Educator Professional Development
Bringing the museum
to your classroom.
SEEC has spent 38 years developing a rigorous, museum-based approach to early childhood education. Now we're sharing it with educators everywhere.
Our Approach
PD rooted in practice.
SEEC's educator professional development programs are grounded in the same principles that guide our school: direct experience, careful observation, and genuine inquiry. We don't offer abstract theory. We offer practitioners working with real children in real museums, sharing what they've learned.
SEEC educators have presented at national and regional conferences, led multi-day institutes for school systems, and hosted visiting educators from across the country at the Smithsonian. Our approach translates to any museum, any cultural institution, and even to classrooms without a museum nearby.
The core insight: objects matter. When children engage directly with real things, not photos, not replicas, not worksheets, something different happens. SEEC educators teach other educators how to create those conditions wherever they are.
What We Offer
Programs for educators.
Workshops & Institutes
Single-day and multi-day professional development workshops for early childhood educators. Available at the Smithsonian or brought to your school or district. Topics include object-based inquiry, documentation of learning, and using cultural institutions as learning environments.
Conference Presentations
SEEC educators regularly present at NAEYC, regional early childhood conferences, and museum education gatherings. Sessions draw from current practice in SEEC classrooms and the Smithsonian galleries.
Observation & Residency Visits
Educators are welcome to observe SEEC classrooms and gallery sessions in person, with facilitated debrief conversations. A limited number of extended residency visits are available each year for teams and school leaders.
Coming Soon
Publications & Conference Archive
An expanded archive of SEEC's publications, conference papers, and educator resources is in development and will be available on this site later this year. In the meantime, contact us directly to request specific materials.
Contact the PD TeamWork With SEEC
Ready to bring museum-based learning to your school?
Our professional development team works with educators and school leaders across the country.