The Center for Authentic Intellectual Work

The Center for AIW is super excited to celebrate new learning just around the corner. We started hosting AIW Summer Academies three years ago, with the first one held in Minneapolis, MN, and last year's down in Rathbun, Iowa. This summer popularity surged as we welcome roughly 150 educators from Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. In fact, demand was so great that we are venturing to a new venue in northwest Iowa because of the phenomenal interest in AIW. 

The summer experience will feature two types of Academy experiences: the Coordinator's Academy and Next Steps Academy.

The Center is very excited about launching two experiences for summer 2011: They are taking place together, at two different locations in Iowa!

The Coordinator's Academy is designed for districts moving AIW from one building to another or to support large schools going full staff. Teams attending will grow in their own capacity in AIW, teaming, and strategic planning. At the end of the Academy, all teams will have generated their own AIW implementation plan to take back with them to institute transformational reform in their system.

The Iowa Department of Education in partnership with the Center for Authentic Intellectual Work is hosting a weekend of professional dialogue and innovation. February 11 and 12, 2011, is the 4th Annual AIW Mid-Year Insitute in Iowa. This two-day event brings educators together from around the state to investigate the intellectual quality of one another's professional work. Day oOne, called Regional Collaboration Day, is being held simultaneously at different locations throughout the state for the first time due to increased demand throughout Iowa. The second day, called Extended Conversation Day, is held centrally in West Des Moines and has more specialized workshops presented by educators in the field.

June 22–24, 2011
Honey Creek Resort State Park
12633 Resort Drive
Moravia, IA 52571

June 27–29, 2011
Arrowwood Resort and Conference Center
1405 Highway 71
PO Box 499
Okoboji, IA 51355-0499

For all other questions, please contact our events specialist, Darlene Haecker, at darlene@centerforaiw.com or 651.278.8647.

2011 Coordinator's Academy registration is open. Because we expect demand to exceed capacity, please limit your participation to one team per district. Here are some general questions to help guide you through the process.

Who is eligible?

Sites should either be moving from one building to another within the same district OR be a large site that is expanding to full staff.

How many people can come from a team/district?

Two is the minimum, five is the maximum, unless the team includes their coach. Then they can bring six people.

Washington, DC, April 29, 2010—Sarah Brown Wessling begins the school year for her senior English students with a copy of Plato’s Parable of Light and a candle. She tells them that, by the end of the class period, they need to tell her the course expectations. And in this classroom in Johnston, Iowa, they can. Wessling lives her belief that, as she says, “Learning must be learner-centered.” 

Because of her passion for her subject, her innovative focus on her learners, and the equal passion she devotes to mentoring others new to the profession, Wessling was named 2010 National Teacher of the Year by President Barack Obama at a White House ceremony on April 29, 2010. Also recognized at the event were the 2010 State Teachers of the Year.