In a time when teachers, support staff, and administrators are under growing demands and pressure, Courage to Teach® provides educators with an opportunity to reconnect with the reasons of the heart that lead us to become a teacher in the first place. Through connection with other teachers and most importantly our own inner teacher, we can regain the courage to teach in difficult times. The program, originally conceived by author and educator Parker J. Palmer, offers educators of all kinds an opportunity to reflect on the inner dimensions of teaching and leading with courage in today’s world.
This program is being independently organized and led by a Courage & Renewal Facilitator(s) prepared by the Center for Courage & Renewal. While we support our facilitators in various ways, CCR has no direct responsibility for the planning or facilitation of this event. Please direct any questions to the facilitators using the contact form below.
The Center for Courage & Renewal and its facilitators do not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, age, height, weight, physical or mental ability, veteran status, military obligations, and marital status.
“Every profession that attracts people for “reasons of the heart” is a profession in which people and the work they do suffer from losing heart. Like teachers, these people are asking, “How can we take heart again so that we can give heart to others?”—which is why they undertook their work in the first place.”
― Parker J. Palmer, The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher’s Life
In a time when teachers, support staff, and administrators are under growing demands and pressure, Courage to Teach® provides educators with an opportunity to reconnect with the reasons of the heart that lead us to become a teacher in the first place. Through connection with other teachers and most importantly our own inner teacher, we can regain the courage to teach in difficult times. The program, originally conceived by author and educator Parker J. Palmer, offers educators of all kinds an opportunity to reflect on the inner dimensions of teaching and leading with courage in today’s world.
Join this 5 session Circle of Trust ® series for a monthly morning gathering that holds space for your own reflection, renewal and rejuvenation. Together we will seek to understand, honor, and celebrate brave conversations, deep listening, and reconnection with our love of teaching in community with one another. Teachers, educators, and administrators from all levels and areas of education are welcome, regardless of previous Circle of Trust experience.
What to expect:
“If we want to grow as teachers — we must do something alien to academic culture: we must talk to each other about our inner lives — risky stuff in a profession that fears the personal and seeks safety in the technical, the distant, the abstract.”
― Parker J. Palmer, The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher’s Life
Unlike many professional development opportunities that use lectures to distill information from an expert, the Courage & Renewal approach uses time-tested practices that support the development of interpersonal relationships through structured sharing and time for individual reflection. Participants will learn and practice the skills of deep listening and open questions that support healthy relationships with students, colleagues, and parents/guardians. Our time together will include the use of poetry, imagery, and other evocative prompts to invite opportunities for personal reflection, and space for sharing in small and large groups.
This workshop welcomes educators and administrators from all backgrounds and beliefs, all races, ethnicities, genders, sexualities, ages, religions, abilities, identities, and experience.
This 5 – Session Series will take place from 9am – 12pm on the following dates:
January 28th, 2023 – Session 1: Intro to Circles of Trust/The Heart of a Teacher
February 18th, 2023 – Session 2: Asking Honest Questions/ Living an Undivided Life in a culture of disconnection
March 25th, 2023 – Session 3: The Hidden Wholeness/Paradox in teaching & learning
April 22nd, 2023 – Session 4: Teaching & Learning in Community
May 27th, 2023 – Session 5: Divided No More: Teaching from a Heart of Hope
Each 3-hour Saturday Morning Session will involve invitations for individual reflection, sharing in pairs and small groups, and large group sharing in the Circle of Trust style. We will use poetry, images and other activities to invite reflection on the session topics.
The Star of the North Retreat House opened in 1953 offering retreats and spiritual oasis to the Christian community at large. This house of retreat offers formation in spirituality, contemplative private retreat for personal renewal, and human growth, psychological, emotional, spiritual as well as wisdom teachings around justice, peace, and integrity of creation. We also offer hospitality for groups seeking an alternative and affordable place to gather for their meetings, conferences, and retreats.
This program is being independently organized and led by a Courage & Renewal Facilitator(s) prepared by the Center for Courage & Renewal. While we support our facilitators in various ways, CCR has no direct responsibility for the planning or facilitation of this event. Please direct any questions to the facilitators using the contact form below.
The Center for Courage & Renewal and its facilitators do not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, age, height, weight, physical or mental ability, veteran status, military obligations, and marital status.
Find more highlighted programs here or dive deeper and explore our full slate of programs by visiting our program calendar.
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