Taking Care: Theory & Practice of Wellness for Self & Students, Shervin-Venet & Crotty, Summer 2019

Note: Course payment by check or purchase order, payable to Castleton University, is due at the time of registration. A purchase order number can be entered into the online registration form and the purchase order can be uploaded to the registration form. If paying by check, please mail the check to: Financial & Registration Services, Castleton University, 62 Alumni Drive, Castleton, VT 05735. To help us ensure that your payment is applied to the correct course, PLEASE WRITE “CFS” IN THE CHECK MEMO LINE. Thank you.

Course Description

In this course, educators will blend reflection, exploration and research to develop understanding of how to practice and teach wellness. The course begins with a two-day retreat-style meeting in which participants will explore dimensions of wellness through experiential activities, and discuss theory and philosophy of the role of wellness in education. Following this face-to-face meeting, participants will engage through Canvas over the course of a month to dive deeper into theory and practice of wellness, with a focus on how wellness can support academic achievement and growth. At a final face-to-face meeting, participants share their learning and create personalized action plans for the upcoming school year.

Audience: All educators

Course Goals:

Recognize the importance of wellbeing for educator efficacy and student success. Participants will develop their understanding of wellness practices for themselves and will identify ways to implement wellness strategies in their classrooms.

Course Objectives:

Participants will:

• Reflect on their own wellness habits/routines
• Explore ways to support educator development of wellness in many realms (social, emotional, physical, etc.)
• Develop strategies for fostering wellness among students, connected to educator’s content area/role
• Understand the connection between academic success and wellness
• Identify 3-5 strategies for fostering wellness in self and students to implement in the fall.

Course Expectations:

Face to face meeting 1:

• Wellness Philosophy writing activity
  • In this activity, participants will explore definitions of wellness and create a personal statement exploring the importance of wellness in their own life and practice.
• Dimensions of Wellness project
  • Participants will complete hands-on activities to explore realms of wellness and complete an expressive project to reflect their learning.

Online weeks:

• Academic-Wellness Connection research project
  • This project explores the connection between learning and social-emotional wellbeing. Participants will complete a project that draws connection between academic content and social-emotional learning. Project components will include a student lesson plan and a short professional development presentation for fellow educators.
• Wellness journaling
  • Participants will reflect on their own wellness through regularly scheduled journaling exercises between class meetings. This process will help increase participants’ insight into the impact of doing the wellness activities explored in the first face to face meeting.
• Readings and discussion
  • Each week, participants will use Canvas forums to discuss relevant articles, videos, and other resources connected to course themes.

Face to face meeting 2:

• Research presentation
• Action planning activity
  • Participants will develop a plan for implementing their learning from this course

Evaluation:   Students will submit a portfolio of their coursework along with a self-evaluation of learning.

Grading: Individual assignments and projects throughout the course will be given narrative feedback rather than grades. At the end of the course students will self-assess using evidence of their participation and projects and collaboratively determine their grade with the instructor.

Required Texts

Required Readings/Texts:

No required textbook. Instructors will provide readings on Canvas.

For additional course information

Alex Shevrin

(802) 489-6739

Carolyn Crotty

(802) 448-2141

For additional registration information

Bethany Sprague
(802) 468-1325

Register online now!