Educational Retreat in Italy
Where professional development and authentic local experiences converge to create a dynamic cultural exchange.
Learning Together in a Special Place: Perspectives on Leadership in Mercatello sul Metauro, Italy
Leadership for Change: Identity, Social Justice and the Right to be Visible
May 31-June 5, 2025
Facilitators: Debbie LeeKeenan and John Nimmo, Co-Directors, AntibiasLeadersECE.com
Debbie: Early Childhood Lecturer, Author, Filmmaker, Seattle, Washington
John: Professor Emeritus, Early Childhood Inclusive Education, Portland State University, Oregon
Description: How can we build a fair and just world with our children?
Our time this week will focus on creating a vision for social justice in your professional and personal life. We will draw inspiration from our recent work including our book (with Louise Derman-Sparks), Leading Anti-bias Early Childhood Programs: A Guide to Change, for Change (2023), and our two films (with Filiz Efe McKinney), Reflecting on Anti-bias Education in Action: The Early Years (2021) and Families Embracing Anti-bias Values (2024).
We envision a highly interactive and reflective time together with a focus on exploring identity, thinking strategically as leaders, affirming rights, and embracing the possibility of growth through conflict.
Together we will explore:
How do our social identities influence our roles as leaders, educators and parents?
How do we create an inclusive community where all voices are visible, valued and heard?
How do we integrate an anti-bias perspective into the daily life of an organization?
How do we find the “third space” in resolving cultural conflicts?
Expect daily provocations from us, with relaxed time to engage for journaling, discussion and activities, often inspired by the Italian cultural surroundings. As a cross-cultural team (John, an Australian and Debbie, Chinese-American), we look forward to sharing our adventures in professional collaboration as writers, educators, and thinkers.
Retreats are organized by Angela Ferrario, Founder, International Study Tours LLC aferrario@comcast.net