Through a grant from the U.S. Department of State the Civic Initiative conducted Institutes for Indonesian Secondary Educators during the summers 2005, 2006, and 2007.

Each summer the Institute hosted 12 Indonesian secondary educators for six weeks, providing participants with intensive exposure to the various providers of secondary education in the United States, including visits to a public schools, a small private academy (where students and faculty perform all support services including cafeteria, grounds keeping, and janitorial services), a small private religious secondary school, a charter school for the performing arts, a public vocational/technical high school, and a parochial secondary school.

In addition, participants met with a variety of secondary teachers and teacher educators on topics ranging from student assessment, community service learning, character development education, special needs, English as a Second Language, and student-centered active-learning pedagogy. There was an opportunity to meet with various groups and organizations that shape the educational environment in the United States including regional and local school committees, town government, union leaders and school administrators.

Finally, participants were introduced to the relationships among American government, Democracy, and the American educational system. The program exposed participants to a wide range of American culture. Participants traveled to three regions: New England (Massachusetts), the Midwest (Ohio) and the South (Washington D.C.).

The majority of the course took place on the campus of the University of Massachusetts where grantees had access to all of the facilities of the University including our acclaimed School of Education, Center for Teaching, and the W.E.B. Du Bois research library.

Sample Summer Institute Calendar of Activities, 2006