Teaching Presence

This course offers teachers practices and principles for developing and sustaining an intentional teaching practice that engages students, supports learning outcomes, and improves their own experience of teaching. Together, we will explore the five dimensions of ‘Teaching Presence’ and their applications to teacher resilience and classroom practice. The five interconnected dimensions of “teaching presence” are:

• Engaging the self-observer—the aspect of the self that can observe and witness our own behavior, practice, and triggers and make more conscious choices
• Exploring obstacles and opportunities for becoming present in the classroom
• Expanding emotional range—growing comfort with a full range of emotions in ourselves and our students
• Practicing respectful discipline—providing clear boundaries while maintaining positive relationships
• Teaching with an open heart—invoking our authenticity, compassion and care in the classroom

In this course we will explore the following practices and themes:

• The framework of teaching presence
• How developing our teaching presence impacts student learning and our job satisfaction
• How to identify and work with obstacles to teaching presence 
• The use of Deep Listening practices (dyads and council)
• The use of Reflection, silence, solitude
• The integration of creativity, symbolic expression, and play
• Working with student’s grief, loss, and transitions
• Brief introduction to School-based Rites of Passage