Break up your winter with Teacher-Centered PD created with YOU in mind!
ARTS for Wellness and Social/Emotional Learning
February 10-11, 2017
This retreat is over, but please check out the upcoming retreat!
Teaching our students about Wellness and developing their Social and Emotional needs is becoming more and more necessary. The ARTS can be an integral part of this learning for them. During our time, we will explore how theater, music and visual art can be integrated into what we do with students. Along the way, we will learn games and activities to use to promote Wellness and the SEL Competencies.
As always, this PD is Teacher-Centered, meaning we will experience these art forms for ourselves and how they can develop our Social/Emotional Competencies. After all, our motto remains that we need to GET Inspired in order to BE Inspiring!
Here are the highlights:
- It’s an OVERNIGHT retreat!
- Check-in Friday, February 10 at 5:00pm, Check-out Saturday, February 11 at 4:00pm
- Location: Essex Woods Retreat and Meeting Center, Essex, MA
- Amazing location and we have the place all to ourselves
- Includes lodging in the same building as or steps from our workshops
- Meals are Included!
- Freshly prepared dinner on Friday, breakfast and lunch on Saturday
- Snacks and drinks throughout
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*SEL Competencies cited from CASEL.org
Focus of the Retreat
- Wellness – We will learn and play some games and work with concepts of mindfulness and meditation.
- Social/Emotional Learning – SEL competencies (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, responsible decision making*) will be further explored through work in theater, music and visual art.
- The Arts – All the art activities and projects are quality and work within the arts form meaningfully.
- Teacher-Centered – YOU will experience all ideas and activities presented. This retreat is as much for your Wellness and SEL as it will be for your students when you go back to school.
- Bonuses!
- There’s a large hot tub and sauna to enjoy.
- We will take advantage of the large fire pit outside where we can drum!
- A complete handout will be provided that includes all the activities completed as well as the arts standards and corresponding SEL Competencies touched upon during the retreat. This is a great resource to use in your classroom!
- There will be light yoga on Saturday morning.
- There are other things that just can’t be disclosed to you…don’t want to give away ALL the fun surprises!
WTAR17 workshops and instructors
Elizabeth Peterson, C.A.G.S. (Arts, Leadership and Learning) arts integration specialist, fourth grade teacher and founder of The Inspired Classroom has been designing Teacher-Centered PD for years. Her philosophy is steeped in the idea that teachers need to be inspired in order to be inspiring to their students. She will lead the retreat from the beginning to the end, intertwining the ideas of Wellness and the SEL Competencies into all the arts-based activities.
Elizabeth will begin the retreat on Friday night with some introductory games and activities to get people acquainted before dinner, and drama-focused activities including improvisation and role playing. In the evening, we will be able to enjoy the company of others and take advantage of the retreat center’s hot tub and sauna.
Saturday morning, join Mary Krikorian, a music teacher, certified yoga instructor and 6-year Summer Retreater, in some optional light yoga to get your body moving and your mind focused.
After breakfast, Elizabeth will continue our exploration of the arts through drumming and musical listening activities that will weave their way through the rest of the day.
Following our music experiences, Renee Schneider, a local artist, former classroom teacher and past Summer Retreat presenter will lead us in a silhouette-inspired art project that focuses on “self-awareness.” This project will start in the morning and continue after lunch and a special outdoor drumming circle.
We will end our afternoon with Elizabeth as we reflect on our art project and other activities that developed both arts skills and SEL competencies. Discussions will be had about how this all plays out in our classrooms.
(For those taking the retreat for credit, 3 additional hours will be required online to complete the coursework. Two hours will be completed in preparation for the retreat and one hour will be completed after the retreat.)
Workshops and activities subject to change.
Cancelation Policy and Weather Updates
Paid registrants may send a substitute.
If for any reason you can’t attend*, 100% of your paid registration will be
refunded when you notify The Inspired Classroom at least 72 hours in advance.
Notifications after this time will be refunded less a $25 service fee.
*The retreat will NOT be cancelled for snow or other inclement weather, unless Massachusetts calls for a “state of emergency.” Essex Woods is a year-round facility and will have the property ready for us. Because of this, we cannot refund money to those who do not attend because of weather. 🙂