Travel Seminars for New Jersey K12 Teachers

In small, collaborative groups, seminar participants take part in a unique professional development experience while enjoying unique access to K-12 schools and universities in the Tokyo area. To support teacher growth in the school site visits, seminar participants attend a guest lecture, connect with Tokyo educator counterparts, and participate in seminar debrief sessions. The travel seminar is supported on the Japan side by a network of outstanding volunteer educators committed to global exchange and intercultural education.

The seminar schedule includes a guided bus tour of Tokyo, a visit to the Tokyo National Museum of Art, and a day visit to a countryside town in Tochigi with an additional school visit -- three experiences that enrich participant understanding of Japanese society and culture. The seminar schedule also includes pockets of personal time so that participants can embark on private excursions in the Tokyo area according to their interests. Finally, the seminar schedule closes with a group dinner at a Michelin-rated Tokyo restaurant.

In joining the Travel Seminar for Teachers, teacher participants are becoming part of a global educator network. As part of this network, seminar participants attend virtual/in-person orientation sessions leading up to the July travel departure date. During the travel seminar schedule in Tokyo, the educator group is led by two experts in global education, Dan Aronoff (PsyD) and Bryan Meadows (PhD). The travel leaders are also available to support participant private excursions outside of the seminar schedule. Finally, participants can expect opportunities to maintain post-travel connections with the global professional network established by the seminar.

• new to the profession and exploring central questions such as What does quality education look like?

• thinking about perennial challenges for public education and wondering what we could be doing differently as a profession

• serving English Learner (EL) populations and wish to gain insights into what education looks like outside the United States

• interested in gathering insights into how their subject area is taught in other parts of the world

• interested in connecting with educators in very different educational settings in order to find what all educators share in common globally

• interested in enriching their understanding of Japanese culture, language, and society through firsthand travel experience

• ready to take advantage of the unique access to Tokyo K-12 schools and universities

The goal of the travel seminar is to provide NJ public school educators with a unique global learning experience during the precious summer months. As a result of participating in the 10-day seminar, teachers come away with a robust professional development experience with short-term and long-term benefits.

In the short-term, teacher participants gain firsthand insights into how educational systems work in the Tokyo area through school site visits, personal contact with Tokyo counterpart educators, cultural excursions, and guest lectures. They also gain opportunities to process their professional learning in debrief sessions with fellow NJ colleague participants. In the short-term, such global experiences outside of New Jersey can lead K-12 teachers to discover new ideas for how we can do education at home.

In the long-term, the teacher reflection that the travel seminar engenders leads K-12 teachers to greater avenues of pedagogical effectiveness, greater capacity for student advocacy, and expanded sense of professional satisfaction as educators. What is more, participants become part of a global professional network which connects the individual NJ teacher with valuable colleagues locally and globally. This is because the Travel Seminar for Teachers global network is ongoing and maintained by the non-profit, Global Education Insights.

Learning and being immersed in the Japanese school system has greatly impacted my teaching philosophy. After completing the program I was able to relate better to the English Language Learners in my classroom because I experienced what it felt like to be in a different country with a different culture, hearing a language I did not understand. We also had a lot of fun seeing the sights! I remain connected to the colleagues that I traveled with to this day both personally and professionally. I would highly recommend this program to new and veteran teachers alike!

-- Ayla Q. (K-5 ESL Teacher, NJ)

One of the fondest memories I have of the trip was when we had to face elementary school students in a fierce badminton match. Unfortunately, the U.S team had a poor performance. They annihilated us! During the school visits, I learned so much from the students. They taught me the value of teamwork and how each individual contribution was essential for the development of the entire class. As an educator, I use this philosophy in my classroom. I want my students to feel that their contribution is essential. This has been by far the most enriching experience I have had as an educator.

-- Kelly G (K-5 Special Education Teacher, NJ)

My favorite part, was being able to immerse ourselves in the various educational settings. We were truly able to open our eyes to a whole new perspective. I believe this is the root of traveling. We travel so we can open our eyes to so much more than we know, and that is such a beautiful thing. To say that it was an unforgettable experience is an understatement.

-- Kimberly P. (NJ Teacher)

What you take away from this trip can be applied to any school setting, as I’ve discussed this trip to my K-12 students in the past. I distinctly remember when we were observing an English class and we all sang a song by Stevie Wonder! It was joyous way to engage with students from Japan in that setting, as we all giggled at each other’s singing skills! You’ll have many memories to last a lifetime!

-- Yuki K. (NJ Teacher)

January 15

Registration opens online

Complete $750 deposit to secure seminar spot

Early Bird Discount of 5% off seminar fees when completed by Feb 22, 2023.

Bring a Buddy Discount of 5% off seminar fees available.

February 22

Early Bird Discount window closes

March 15

Registration closes online for all

Regular deposit $750 due for all

March 22

Online orientation and meeting for travel seminar participants

April 15

Travel Seminar Fees of $3250 DUE (minus deposit and any qualifying discounts)

Bring a Buddy Discount window closes

June 13

Online planning meeting: Preparing for departure date

July 1

In-person breakfast social with travel seminar participants and seminar leaders

July 13

Group departure date

Global Education Insights is a Non-Profit Organization formed in New Jersey to enrich K12 public education through unique global professional development experiences for NJ teachers. Global Education Insights is a non-profit, service venture led by two educators with 40 combined years of professional experience in higher-education and K-12 institutions. They also have 5 years of experience leading travel seminars to Tokyo. Global Education Insights works closely with local liaisons to develop and facilitate global travel experiences that leverage unique professional growth opportunities with economic value.