Our History
In 2014, following the presence of the Wonder of Learning: The Hundred Languages of Children exhibition from the early learning programs in Reggio Emilia, Italy, the Santa Fe Baby Fund at the Santa Fe Community Foundation convened early childhood programs in Santa Fe to discuss collaborative professional development. As we discussed the challenges of running successful programs, one of the interests that emerged for this group of teachers was the need for advanced professional development and building pedagogical leadership. Educators began meeting monthly to co-construct a reflective practice framework for studying pedagogical documentation across programs. In 2015, the CTI expanded to include the Taos early childhood community.
The CTI created a traveling exhibition in 2016 titled Making Sense of Play, that reflected the emergent studies created in classrooms. The exhibit opened at the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe and then was featured across the city of Santa Fe in community establishments.
In 2019 The Collaborative Teachers' Institute moved under the umbrella of Santa Fe Community College Early Childhood Center of Excellence. In 2022 the CTI offered its first summer institute, highlighting the relationship between expressive materials in early childhood settings. In 2023 the CTI became its own professional development organization with fiscal sponsorship under New Mexico Reggio Emilia Exchange. The CTI currently continues to focus on offering monthly opportunities for teachers across New Mexico to come together to engage in reflective practice, discussing their roles in deepening and expanding young children's learning. CTI is known as a leader in offering innovative teaching and learning.
The CTI created a traveling exhibition in 2016 titled Making Sense of Play, that reflected the emergent studies created in classrooms. The exhibit opened at the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe and then was featured across the city of Santa Fe in community establishments.
In 2019 The Collaborative Teachers' Institute moved under the umbrella of Santa Fe Community College Early Childhood Center of Excellence. In 2022 the CTI offered its first summer institute, highlighting the relationship between expressive materials in early childhood settings. In 2023 the CTI became its own professional development organization with fiscal sponsorship under New Mexico Reggio Emilia Exchange. The CTI currently continues to focus on offering monthly opportunities for teachers across New Mexico to come together to engage in reflective practice, discussing their roles in deepening and expanding young children's learning. CTI is known as a leader in offering innovative teaching and learning.
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Past Projects
Reading the World
During the 2017-2018 school year, the teachers in the Collaborative Teachers Institute (CTI) together with the children they work with set out to explore what literacy means. These studies, entitled Reading the World, are an expression of the many ways that young children engage with words through their play and exploration in the world, both inside and outside their classrooms. The photographs of children’s work and words, coupled with explanatory descriptions by the teachers, demonstrate literacy as multi-dimensional. Teachers identified how speaking, listening, writing and, of course, reading are the foundational elements of literacy for young children. By cultivating these skills, we are encouraging an interest in words, and in the world, and thereby deepening children’s love of learning. Paulo Freire, the Brazilian professor of education philosophy, coined the phrase ”reading the world.” The teachers in the CTI were inspired by Freire’s idea that literacy occurs not in isolation, but directly related to our lives and experiences in the world. For more please see our documentation.
Making Sense Of Play
" When teachers use play as part of a curriculum and allow children to follow their interests, learning occurs. When learning is self-directed, it goes deeper and lasts longer."
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The Making Sense of Play exhibit explores the many ways that children make sense of the world through their play. Drawings, paintings, sculpture, and various activities coupled with their own words and those of their teachers show us how, where and why young children play and learn in Santa Fe. They also illustrate how teachers can support this playful learning. The posters in the exhibit were created by teachers who participate in the Collaborative Teachers' Institute.
Above all, play is fun. It is also a critical aspect of a child's development. When children run, jump and climb, they develop strong healthy bodies, acquire coordination and agility and build physical confidence. When they engage in rich imaginary games and storytelling, they learn to negotiate, cooperate and resolve conflict. They discover what joy, persistence, resilience and empathy feel like. They develop independent thinking, research and inquiry skills and build the foundation for literacy. Play is their “work,” their way of problem solving and learning about the world. Through play, children try out new theories, explore, create, and develop relationships with one another. Play belongs in the classroom. When teachers use play as part of a curriculum and allow children to follow their interests, learning occurs. When learning is self-directed, it goes deeper and lasts longer. The first years of life are a time of rapid development for young children with neural connections sprouting in the brain more quickly than at any other time of life. Play is the engine of this development. In the United States, and in Santa Fe, most children under age five attend some sort of preschool or nursery for some part of the week. Play is often an important part of the hours and days they spend with other children and their teachers. By tuning in to play, educators and parents are supporting a child's development and helping to build a foundation for lifelong learning. The Making Sense of Play exhibit opened in the Education Annex of the Georgia O'keeffe Museum in June 2016 More information can be found here. 
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Further Information
An Initial Evaluation of the Collaborative Teacher’s Institute by Kersti Tyson and Pam Remstein
A 2016 evaluation of the CTI conducted by educators from New Mexico State University College of Education
A 2016 evaluation of the CTI conducted by educators from New Mexico State University College of Education