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~ Practical tools and strategies for creating an effective learning community in your classroom ~

With Facilitators Batya Greenwald, John McCluskey and Laura Weaver

    This highly experiential course for k-12 educators will offer core practices and principles that foster students’ social, emotional, and academic development and support teachers to develop and sustain an intentional teaching practice. Educators will experience practical tools and strategies for creating rigorous, relationship-based learning communities. This approach supports students to excel academically, think creatively and critically, develop their leadership capacities, manage their emotions, work with others who are different from themselves, and communicate effectively. 

This course will explore ways educators can:

• create a caring learning community where students increase focus and motivation, develop empathy and compassion, and experience a sense of meaning and purpose;
• participate in creating a thriving culturally responsive school climate;
• integrate social, emotional and academic learning in any content area;
• utilize focusing activities, silence, mindfulness, play, symbolic and creative expression, and community building in any classroom;
• support the inner lives* of students in schools;
• address stages of group development throughout the ‘learning journey’ of the school year;
• support students to effectively navigate transitions;
• develop and sustain an intentional teaching practice through the ‘teaching presence’ framework;
• reconnect with our “spark” for teaching.

EarlyBird Registration:

Register by May 14th, 2012 and receive a $100 tuition reduction.  When  registering enter

discount code: Earlybird

Limited scholarships available, please contact George Lopez, glopez@passageworks.org

Graduate Credits: 

CEU's: 22-hours of Continuing Education Credits are available

About the Facilitators

Batya Greenwald -Batya became a teacher in Australia and recently earned an MA in Education from the University of Montana. She was the founding Director of the Boulder Jewish Day School and has taught for more than 10 years. She currently teaches Kindergarten at the Boulder Community School of Integrated Studies.

John McCluskey - John was an elementary and high school teacher for fourteen years and is currently the Assistant Principal at the JeffCo Open School. John also works as a lead trainer with PassageWorks and the Center for Council Training and consults with districts around the country on issues of youth development and social/emotional learning.

Laura Weaver-As the PassageWorks Director of Writing and Programs, Laura serves as lead author and editor for the Institute’s publications, teaches university and professional developmental courses, consults with schools, and collaborates with organizational partners in the field. Laura also facilitates PassageWorks transitions programs for elementary and high schools students.