Project Zero Classroom 2023

The week-long Project Zero Classroom features research-based tools, frameworks, and approaches to instruction and assessment that deepen learning and understanding for all students. As a participant, you will explore ways to enhance student engagement, encourage learners to think critically and creatively, and make learning and thinking visible. Through a combination of presentations, interactive workshops, and small learning groups, you will have the opportunity to explore ideas and practices with PZ researchers, educators experienced in applying PZ ideas in their contexts, and fellow participants from around the world.

Quick Links

• Overview
• Program Details
• Who Should Attend
• Participation Policies
• Cancellations/Refunds, Substitutions, and Certificates
• Schedule
• Institute Tuition & Policies
• Registration
• Project Zero Classroom Scholarships

Overview

How can the classroom become a place where today’s learners become the citizens and leaders of tomorrow? For more than 55 years, Project Zero has pioneered research that examines key facets of human potential such as intelligence and creativity, asking how educators and schools can design learning experiences that are engaging and exciting for all learners.

After three years of not being able to convene in person, Project Zero will host the Project Zero Classroom in person from June 26 - 30, 2023. In the company of PZ researchers and experienced educators from around the world, participants open up the questions at the heart of teaching and learning: What kinds of learning experiences and assessment practices will best prepare students for the demands of an unpredictable, ever-shifting future? How does understanding develop? How do educators nurture critical and creative thinking? How do educators ensure that all students are learning?

Program Details

The Project Zero Classroom is held in-person on the campus of the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Cambridge, MA. (We are sorry that we cannot provide a hybrid online participation option.) During this five-day institute, you will take part in a variety of learning activities that explore Project Zero principles and strategies for teaching and learning. Whether you are a teacher or in the role of supporting and leading teachers and teaching, you will reflect on your current teaching and assessment practices and develop new approaches to learning, planning, and instructional strategies that respond to the diverse ways in which your students engage and learn.

The program explores fundamental educational questions, such as:

• What does it mean to understand? How does understanding develop?
• What are the roles of reflection and assessment in learning?
• How can we nurture critical thinking and creativity?
• How can we design learning experiences for and with diverse learners and contexts?

Who Should Attend

• Early childhood, elementary, middle, and secondary school educators
• School administrators and teacher educators
• Those in other educator roles, including (but not limited to) artists, teaching artists, museum educators, after-school educators, nonprofit staff members

Participation Policies

This program is highly interactive. Therefore, fluency in English is essential and required.

Participants are strongly encouraged to attend in teams so they can reflect together during the program and, having had a common set of experiences, can continue their learning after the program. Individual participants are also welcome.

Due to limited building capacity and anticipated high demand, organizations may not register more than 10 participants.

Cancellations/Refunds, Substitutions, and Certificates

Cancellations/Refunds To cancel your participation and request a refund, please email pzlearn@gse.harvard.edu by April 3, 2023. We will not be able to issue refunds after this date. A 5% credit card processing fee will be subtracted from the original amount paid.

Substitutions Substitutions for registered participants, including those registered as part of a group, will be made only on a limited basis, and for significant, qualifying events (e.g., death in the family, serious illness, etc.). In the case of a significant, qualifying event, please email pzlearn@gse.harvard.edu to request substitutions. We will not be able to make substitutions after May 31, 2023.

Certificates If you participate in the PZ Classroom and meet the completion requirements, you will receive a Certificate of Completion documenting 30 hours of professional learning. Certificates will be emailed approximately 6-8 weeks after the institute ends.

Schedule

The program begins on Monday, June 26 and ends Friday, June 30. All 5 days, the program will begin at 8:30 am with continental breakfast available at 8:00 am. Monday through Thursday, the program will end at 5:00 pm. On Friday, the program will end at 1:00 pm.

Monday, June 26

• 8:30 - 10:15 am welcome and opening plenary
• 10:15 - 10:45 am break
• 10:45 am - 12:45 pm study group (lunch provided at 12:00)
• 12:45 - 1:00 pm brief break
• 1:00 - 3:30 pm mini course
• 3:30 - 3:45 pm brief break
• 3:45 - 5:45 pm study group

Tuesday - Thursday, June 27 - 29

• 8:30 - 10:00 am plenary session
• 10:00 - 10:30 am break
• 10:30 am - 1:00 pm mini course
• 1:00 - 2:30 pm lunch (on your own)
• 2:30 - 5:00 pm study group

Friday, June 30

• 8:30 - 11:00 am study group
• 11:00 - 11:30 am break
• 11:30 am - 1:00 pm closing plenary

Institute Tuition & Policies

The tuition for the program is $3,895 per participant. Tuition includes all instructional materials required for participation in the program, lunch on the opening day, and continental breakfast and morning and afternoon snacks throughout. Travel, accommodations, incidentals, as well as lunch (Tuesday - Friday) and dinner during the program are not included.

Payment is not required at the time of your registration. Once you register, you and/or your group members are enrolled in the PZC. If you will not be paying when you register, please select “Check, Wire, Purchase Order, or Other.” Full payment is due by February 15, 2023 (the registration deadline) unless documentation is provided to PZ that payment is in process (e.g. for purchase orders or other internal payment request processes) or organizations have approval from Project Zero for an extension. If you are not able to pay by February 15, contact Project Zero staff to request an extension at pzlearn@gse.harvard.edu. Please note that failure to pay by the payment deadline or by your approved extension will result in your withdrawal from the program. We accept payment by credit card, check, and bank wire transfer. In your PZC registration confirmation email, you will receive specific payment instructions as part of the confirmation process. The Harvard Graduate School of Education reserves the right to change faculty or cancel programs at its discretion and is not responsible for any planning expenses incurred.

Registration

The PZC registration deadline is February 15, 2023. However, it is possible that the institute will fill before the registration deadline. In the past, registration for PZC was by application. This year, registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Participants are welcome to apply as individuals or as groups. For groups, due to limited building capacity and anticipated high demand, schools/organizations may not register more than 10 participants.

PZ encourages schools and organizations of all means to register. The registration process supports those schools and organizations that go through an internal payment request process (e.g. purchase orders) to complete the application and select the payment option for that process.

Project Zero Classroom Scholarships

With generous support from the Saul Zaentz Foundation and many individual donations honoring Project Zero’s 50th anniversary, PZ is able to offer professional learning scholarships to support a range of schools, districts, and organizations as well as a diverse group of educators. In particular, these scholarships aim to support educators working in under-resourced contexts and/or with historically marginalized students. The PZC scholarship application process opened November 28, 2022 when the registration process opened. All available scholarship funding has been awarded for the 2023 PZC. If you and/or your group is eligible for a scholarship (see here), we encourage you to apply for scholarships for other PZ professional learning offerings.

If you have questions about PZC and the registration process, please email pzlearn@gse.harvard.edu.