There is always something to learn but we as teachers don’t often have the time or the money to pursue those opportunities. I know that somewhere out there, there are other people just like me. There are those that find it difficult to stay out of the classroom even when we’re supposed to be enjoying our “vacation.” So, I searched around and found several summer workshops for teachers that are either completely free or insanely cheap.

Some are local to Georgia but there are others that require a bit of travel. Hopefully you’ll find something to suit your fancy and that will fill you with knowledge!

National Archives: All of these workshops focus on the national theme- Leadership and Legacy in History. Each location (Chicago, Washington, DC, Atlanta and Boston) will explore specific case studies using original National documents. Atlanta’s theme focuses on FDR and the Tennessee Valley Authority: The Controversy of Progress. This workshop does cost $100 however at the successful completion of the course, a stipend is awarded.

NEH Summer Programs in the Humanities for School and College Educators: The website says each year NEH offers tuition-free opportunities for school, college, and university educators to study a variety of humanities topics. Stipends of $1,200-$3,900 help to cover expenses for these one-to five-week programs. These take place all over the world. I’m thinking Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales in London anyone?? All of my American Lit friends will love the one taking place in Atlanta. You’ll be diving into Communism and American Life. Oh Arthur Miller…

McDonald Observatory: If you want to travel to Austin, Texas there are some great free astronomy workshops. Most require a refundable $100 workshop deposit but other than that, they’re fully funded.

University of Alabama: Become an archeologist for a week! This workshop does cost $350/week but you get the opportunity to work alongside scientists on an archeology field research project at sites in Alabama. There is also an opportunity to do some paleontology as well! There are three dates available the third being geared more towards adults.

Lunar and Planetary Institute: Again this one requires some traveling but a chance to work with NASA makes it so worth it. For most of the workshops listed here, grant money is available to cover the cost of tuition.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: There are several offerings for this summer ranging from the opportunity to study coral reefs in the Gulf of Mexico to learning how to build your own Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) from PVC pipe and other materials all the while learning about ROV technology and its use in research, monitoring and exploration of national marine sanctuaries.

Georgia Council on Economic Education: Most of these workshops are free to Georgia educators and you guessed it, are geared towards Economics. The Economics of T-Shirts and Global Trade takes place from June 23-24 and specifically targets high school teachers. You can receive 1 PLU credit and one night of housing plus all meals are provided.

Georgia State University Bio-Bus: 2014 Summer Teachers’ Workshops include: Our Changing World: Exploring Cross-cutting Ideas Regarding Ecology over Time and Enhancing Teacher Effectiveness through Critical Friends. The group dates have yet to be announced but you can sign up to be notified when they are. 3 PLUs and $300 can be earned in the summer workshop.

STEM Teacher’s Academy: There are several upcoming summer professional development opportunities listed on this site and most of them are free or can be covered by available grants. I especially like the offerings listed through the Georgia Aquarium!