The Lab is an organization dedicated to creating collaborative spaces for K-20 educators to engage in critical reflection, meaningful dialogue, and collective reimagining of educational practices. We equip educators with the community, theoretical frameworks, and practical tools to center human connection in their teaching while challenging standardized approaches.

The organization was founded by Sean Michael Morris, who previously co-founded Digital Pedagogy Lab and Hybrid Pedagogy.

No, our programs are designed for participants with any level of experience in education and teaching. While the Lab’s approach comes out of the critical pedagogy work of Paulo Freire, a focus on humanizing education requires no prior knowledge of that work.

Our courses welcome beginners who are curious about transforming their teaching practice, while also providing depth and meaningful dialogue for those with more advanced knowledge. We believe in honoring personal experience and learning from the diverse perspectives that participants bring to our community.

Participants who complete our programs receive Certificates of Completion. While we do not currently offer CEUs (continuing education units), our certificates document your participation. These certificates can often be used to fulfill professional development requirements; we recommend checking with your institution or district about their specific policies for accepting professional development certificates.

Our programs vary in length depending on the specific offering, but most labs (e.g., AI Lab for Teachers, the Lab on Ungrading) are 2-3 week online courses.

Each program includes both synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities to accommodate different schedules and learning preferences.

To access our programs, you can:

1. Visit our website at www.newteachinglab.com to browse current offerings
2. Register directly through our online enrollment system
3. Upon registration, you'll receive confirmation details with instructions for accessing your specific program. All Labs are held on the Disco learning platform, with synchronous sessions in Zoom.

If you experience any issues with enrollment or access, please reach out to us using the contact information provided below.

Participants who engage with our programs and community will:

• Examine education through a critical, humanizing lens grounded in theory and practice.
• Develop confidence in fostering authentic dialogue and meaningful connections with students.
• Learn to implement problem-posing education and consciousness-raising approaches.
• Gain practical tools for challenging standardized, dehumanizing educational practices.
• Build sustained community with like-minded educators across diverse institutional contexts.
• Cultivate both critical consciousness and creative hope for educational transformation.
• Apply principles of equity and belonging to create more inclusive learning environments.
• Develop skills in praxis: the ongoing cycle of reflection and action for educational change.

Our programs are open to all educators, though content is most relevant to:

• K-12 classroom teachers across all subject areas
• Higher education faculty and professors
• Instructional designers and educational technologists
• Department chairs and curriculum specialists
• Education researchers and graduate students
• Administrators committed to humanizing educational practices
• Anyone working in educational settings who seeks meaningful transformation

Our community welcomes educators from diverse institutional contexts—from elementary schools to universities, from community colleges to independent learning centers.

Our programs feature:

• Community-Centered Design: Small cohorts with sustained interaction and relationship-building
• “Synchronish” Participation: Courses are designed for you to participate asynchronously when you have time, and synchronously if you are able. Courses are not self-paced, and there is a rigorous schedule of discussions and activities.
• Multimodal Engagement: Diverse approaches including readings, discussions, reflections, and hands-on activities
• Collaborative Knowledge Creation: Your wisdom and experience valued alongside curated content

Time commitments vary by program, but most labs (2-3 weeks) will require approximately 3-5 hours per week, including readings, reflections, community discussions, and optional synchronous sessions

All programs are designed to honor the reality of educators' busy schedules while providing meaningful opportunities for growth and connection.

Courses will remain open to participants for two weeks following the last day of facilitation. If you are unable to finish the coursework for any reason, we recommend reaching out directly to the lab facilitator to discuss options.

Yes! We are committed to professional learning that is affordable and accessible. We will never charge exorbitant prices for professional learning. Additionally, we offer:

• Discounts for teachers without professional development funding
• Reduced rates for adjunct, part-time, and contingent faculty
• Special pricing for students of education

We believe that transformative professional development should be accessible to all educators, regardless of institutional support or personal financial circumstances.

We understand that circumstances change, and our commitment to affordable professional learning extends to our refund policies.

For labs (e.g., AI Lab for Teachers, Lab on Ungrading): Full refunds are available from the time of enrollment until one week prior to the start of the lab. After that time, a partial refund will be available. A partial refund will be for the full payment of the lab, minus a $50 administrative fee.

For other events: Full refunds are available from the time of registration until one week prior to the start of the event. No refunds can be given after this period.

These policies help us ensure that our facilitators are paid, and that everyone who wants to attend can attend. However, we will honor special situations, so please contact us if circumstances change after enrollment.

Yes! We encourage educators to reach out to us directly if you're unable to secure institutional funding but still wish to participate.

We believe financial barriers should not prevent dedicated educators from accessing transformative professional learning. Contact us to discuss available options.

For additional questions about the Lab for New Teaching's programs, partnerships, or community involvement, please:

• Email us directly: info@newteachinglab.com
• Follow our ongoing work and announcements through our website and our LinkedIn page.

We're committed to responsive communication and supporting educators in finding the right fit for their professional learning journey.