Global Educator Wellness Ambassador Program

This opportunity is sponsored by the University of Iowa Baker Teacher Leader Center in partnership with the Scanlan Center for School Mental Health and UI Wild. 

A year-long global learning experience for Iowa K-12 education professionals inspired to deepen wellness practices and improve social-emotional learning outcomes for their schools

The first-ever Global Educator Wellness Ambassador Program delivers a paid professional development experience rooted in educator wellness and school-wide social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health practices.

This training utilizes the tools of trauma-informed yoga with a focus on bringing the tools of mindfulness and wellness into your classroom. Participants will explore how and why outdoor and global education can reduce mental health risk factors, support behavioral and cognitive well-being, increase confidence, foster deeper knowledge of the self and other cultures, and enhance a person’s self-awareness, social awareness, and relationship skills through 3 program phases: 

1. 200-HR Yoga/SEL/Wellness and Breathe for Change training and Social-Emotional Learning Facilitator (SEL*F) Certification (October 2022-March 2023)
2. Global education learning experience in Norway (June 2023) 
3. Design and execute a professional learning session for your home district/school (June – October 2023)

Wellness isn’t achieved without connection. Ambassadors will connect with hundreds of other like-minded educators across the nation, indeed the globe, all with the same passion for bringing the tools of social and emotional wellness to our schools, and into our communities.

Overview  

• Duration: October 8, 2022 – October 1, 2023
• Credit approval: 6 state of Iowa educator renewal license credits 
• Education delivery: online (200-hr yoga/SEL/wellness training) + on-site (global Norway education experience in June 2023) 
• Cost = Free to 10 selected educators. This program is available at no cost thanks to the University of Iowa Baker Teacher Leader Center to selected educators and includes $6,000+ of yoga/mindfulness training and travel to Norway (airfare, lodging, meals, activities, etc.) plus Iowa educator renewal license credits. Participants will be responsible for obtaining and covering the cost of their own passport and visa if required. 
• Application Deadline: September 10, 2022

How You Will Grow, Learn, and Lead 

Phase 1: Breathe For Change 200-hr yoga/SEL/wellness training digital training (October 2022 – March 2023) 

The digital Breathe For Change 200-hr yoga/SEL/wellness training includes both synchronous and asynchronous content.

The synchronous sessions will be held from 11 am-5 pm CST one weekend per month (on Saturday and Sunday) for six months. The asynchronous work will take place at the trainee’s own pace throughout the training. 

• Weekend 1 – October 8 & 9, 2022
• Weekend 2 – November 12 & 13, 2022
• Weekend 3 – December 10 & 11, 2022
• Weekend 4 – January 7 & 8, 2023
• Weekend 5 – February 11 & 12, 2023
• Weekend 6 – March 11 & 12, 2023

Upon completing the training each participant will earn:

• 200-hour Yoga Teacher Certification (CYT-200), which is the international gold standard yoga teacher certification that enables you to register through Yoga Alliance (RYT-200)
• Breathe For Change’s Social-Emotional Learning Facilitator (SEL*F) Certification, which qualifies you to lead SEL, mindfulness, and wellness workshops and programs for young people and adults in your school, district, or organization.

Phase 2: Travel to Norway (June 2023) 

During Phase 2, participants will engage in learning modules to prepare for a visit to the beautiful country of Norway.

The educational program in Norway will include workshops and seminars through Oslo Metropolitan University, local schools, and outdoor education professionals. Additionally, the week-long Norway experience will include a cultural program, visits to schools and outdoor spaces, and daily yoga, and meditation practice.

Participants must be eligible and able to travel. Specific travel dates will be announced later this fall; travel is expected to commence the second or third week of June 2023, lasting for approximately one week. 

Phase 3: Design a professional learning session for your school/district (June – October 2023) 

The third phase of the program is knowledge sharing. Program participants will be required to design and execute a professional learning session for their home district/school, highlighting some of the new perspectives and practices they’ve learned.

These sessions will be recorded and shared with the Scanlan Center for School Mental Health, UI School of the Wild, and Global Education programs. It’s important to note that the Scanlan Center for School Mental Health will be collecting data throughout the program to better understand the extent to which participants’ understanding of SEBH, outdoor education, and global education changes, and how this understanding impacts their practice. 

How to Apply 

• Eligibility: Any Iowa licensed K-12 educator, including but not limited to teachers (elementary secondary), administrators, school counselors, paraeducators, and social workers
• Process: Complete the application form by Saturday, September 10, 2022.
  • Applications will be reviewed, and applicants will be notified by September 30, 2022. Ten applicants will be selected to participate. Interviews may be part of the application process.