I taught for more than 35 years, and I remember August. It was a month of optimism, new ideas and best of all, fresh energy. There were plans to be made, materials to be sourced, and schedules to be sorted.
And, as much as I didn’t want to admit it, there was trepidation.
Teaching is one of the most important and difficult of human endeavours, and as much as I loved it, deep down I wondered: Was I up to it? How would I make it through the year?
Sometimes it was hard to sleep.
Connecting with colleagues who were feeling the same was reassuring. Setting up the classroom gave comfort. But putting aside all the prepping and planning, and giving myself the time to reconnect with why I teach helped me return to teaching with clarity and intention.
If August presents you with a similar challenge, I’m inviting you to put aside one day just for you: to pause, relax your mind, and reconnect with your teaching heart. You can do that on your own of course, but this Courage to Teach® retreat will offer you dedicated, protected time and space.
We’ll follow the principles and practices of the Courage & Renewal® approach. We’ll engage with texts, images, and music to prompt reflection and contemplation. There will be time for quiet reflection, listening, and responding to one another. Short texts, poetry, music, and images will offer inspiration and provocation. Guided by The Courage & Renewal Touchstones® we’ll create an accepting and protected space together.
If we care for the hearts and minds of teachers, they will care for the hearts and minds of their students.
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.
