With Inventionland Education’s professional learning options, educators can learn new skills, instill more confidence in their STEM classrooms, and use maker machines more effectively.

Inventionland Education offers comprehensive professional learning programs to empower teachers in these critical areas, fostering engaging and innovative classroom experiences. As the end of the school year approaches, it’s an ideal time for administrators to schedule these transformative training sessions for their teaching staff.

Inventionland Education’s professional learning programs are designed to bolster educators’ proficiency in STEM education and maker space technologies. Through immersive, hands-on workshops, teachers gain practical experience with tools such as 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC milling machines, and vinyl cutters. This experiential learning approach allows educators to familiarize themselves with essential equipment, understand its practical classroom applications, and confidently integrate these technologies into their curricula.

A key benefit of Inventionland Education’s professional learning is that teachers engage directly with maker space technologies in a supportive environment.

By actively participating, educators overcome any initial uncertainty and build a solid foundation of skills, enabling them to guide students effectively. These training sessions emphasize exploration and experimentation, critical aspects of STEM education, ensuring teachers can inspire curiosity and innovation among their students.

Project-based learning is another cornerstone of Inventionland Education’s professional learning approach. PBL encourages students to explore real-world problems actively, enhancing their critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative skills. Educators gain valuable insights and practical tools through dedicated training sessions to design and implement successful project-based learning experiences tailored to their students’ interests and abilities.

Inventionland Education’s training uniquely integrates maker space technologies into project-based learning and other curricula. Teachers can learn to guide students through prototyping, iterative design, and problem-solving processes, making abstract concepts tangible and relevant. By mastering these techniques, educators can create highly engaging lessons that motivate students and foster deeper understanding and retention.

Administrators have a timely opportunity to invest in their educators by scheduling professional learning sessions at the school year’s conclusion. This strategic timing allows teachers the necessary space and reflection to integrate newly acquired knowledge directly into their upcoming school year plans. Additionally, end-of-year training sessions offer an uninterrupted environment for educators to immerse themselves fully, maximizing their professional growth.

Scheduling professional learning now enhances individual teaching competencies and builds stronger team cohesion among educators. Collective participation in Inventionland Education training creates a shared vision and collaborative spirit, driving a unified approach to STEM education and project-based learning across the entire school.

Inventionland Education’s professional learning programs offer educators the tools and strategies to excel in STEM teaching, maker-machine operation, and project-based learning. Administrators are encouraged to act now, scheduling training sessions to set the stage for a vibrant, innovative, and successful new school year.

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They bring creativity, compassion, and determination to classrooms daily, inspiring the next generation to dream big and think boldly. Today, we pause to thank these dedicated professionals for their unwavering commitment to impacting education in meaningful ways.

Teachers dream of possibility, creating environments where curiosity thrives and innovation blossoms. Educational leaders provide the vision and support needed to nurture this growth, ensuring that schools are places of discovery and empowerment. Together, their efforts lay the foundation for lifelong learning and the pursuit of excellence.

At Inventionland Education, we are honored to stand alongside extraordinary educators. Our mission is rooted in a shared commitment to education, innovation, and creativity. Through our award-winning applied STEM curriculum, immersive Innovation Labs®, and robust professional learning programs, we strive to amplify the work of teachers and educational leaders nationwide.

We can be the catalyst for a brighter, more impactful future. By equipping educators with the necessary tools and resources, we empower them to spark creativity and inspire students to solve real-world problems. Whether through hands-on projects, collaborative learning experiences, or fostering an entrepreneurial mindset, our goal is to ignite a passion for innovation in students of all ages.

This Thanksgiving, let’s celebrate the educators who go above and beyond to make a difference. They are more than just instructors—they are mentors, innovators, and champions of progress. At Inventionland Education, we are deeply thankful for the opportunity to collaborate with such passionate individuals and to support their vital work.

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The Inventionland® Education team quickly began working to create a way to give teachers some assistance in these desperate times. They wanted to build a workshop that wouldn’t be a huge time commitment for busy educators, taught teachers about tools they can use in their online classrooms, and allowed them to share with each other methods and techniques regarding online learning. Thus, the Inventionland® Education Hour of Innovation was born.

Inspired by the Day of Innovation, the Hour of Innovation is designed so that educators can log in remotely using their webcam and watch as a fellow educator gives them a tutorial on an effective online learning tool. Each session begins with introductions where the Inventionland® Education team will introduce themselves and any guest speakers that will be presenting throughout the workshop. They will also briefly explain their chat feature, where teachers can ask any questions that they have throughout the presentation and have them answered in real-time.

Next, the speaker will begin to walk the attending teachers and educators through the first portion of the seminar. What this section entails depends on the topic at hand. For example, in the Code.org seminar, they began by explaining the benefits and parameters of the program so viewing teachers could visualize how it could be effectively utilized within their classroom. Whereas in their ‘Making’ workshop, where they provided maker-based lesson plans, they began by describing and demonstrating the first of several physical activities that they adapted for online learning.

There is often a second or even third section to the teaching portion of each Hour of Innovation session. When the team or a guest speaker is walking teachers through a digital program, the second portion of the seminar will typically walk you step by step through how to sign up, create a classroom, view assignments, etc. Whereas with physical activities, they will often either provide a second/third physical activity or they’ll walk you through additional ways you can change the activity for various grade levels.

Afterward, the guest speakers and ILI partners will briefly touch on their roles in education and list any additional resources they can provide for fellow educators. Finally, each seminar ends with a Q&A session. During this final section, the Inventionland® Education hosts pose a few questions to attending educators in an attempt to facilitate a group discussion. This portion of the workshop allows fellow educators to share tools that they’ve been using for online learning and to voice any struggles they’ve been having so they can find possible solutions among a group of peers.

If you’ve missed out on some of the past seminars, the Inventionland® Education team has made them available online to view for anyone who may want to utilize the information. Thus far they’ve had Hour of Innovation seminars on Kickoff, Tinkercad, Code.org, Storytelling, Making, and Inventing. The team at Inventionland® Education attempts to have a balanced combination of seminars regarding digital resources and physical projects that students can complete at home and record their progress. As educators, the ILI team is all too aware that teachers will have students with a wide variety of financial or technological restraints. They’ll have some students with Mac laptops and some students who don’t even have access to a computer, so the physical activities are a good option for students who have fewer resources at their disposal.

Since the Hour of Innovation launch, Inventionland® Education has received a positive response from the teachers and educators who have participated. According to a series of surveys, 83.9% of participants surveyed said they would attend another Hour of Innovation and 93.5% said that they’d recommend attending Hour of Innovation to a fellow educator. One teacher at Berkshire Local School District, Gina Kritz, stated, “I love the energy, creativity, helpfulness, and the collaborative, accessible approach from all the people at Inventionland. Thank you for giving us fun, inspiring tools to work with and facilitate ingenuity, creativity, and critical thinking in our students. You’ve been a fantastic resource. Thank you for offering the opportunity to connect with you through the Hour of Innovation!”

Educators have also been pleased to see a seminar that is creating a new way for them to learn about online learning portals and programs not from a technical standpoint, but from fellow educators who know how to actively implement them into a classroom setting. Another satisfied attending educator, John Heard of Par Excellence Academy, stated, “This meeting is great overall, I’ve never experienced anything like this and I think it’s great for others to experience. Especially since we’re walking into a different phase of learning.”

Although the program has only been running for a little over a month, the Inventionland® Education team has already been hearing back from teachers who have implemented the programs and lesson plans into their curriculum with a positive response from their students. One such educator, Michael Buckles of Mount Pleasant Area School District, stated, “These meetings are fantastic. I’ve used some of your ideas and resources throughout distance learning with positive responses from the kids. Thank you for sharing the creativity, innovation, and opportunity.”

Ultimately, Inventionland® Education is happy to be able to provide some much-needed support to teachers and educators during a very difficult time. The transition to online learning can be daunting, but having the guidance of fellow educators and access to peer support can make all of the difference in the world.

Click here to check out upcoming Hour of Innovation events and register to attend online!

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The PETE & C event kicked off on Sunday, February 23rd with attendee and exhibitor registration. The afternoon and early evening consisted of workshops, vendor hospitalities, and a welcome reception so that educators and technology officials alike could begin to network. This year’s conference took place at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, PA- home to Heinz Ketchup, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and our very own Inventionland® Education Headquarters.

On Monday, February 24th the Exhibitor Hall opened. This was where we were stationed, manned with our brochures, packets, videos, Makerkits, and our passion for industry-based learning that leads to career-readiness. The atmosphere in the exhibitor hall was teeming with excitement as people mingled, networked, and learned about new and innovative educational tools. This conference is typically held in Hershey, PA so there appeared to be a slightly smaller turnout than there have been in previous years. To our representatives at the conference and other attendees, however, this merely resulted in more personal and meaningful relationships being formed rather than constantly being mobbed by swarms of attendees.

The main event on the first day was the keynote speech titled The Art and Science of Memorable Teaching. This speech discussed how beliefs on education can shape the classroom, effect lessons, and have a dramatic impact on student motivation. There were also several Concurrent Sessions throughout the day as well as Member Organization Events to close out the day.

On Tuesday the 25th, day three, the main keynote was titled Climate and Culture. The Choice is Yours. This speech touched on how climate and culture on an individual level can impact jobs in education. As with the previous day, there were Concurrent Sessions and the Exhibitor Hall was open until 2:15 PM. In addition to these, however, the annual PA Invention Convention was also hosted during the afternoon. Finally, in the evening, there was a Heinz History Center Event where you could elect to take a trip over to Pittsburgh’s Senator John Heinz History Center for an evening of history, food, and drinks.

Finally, a short day on Wednesday the 26th closed off this year’s PETE & C conference. After some Concurrent Sessions in the morning, the event closed off with a final keynote titled Social Impact in the Digital Age. This keynote touched on some of the risks of social media in terms of misinformation and a rise in negativity. In addition to the keynote, our Inventionland® Education Curriculum representative, Nathan Field, had the opportunity to conduct a workshop with our partners at IU1. We collectively presented on both the Inventionland® Education and personalized learning for all. We also ran some hands-on activities and had one of our teachers speak on the practicality of using the Inventionland® Education Curriculum in their classroom. All of the events were incredibly accessible through multiple programs as well as a digital app that attendees could use to keep up to date on all conference details.

Our curriculum was represented across multiple booths in the Exhibitor Hall including ours, the IU1 booth and mobile lab, and Allegheny Educational Systems Inc. They each came equipped with unique displays, including IU1’s very popular 3D printing pancake display which allows educators to walk away simultaneously knowing more about the world of 3D printing and with a tasty treat.

As with past conferences we attended, we noticed a lot of interest in our teacher resources. Our Makerkits, which showcase the capabilities of laser cutting, were a big draw and had people coming up to us and asking questions. We also noticed a lot of interest in our Makercharts, which are guides teachers can hang up in their classroom to use as a reference for questions about 3D Printing/Laser Cutting in terms of dimensions, materials, machine settings, etc. We were also able to talk about our Makerspaces and the tours we offer at Inventionland since this conference took place in our home city of Pittsburgh, PA. We even got a shoutout about our tours from one of the event speakers, Greg Maser, who is a technology specialist at Seneca Highlands.

From our many conversations with fellow educators circulating in and out of the exhibitor hall, we gathered that everyone found the keynote speakers and workshop events both educational and inspirational. These events were especially helpful this year because the conference recorded some of these events so that attendees can go back and reference the material later.

One of our favorite parts of the conference was getting to both connect with our current partners as well as start to build relationships for the future. We ran into our partners at IU1, IU28, and IU27 and we were able to network with them. We were also able to converse with some of the schools that currently use our curriculum such as Grove City, Plum, Altoona, Pace, etc. Walking around the giant hall, however, we were also able to introduce ourselves and network with organizations we’d like to work with in the future such as different IU’s and schools that are looking to implement STEM-based curriculums.

Ultimately, the conference served as an inspiring way to connect PA educators who are interested in technology with one another and with leaders in tech education.

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If someone asked you why you got into teaching, how would you answer? Passion for your subject? Yes. Love of kids? Absolutely. Most likely, however, somewhere in your explanation would be the altruistic notion that you wanted to change the world. In honor of International Women’s Day, here are five female teachers who not only made a difference in the lives of their students but–regardless of how long ago they taught–also changed the lives of everyone today.

They’ve inspired both students and adults, believed in the importance of educating in order to empower, and taught in ways that, at the time, were considered controversial and unorthodox.

Christa McAuliffe

Christa McAuliffe was a social studies teacher at Concord High School in New Hampshire. In 1985, she was chosen from over 11,000 applicants for the NASA Teacher in Space Project. As the first teacher in space, she was going to conduct science experiments and teach two lessons live from the Space Shuttle Challenger. It was because of her participation in the launch that media interest was reignited in the US Space program. Schools around the country tuned in to watched the launch and follow McAuliffe’s journey.

Unfortunately, on January 28, 1986, the Challenger exploded 73 seconds after launch. But her legacy and passion for education made her a trailblazer in education. NASA recently released her lost lessons that would have been delivered while she was on the Challenger. Here she is doing a run-through of what she calls “The Ultimate Field Trip”:

Mary McLeod Bethune

Mary McLeod Bethune was born in 1875, one of seventeen children. She was the first in her family born free and the only one who received a formal education…choosing to walk eight miles each day to attend school. In 1904, she moved to Florida and opened the Daytona Normal and Industrial School for Negro Girls. She did everything in her power to make the school happen…even going so far as to build the tables and chairs for the classroom herself. In the 1920s, it became a co-ed school and was renamed the Bethune-Cookman College, where Bethune served as President (the school is known today as Bethune-Cookman University).

But her passion was not only for education–she also fought for women’s rights. In 1935, she founded the National Council of Negro Women and in 1936, President Franklin Roosevelt named her director of Negro Affairs of the National Youth Administration. In 1940, she became the vice president of the NAACP. Bethune used the power of education, political activism and civil service to achieve racial and gender equality not only in the United States but around the world.

One of her most famous quotes: Invest in the human soul. Who knows, it might be a diamond in the rough.

Catharine Beecher

Catharine Beecher was a nineteenth-century teacher and writer (her sister was also a writer…you might have heard of a little book Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote called Uncle Tom’s Cabin?). She was an advocate for equal access to education for women.

Beecher believed women should be taught what was traditionally only part of the “male” curriculum: history, Latin, algebra, and philosophy. This belief was extremely because, during this time, most women were given a “domestic” education which focused on etiquette, literature, and modern languages. She believed women should know the same concepts as men and that women deserved equal access to education.

Some of her ideas, however, were contradictory–she was a huge supporter of education reform but did not believe women should be allowed to vote. As more and more teachers were needed in the United States, she advocated that women should fill these roles because of their natural tendency to be nurturers.

Erin Gruwell

If you’ve ever had to teach a group of students that other people deemed “unteachable,” then you’ve most likely read Erin Gruwell’s story or watched the movie based on her first year as a teacher. Gruwell’s teaching method was simple: give kids books that had to do with their lives, make them keep a journal, and (here’s the kicker): don’t give up on them. Believe it or not, this approach was unorthodox when she first started doing it in the late 1990s.

Gruwell used her own money to buy books for her students (something many teachers can relate to) and encouraged them to keep a journal. She published journal entries in a book called The Freedom Writers Diary and in 2007, the movie Freedom Writers hit the screen. Below is her TedX Talk from 2011 where she discusses The Freedom Writers:

Anne Sullivan

No list of teachers who have changed the course of learning would be complete without mentioning Anne Sullivan, who is best known as the teacher of Helen Keller. Sullivan was hired by the Keller family to teach Helen, who was both blind and deaf. Initially, Sullivan, who was also blind, stuck to a strict schedule and constant instruction. However, like all great teachers, she eventually realized that the best way to teach Helen was to focus on Helen’s interests.

Sullivan continually spelled words into Keller’s hands but it wasn’t until Keller was at a water pump that she made the connection between water and the word water being spelled into her hand. It was this moment that changed her life. Below is rare footage of Sullivan explaining how she taught Helen Keller to speak:

https://youtu.be/1ej8kW3MmfY

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“I’m thankful for having an administration that supports risk-taking and for students who aren’t afraid to try new things.” –Heather J., English/Language Arts, Grades 9-12, Bellevue, WA

“I am thankful to work in a classroom where students’ parents are highly involved.”  –Corrin M., pre-K, New Orleans, LA

“I am thankful for knowing during the school day my kids are loved, have fun and are able to be themselves. I am thankful I am able to make a difference in their lives.” –Jessica A., Special Education Math, Grades 9-12, Penninsula, OH

“I am thankful for the MANY people (family, friends, colleagues, educational partners) that support my ambitions and share my vision to remake learning!” –Mandy F., Instructional Designer, Burgettstown, PA

“I am thankful that every day I get to change lives. I am thankful for the ‘ah-ha!’ moments with my students when I see it all come together. And I’m grateful for free coffee in the teachers’ lounge.” –Christopher W., Algebra and Geometry, Grades 9-12, Winston-Salem, NC

“This year, I am grateful for my loving husband, caring family, loyal friends, supportive colleagues, and dedicated teachers and educators who devote their lives and talents to nurturing the curious minds of children.” –Alyssa M., STEM Project Coordinator, Pittsburgh, PA

“I am thankful for a grade level team that supports each other both in and out of school. In addition, students who challenge me daily and somehow still find a way to make me smile.” –Jolie B., 4th Grade, Hendersonville, TN

“I am grateful to teach ESL and ELA to students how have emigrated from countries such as Nepal, Yemen, Iraq, China, the Philippines, and Mexico! It is my great privilege to witness the growth of their English-language proficiency and to share the cultural exchanges that happen naturally in the classroom.” –Melody B., ESL/ELA, Grades 9-12, Cuyahoga Falls, OH

“I am thankful for my teaching team. We collaborate on big projects and our students get a chance to see teamwork in action.” –Shannon J., 6th Grade, Tempe, AZ

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the foundation that shapes a student and their school experience. I’m also grateful to all of the parents who trust me with their children.” –Erin B., Intervention Specialist, Grades 3-5, Westerville, OH

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When you were working on your teaching degree, the teachers’ lounge may have come up in conversation and it’s very likely your professor told you to avoid spending time there at all costs. Citing it as a place where teachers “let out their frustrations” about students or gossiped about one another, it was a negative space and the longer you stayed away had a direct correlation with the satisfaction you’d feel about your job.

And while that may be true in some schools, the teachers’ lounge is also a place to celebrate successes and find unique ways to help your students succeed. It can be a place to encourage educators and praise students. It’s up to you to set the tone.

Avoid Gossip

Gossip is a guilty pleasure. And while it does add a little drama and excitement to the day and may give you insight into your coworkers’ personalities, more than anything it hurts those involved. If you don’t hear something straight from the source, it’s gossip. The best way to stay away from gossip? Stop it in its track. If someone starts telling you “privileged” information about a student or coworker, politely tell them you don’t want to be involved.  Any time gossip enters the workplace, it spreads negativity. If you want to build a positive community in any work environment, you have to let go of the gossip. 

Don’t Settle For Bad Advice

If a teacher wants to talk to you about one of your students, make it very clear you don’t want to hear anything negative. Perhaps you teach fourth grade and this student had major personality clashes with her third-grade teacher. The third-grade teacher seeks you out so you are prepared. What if over the summer this student decided to change her outlook on learning and is ready to be a top student? Is it fair to her for you to come in with preconceived notions?

If a teacher tries to give you some “insider information” about a student, steer the topic towards positivity. Ask what works to keep the student on task. What units did he or she like the most? What were the best interactions they had? By focusing on the positive, you’re not only helping to set the student up for success you’re also reminding the teacher that their student wasn’t nearly as bad as they remembered.

Be Constructive

That’s not to say you shouldn’t be able to air frustrations in the lounge. After all, your fellow teachers understand your situation better than anyone else. Just be constructive about your venting. Complaining doesn’t solve anything. But stating a problem and working for a solution does.  For example, if you have a student who never completes homework, ask your coworkers what they do when students aren’t completing homework. If you are struggling with classroom behavior, find out what’s working in other classes. It’s when teachers work together to bring out the best in their students that magic starts to happen in the classroom…The more you do this, the more the tone of the lounge will change…and who knows?  It’s that little attitude shift that could mean the difference between oatmeal raisin cookies and double chocolate chip.

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