The Prindle Institute for Ethics is offering a High School Educator Retreat designed to help teachers recharge their teaching and strengthen classroom dialogue around difficult topics. Hosted on DePauw University’s campus in the DePauw Nature Park in Greencastle, Indiana, the retreat brings together a small cohort of high school educators for a three-day professional development experience focused on ethics, discussion, and deliberative classroom practice.
During the retreat, educators participate in interactive sessions, case-based activities, and hands-on collaboration centered on helping students turn disagreement into dialogue. Teachers will explore tools from moral philosophy and deliberative pedagogy that can be used across subjects and grade levels, including social studies, English, science, and other courses where students wrestle with complex questions.
The 2026 retreat will take place June 3–5 and will include workshops on ethical reasoning, case-based teaching, and strategies for facilitating dialogue across difference. Participants will also develop lesson plans tailored to their own classrooms while having time for reflection, informal conversation, nature walks, and community-building.
A cohort of 15–20 educators will be selected through a competitive application process. Accepted participants are responsible for travel to and from Greencastle, Indiana, but lodging and meals are provided at no cost. Participants may also receive 15 Indiana PGPs or comparable professional development credit. Applications open February 1, 2026, and are accepted through May 5, 2026. Accepted participants will be notified no later than May 10, 2026.
This opportunity may be especially valuable for teachers who want to build stronger classroom discussion norms, help students engage respectfully with controversial issues, and create lessons that encourage critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and civil dialogue.
