topics will include:

  • Background information about energy topics including forms and sources
  • Discussion of energy efficiency and conservation
  • Connections between energy, electricity, and natural gas
  • Renewable energy sources and solutions

Participants will receive:

  • A stipend*
  • Flash drive with digital copies of all lesson activities
  • Energy science toolkit–please register a month in advance to receive your toolkit before the workshop

*Participants must live or work in either Liberty Utilities or Spire territory to qualify for stipend and energy science toolkit.

Educators from formal or informal setting with an interest in learning more about teaching energy topics including efficiency, renewable energy sources and sustainability should attend. Activities covered throughout the two-day session are aligned to support state standards and designed to be scaled to a variety of grade levels. Sessions are available in June, July and August!

Learn more, find dates and register

 

Professional Development Outreach
Administrators—Are you looking for professional development opportunities for your staff?

The Missouri Botanical Garden's School Programs team offers topnotch STEM and inquiry training for K–12 that can be incorporated into an established professional development day or offered as an evening or weekend program at your school. Programs typically last 45–60 minutes and serve up to 30 teachers. Additional programs may be scheduled within the same day to serve larger groups.

Outreach costs for professional development programs are:

  • $150 for the first hour and $50 for each additional hour (to take place the same day).
  • $1/mile over 20 miles.

Professional development programs may be uniquely designed for your school upon request. (Additional planning costs may be incurred. These will be discussed with you prior to scheduling.)

Please call (314) 577-0819 or e-mail teachertraining@mobot.org to discuss programming options.

 

Quick Links
Online Master's Degree
Adult students studying plantsCheck out a graduate degree program that combines web-based courses through Miami University with experiential learning, internships, and field study in person at the Garden. Learn more
EarthWays Sustainability Network (ESN)

The EarthWays Sustainability Network (ESN) is a year-long teacher professional development program that serves to provide waste and recycling support to educators throughout the St. Louis community. This network of trained educators is dedicated to learning more about waste, waste reduction, and recycling, takes a leadership role in their school's efforts to reduce waste and provides peer support and guidance to other educators.
Learn more

Missouri Botanical Garden E-Scoop logo
Check out our Education E-Scoop, a monthly resource featuring outdoor learning tips, science and literacy links and upcoming programs.
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Tales and Trails

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This summer, join a family reading program that connects nature-inspired books with the great outdoors!
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