WorldStrides Professional Development

Education is at the heart of what we do at WorldStrides and that not only extends to weaving experiential learning into our tours but also providing tools and resources for educators to use in the classroom.

Throughout the year, members of the WorldStrides Curriculum & Academics team run fun, interactive and informative Professional Development webinars for teachers all over the country, covering an array of subject areas. We’re delighted to be able to offer this program at no cost to teachers across Australia and New Zealand. Plus, we’ll send you a certificate at the completion of the workshop so you can log the hour of professional learning towards your annual registration.

Hear what teachers have to say about our PD workshops…

“The PD was great. Interesting, detailed and useful. It didn’t lag so I was fully engaged for the whole hour.”

“The session was informative, helpful, and interesting. The chat allowed for the sharing of ideas around the nation, and the zoom was conducted brilliantly.”

Power of Reflection:

Using Journaling to Understand Ourselves and the World

Reflection is a powerful tool for cultivating deep and meaningful learning experiences. Yet, reflection is not always natural for students in the classroom and may be far from their minds while travelling. As educators, we have the power to instill reflective learning practices in our students.

In this session, the power of reflection will be demonstrated through the application of journaling techniques and reflective questioning strategies in order to make meaningful connections from experiences at this destination.

In order to reap the benefits of this workshop, your active participation during the session is required! We will have an active chat and plenty of opportunities to come off mic and share strategies with each other.

Workshop attendees will receive a resource kit that can build reflection opportunities both in and outside of the classroom. 

Workshop details

Leigh Bartenstein

Leigh Bartenstein serves as a Curriculum and Academics Specialist for WorldStrides. She holds an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction and a B.A. in English and Studio Art. Her interest in art education led to an internship at an art museum, and facilitation of printmaking demonstrations and workshops. She is passionate about experiential learning that makes space for creativity.

Katie Smolar

Katie Smolar serves as a Curriculum and Academics Specialist for WorldStrides. She holds an M.A. in History and a B.A. in Social Studies Education. She has taught a variety of social studies classes as a public school teacher, taught English as a foreign language abroad, and worked as a Director of Educational Programs for a non-profit. She is passionate about making educational travel opportunities available to all students and fostering creativity and curiosity through exploration.