This summer, Stephen Chan returned to the Klingenstein Summer Institute for Early Career Teachers (KSI), continuing his 15-year tenure as a Lead Teacher for the History Group.

Held June 19-July 1 at The Chauncey Center in Princeton, New Jersey, KSI is a highly selective, fully funded fellowship that provides early-career educators with an intensive, graduate-level professional learning experience. This year’s institute brought together 67 teachers from independent schools around the world.

As one of 13 lead teachers representing different academic disciplines, Stephen guided participants in the history group while also helping coordinate belonging groups, activities, and plenary sessions. Throughout the two-week institute, participants explored topics including teaching philosophy, cognitive science, and artificial intelligence.

For Stephen, one of the most meaningful parts of the experience occurred during the participant-led morning meetings.

“They often play camp games that motivate everyone for the long day ahead,” he said. “The excitement, enthusiasm, and joy of these teachers remind me of why I chose to work in education.”

Beyond the daily sessions and activities, Stephen is continually inspired by the sense of purpose early-career teachers bring to the institute. 

“So many of the participants come to KSI because they want to be the best teachers they can be,” he said. “They often remember great teachers they had when they were in school and want to recreate those same kinds of experiences for their own students.”

The institute gives participants an opportunity to translate that inspiration into their teaching practice while building relationships with educators from independent schools around the world. KSI’s connection to Viewpoint extends beyond Stephen, as Viewpoint teachers Cynthia Ambriz, Josh Wilkinson, and Anay Katyal have also participated in the institute.

After spending 17 years as a full-time teacher before becoming a school administrator, Stephen values the opportunity to reconnect with classroom educators from more than 60 independent schools each summer.

“It’s the best way to end a school year,” he said, “and it inspires me to start the new one.”