Every transition brings about a certain level of pressure and stress, but nothing like going back into school. Mental health and wellness is no longer an add-on, it's a necessity. But, what does it look like beyond mere platitudes and Instagram quote posters? We're going to dive in with our partners at the YMCA Youth & Family Services team and walk through an applicable framework of stress management and overall wellness. This one is free!

Students who connect with their teachers will do better in every area of life, especially their academics. So what does connectivity look like, and how do you cultivate it? Best practices show that teachers who share relevant, appropriate, and personal stories will build a stronger connection with every student. 

The core of emotional intelligence is self-awareness, and the path to self-awareness is thoughtful reflection. Students will likely not figure out how to be self-reflective on their own; they need educators to guide them there through appropriate modeling and prompts. 

When stress gets high, learning diminishes. So does safety, trust, integrative thinking, and clarity. So what can an educator do to create a consistent environment of deactivation- in other words, peace and calm? 

Imagine if your culture was marked by student wellness, engaged learning, deep conversations and transformation?

Since the beginning, measuring impact and evaluating program efficacy has been front and center. We’ve employed PhD level qualitative impact analysis firms and developed our own research methodology, but prefer to leverage the resources from The Search Institute to evaluate the impact of our LifeScript and BackStory courses. Our program outcomes overlay with the CASEL Core Competencies (the wheel), as well.

Results vary from site to site, as well as by adherence to training protocol and integrity of implementation.
That being said, we see results in the following:

• Connectedness: to peers, to mentors, to adults on campus, involvement in clubs

• Internal Motivation: clarity of values, interests, passions, goals and dreams

• Tangible Outcomes: attendance, grades, behavior intervention

• Emotional Intelligence: self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, social skills

• Responsible Decision Making: constructive, healthy choices for self & others

WHAT IF ALL TEACHERS WERE EMPOWERED & EQUIPPED TO MAKE A MEANINGFUL IMPACT FOR EVERY STUDENT?

Teachers are responsible for SO much. They’re overworked and underpaid. Whether a 2nd-grade teacher with a full room of littles, or a high school biology teacher with five sections- it can be an overwhelming load.

No matter the reason why a teacher went into the business, we believe every teacher has an opportunity and a responsibility to make a personal impact on every student. Sure, no one can reach them all, and there will be some students who are easy to connect with and others who, well…

But regardless, we don’t think it has to be too complicated. Caring for kids in relevant, meaningful ways can and should happen every day, in every class, by every teacher.

UNCOMMON SENSE EMPATHY IS THE SOLUTION

We’ve developed a step-by-step training program designed to equip and empower every teacher with the tools to practice empathy in the classroom. Using a simple framework, interactive role plays and guided case studies, teachers will learn how to effectively break the plane with their students, listen actively, affirm their identity development, reflect their emerging talents, and challenge them to authentic character.

This is a learn-by-doing experiential training, with monthly learning assignments, interactive coaching and consulting feedback, and accountability through webinars and worksheets. Our team of practitioners will be available for continuous feedback, coaching and consulting.

For the Sake of Kids training workshops are best supported and operationalized through using our core student curriculum: our interactive LifeScript, BackStory, and Emotional Intelligence courses. With a commitment to ongoing coaching as well as curriculum to bring the training to life, the investment will be effective and efficient. 

THE RISK OF OUTSIDE TRAINERS

The last thing you want is to spend money on training that is ineffective. Perhaps worse, you really, really don’t want to burn any trust with your staff. The training has to be relevant. And good. And worthwhile. Simple to understand. Simple to put into practice. And relevant (did we mention that already?).

We understand. We don’t want to waste your time or money, either, so we promise we won’t. If we didn’t feel confident about the impact our training can have on your climate and culture, we wouldn’t be in this business.

In other words, we promise not to stink!

OUR STYLE

Training is tricky, especially with adults. You can’t be too content heavy- imagine long, boring Powerpoint presentations thick with bullet points and monologue talking heads. You have to have a framework, though, and engage the participants with thoughtful, provocative questions.

Our learn-by-doing facilitation style for professional development has been refined through years of working with school staff big and small in diverse settings: public, comprehensive schools, charter, private, or unique models like 1:1 schools or schools working with students impacted by homelessness.

We don’t plug-and-play, either; there are no canned speeches. We want to understand your context, the success results you’re looking for, get to know your culture- assets and liabilities and everything in between, and then provide a custom learning experience that sees measurable results.

We aren’t afraid of pushback, and we’re more than familiar with how to engage the disengaged veteran who sits in the back of the room with their laptop open.

Every parent want to raise their kids well. They want to do right by them, and create an environment where they can thrive and go out into the world with confidence and all they need to handle the complexities of life. Most parents, though, wonder and worry about how best to treat their kids, especially teenagers. They struggle to know how to best care, support, encourage, and develop their kids.

Every kid is different. On top of that, you add the demands of school, the pressures of competitive college admissions, social media, temptations to vaping, identifying their career aspirations, financial responsibility, driving, heartbreaks, and the influences of friends.

We understand how to work with parents, how to provide learning and connection opportunities for them to reflect, grow together and become more equipped parents.