At Outward Bound, we understand the challenges educators are facing today — navigating curriculums, managing student engagement, and investing time to develop new facilitation skills for your classroom. Your time is valuable, and you care about your students social and academic growth. That’s why the team at the Outward Bound Professional Learning Lab designed The Thriving Classroom.
This professional development series are live, interactive, virtual sessions built specifically for educators and facilitated by Outward Bound instructors. You’ll join small groups of your peers in a supportive and safe online environment to connect with each other, and discover new skills for engaging your students in learning. Walk away with the ability to translate these skills into tangible plans that support your classrooms’ social and emotional needs.
“THIS COURSE IS PROVIDING NOT JUST A GREAT CLASS ON BELONGING, BUT HOW TO RUN AN ONLINE CLASS. THE 2.5 HOURS GOES BY FASTER THAN A LOT OF ONE HOUR ZOOM MEETINGS I’VE BEEN A PART OF. THE WAY IT’S BEING CHANGED UP EACH SESSION AND MADE INTERACTIVE IS DEFINITELY WORKING FOR ME.”
– JOE, ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATOR, SAN FRANCISCO RECREATION AND PARKS DEPARTMENT
There are two unique series — Creating the Supportive Environment and Engaging The Whole Learner — each of which has five facilitated sessions. Each session is 2.5 hours in length and is available via our virtual classroom. Details about each session can be found below.
The Thriving Classroom – Creating the Supportive Environment
Professional Development, Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
Creating the Supportive Environment
Research shows that students learn best when they feel safe and connected to others. The sessions in this series prepare you to create these types of learning environments in your classrooms, whether they are virtual or at school. You will explore the science of belonging and structure, leaving with a deeper understanding of how to support your students socially and emotionally. Expect to walk away with new, tangible tools to apply your lessons into your own teaching practice.
The Thriving Classroom – Engaging the Whole Learner
Professional Development, Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
Engaging the Whole Learner
This series will prepare you to support the development of social and emotional skills in their classrooms. Get introduced to Outward Bound’s educational framework for social-emotional development, engage in activities that promote SEL skill-building, and learn practices you can implement into your teaching.
“THIS SPARKED A FIRE FOR ME TO BE MORE COURAGEOUS IN MY CLASSROOM.”
– KIRBY, CLASSROOM TEACHER 7TH THRU 12TH GRADERS, AGRICULTURE SCIENCE, OREGON STATE TEACHER EDUCATOR
Outward Bound Professional Learning Lab
The Outward Bound Professional Learning Lab (‘The Learning Lab’) is a collaborative effort of the Outward Bound USA system and is directed by Outward Bound USA. The purpose of The Learning Lab is to continuously improve the student experience by evaluating program delivery and student outcomes and enhancing professional learning opportunities for staff.