Cultivating Compassion and Dignity in Ourselves and Our Schools Certificate and Scholarship Information
Are you a Colorado science educator who teaches about climate change and is interestedin cultivating compassion and wellness in your school, district, and community?
The Crown Institute, with the support of the Hemera Foundation, is offering scholarships to educators to complete the Cultivating Compassion and Dignity in Ourselves and Our Schools certificate. Educators who receive a scholarship will also help design a new offering to help support teachers and their students in navigating emotions related to climate change.
Cultivating Compassion and Dignity in Ourselves and Our Schools is a fully online four-course sequence designed to support educatorsin cultivatingcompassion and working towards safe and inclusive schools that promote justice. This course sequence was developed with astrong connection to the scientific research on compassion; educators will learn directly from the experts in this field. Educators have found it especially valuable in this time to develop practices of caring for oneself and caring for others.
The scholarship opportunity is a 16-month commitment. The four-course sequence will be completed between September 2024 and July 2025. Design meetings will occur between September and December 2025.
Who can apply?
- Colorado science educators who teach about climate changeespecially educators who use CAS-aligned materials (e.g., OpenSciEd)
- School-based cohorts of educators are encouraged to apply
- Rural educators are encouraged to apply
- Educators who can commit to completing the four-course sequence between September 2024 and July 2025 and who can participate in after-school design meetings between September and December 2025
Benefits
As part of this scholarship opportunity benefits include:
- Receive a scholarship for 100% tuition for the Cultivating Compassion and Dignity in Ourselves and Schools certificate
- Earn 10 masters level credits, the equivalent of ⅓ of a Master of Arts in Teacher Leadership from ƷSMӰƬ, upon completion of the certificate
- Engage in all coursework online
- Learn from and with colleagues and experts about compassion and how to strengthen compassion in your work as a leader in your school
- Create an action plan that brings key learnings from the certificate into your school to be reviewed with a school administrator
- Contribute to the design of a new offering for educators to support teachers and their students in navigating emotions related to climate change
About the Certificate
Cultivating Compassion and Dignity in Ourselves and Our Schools
The four-course online certificate (see Figure 1) explores the ways in which practices of compassion and a focus on the essential dignity of educators and students can contribute to the wellness of educators and schools. The certificate prepares educators to lead efforts that promote compassion and dignity in schools and provides educators with support and resources for caring for themselves and for cultivating and sustaining compassion for students, students’ families, and colleagues. The certificate was designed so educators see and feel their own struggles, constraints, and joys reflected in the curriculum, and to demonstrate the ways that they might become more compassionate educators and leaders. The compassion practices and skills embedded in the certificate support school and district equity goals of creating safe and inclusive schools that challenge racism and promote justice. The certificate draws upon rigorous research, contemplative wisdom, and lived experiences of educators. Culminating in a capstone project, educators develop an action plan for bringing compassionate leadership to their school communities and for sustaining this work in today’s increasingly challenging and precarious climate.
The certificate was co-designed by the Crown Institute and the Compassion Institute, working in collaboration with teachers, counselors, and administrators. For more information about the development of the certificate, please visit the Compassion and Dignity for Educators website.
The Compassion and Dignity in Ourselves and Our Schools certificate is offered through ƷSMӰƬ’s Teacher Leadership Program.This program is offered entirely online and is organized around self-paced (i.e. course work completed at separate times) as well as real-time formats (i.e. meeting virtually at the same time). To learn more about the Teacher Leadership Program, please visit the .
Figure 1: Compassion & Dignity Course Sequence