Advisor Professional Development

Throughout each academic year, Tennessee TSA provides many professional development opportunities to chapter advisors. If you have any questions over professional development opportunities, please contact Brittany Debity-Barker, interim state advisor, or Sarah Williams, TN Department of Education director of career and technical education.

2020-2021 Opportunities

Innovative CTE Teachers: Apply to Project Invent Today!

Project Invent is a national nonprofit organization that empowers high school students to design and invent technologies for social good. By developing design thinking, engineering, and entrepreneurship skills throughout the school year, Project Invent students create impactful inventions like a safety device for individuals with communication disorders, or a wearable anti-veering belt for the blind.

Project Invent students are inspired and supported by educators, who join Project Invent for a year-long fellowship experience. Project Invent fellows attend a week-long summer training in design thinking and invention, receive support throughout the year from expert advisors, and develop entrepreneurship skills as they prepare students to pitch to Silicon Valley investors.

Since 2018, Project Invent has worked with over 50 schools across the country, and applications to join their 2021-2022 fellowship are open now! If you are ready to inspire students through the invention process, submit your application by May 21st!

Note: the Project Invent program is free for educators in Title I schools, and low cost for all other educators.

Read more about the Project Invent fellowship here.
Watch past fellows describe their experience here.
Submit your application here!
Questions? Reach out to Jordan at jordan@projectinvent.org.

Save the Date | Tennessee STEM Innovation Network (TSIN) Summit
Mark your calendars for the 2021 TSIN Summit to be held May 20 & 21, 2021!

What is the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network (TSIN) Summit?
- “Innovation” is in our name, and that concept influences every aspect of the work we do! In order to keep our attendees safe, we have chosen a VIRTUAL format for the 2021 Tennessee STEM Innovation Summit. Based on your feedback to our recent survey, the Summit will still feature an exciting keynote speaker, learning sessions taught by incredible Tennessee educators, and a fun and interactive networking experience for all who attend! As always, the Summit will showcase innovative strategies to advance STEM integration in the classroom, providing direction on where to start planning and how to grow existing programs.
Do I need to pre-register for sessions?
- Yes. Once the learning sessions have been released, you will be able to browse the sessions and select those you would like to attend. Attendance will be capped in all sessions, so you are encouraged to sign up early and select those that most excite you before they are full!
Can I receive TASL credit and/or PDP’s for attending?
- TSIN is happy to provide certificates for 6 hours of online professional development PDP credits and/or 6 TASL hour credits for educators who attend the entire conference on May 21. They are unable to provide partial credit or credit for sessions viewed after the conference has ended. Attendance will be verified. Deadline for TASL and PDP Requests: July 31, 2021
  
  Submit your request after the event has ended at: www.tsin.org/credit
Will the virtual learning sessions be live or pre-recorded?
- There will be a mix of live and hybrid pre-recorded/live sessions available. All session will have presenters available to answer questions, even if some of the content was previously recorded.
When does registration close?
- Registration will remain open as long as the online bandwidth capacity has not been reached. If that occurs, the event will be considered “sold out” and registration will be closed. Otherwise, registration will remain open up to the day before the event.
What does the event cost?
- FREE for Tennessee Residents and Educators

Save the Date | 2021 Institute for CTE Educators
Mark your calendars for the 2021 Institute for CTE Educators to be held July 12-16, 2021!

What is the Institute for CTE Educators?
- The Institute for CTE Educators is designed to engage attendees through sessions, workshops, and industry tours. Attendees will have opportunities to explore instructional and resource best practices, network, and grow their individual professional focus on preparing students to meet the demands of the postsecondary pathway of their choosing.

Who should attend the Institute for CTE Educators?
- Tennessee CTE teachers, directors, school counselors, and principals are encouraged to attend.

New for 2021 - A Hybrid Format
- Sessions and workshops will be held virtually through an online platform. Attendees will have the option to attend in-person sessions specific to their career cluster. In-person sessions will be held in Nashville.

Click the links below for more information about the 2021 Institute.