Learning Together in a Special Place:
Perspectives on Leadership

Mercatello sul Metauro, Italy
June 2016
Organized by Angela Ferrario
International Study Tours,  LLC

Professional development for small groups of educational leaders, 
complemented by sightseeing excursions 
and encounters with local artisans and townspeople, 
taking you inside village life.  

T he charming town of Mercatello sul Metauro is located  in the
Marche region in east-central Italy, 
nestled between 
T uscany, Emilia-Romagna and Umbria.
June 2016 Educational Retreats   
W e will bring together educators interested in social constructivist and relational practices around leadership development. Each retreat is designed for the intellectually curious and independent  traveler who is a lifelong  learner and appreciates the occasion to engage with local citizens.  For More Information

Organizer
Angela Ferrario is Director of International Study Tours, LLC, which she established in 2005 for the creation of educational travel initiatives in collaboration with U.S. and International colleagues.

Collaborating Facilitators June 2016
Louise and Ashley Cadwell, Lori Ryan, John Nimmo, Debbie LeeKeenan, Susan MacDonald and Lucinda Burk.  (See educational retreat descriptions below.)
To Learn About Facilitators

Palazzo Donati
Our accommodations overlook Mercatello's main square where we will have exclusive occupancy at Palazzo Donati, a family owned historic residence with modern amenities.   www.lemarcheholidayvilla.com

Local Partners
Access to local places, artisans and regional cuisine is possible through a partnership with Nicoletta Amicizia, local resident and tour guide with Amicizia Experiences along with local expert Luisa Donati, whose family owns Palazzo Donati.   They are available to make sure our days run smoothly, with our best interests at heart as they introduce us to the everyday life of the town and the hidden treasures of the surrounding area. 

Learning Together in a Special Place : Perspectives on Leadership
June 11 - 16, 2016

Learning and Leading for the Future

What are the current challenges and opportunities that lead educators who design environments, curricula and learning experiences for communities of learners to dynamic possibilities for the future? What inspires all members of a learning community to embrace their passions and contribute to a healthy, hopeful future for our world? How do leaders invite and sustain such contexts and cultures?
 
These questions and others will frame the diverse and multi-layered experiences, conversations, and reflections of Learning and Leading for the Future. As an interactive community of learners within a welcoming and beautiful Italian setting, participants will:
 
- Look back at the field's historical roots and our own unique personal and professional stories
 
- Study together current neuroscience research, global competencies, 21st century skills and contemporary learning processes
 
- Re-imagine schooling based on life-worthy, life-long learning
 
- Leave with a new vision and new possibilities for redesigning learning communities with the future in mind
 
Co-Facilitators: 
Louise and Ashley Cadwell,  Co-Founders of Cadwell Collaborative www.cadwellcollaborative.com

Lori Ryan,  Senior Instructor, University of Colorado Denver, School of Education and Human Development
June 18 - 23, 2016

Leadership for Change: Identity, Social Justice and the Right to be Visible 

Our time this week will focus on creating a vision for social justice in your professional and personal life. Drawing on our recent book (with Louise Derman-Sparks), Leading Anti-bias Early Childhood Programs: A Guide for Change, we envision a highly interactive and reflective time together with a focus on exploring identity, thinking strategically, and embracing the possibility of growth through conflict.
 
Together we will explore:

- How does our social identity influence our roles as educators and parents?

 

- How do we create an inclusive community where all voices are valued and heard?

 

- How do we integrate an anti-bias perspective into the daily life of an organization?

 

- How do we find the "third space" in resolving cultural conflicts? 

 

As part of imagining a more inclusive world for children, we will invite you to consider the rights of children to be active participants in their community and share our ongoing work on projects such as the "Voices of Children" international video documentary. Expect daily provocations from us, with relaxed time to engage for journaling, discussion and activities, often inspired by the Italian cultural surroundings.   As a cross-cultural team (John an Australian and Debbie, Chinese-American), we look forward to sharing our adventures in professional collaboration as writers, teachers, and thinkers.

Co-Facilitators:
John Nimmo,  Adjunct Professor, Early Childhood Education, Wheelock College, Boston, MA 

Debbie LeeKeenan, Visiting Professor of Early Childhood Education, Lesley University, Cambridge, MA
June 25 - 30, 2016

Creating Strength-Based 
Learning Communities

How do parents, teachers, administrators and children from unique contexts and varied experiences come to feel unified and connected?   How do we create and lead learning communities where individuals are deeply respected , valued and nurtured? 
 
Reflecting on our own stories of belonging and relationships we will explore elements that foster a heightened sense of place and connection. As we come to know each other and this small town of Me rcatello, we will observe and interpret the creative and collaborative forces at play as learning communities develop. Through interactive experiences we will discover new possibilities for supporting and engaging in healthy, dynamic work place relationships in our own unique contexts. 
 
Our work will draw from the current research on positivity, school transformation, strength-based leadership and mindfulness to explore the benefits of weaving new ideas and approaches into our professional practice. We will leave empowered to bring renewed energy to the essential tasks of increasing joy, engagement and intentionality into our learning communities.
 
Co-Facilitators: 
Susan MacDonald,  Founder of Inspiring New Perspectives, 
Waltham, MA

Lucinda Burk, Teacher, Buckingham Brown and Nichols, Cambridge, MA
$1,950
Per session
based on shared accommodations in double rooms
(Single supplement available)

For more information contact Angela Ferrario
aferrario@comcast.net
phone: 508 473 8001