Professional Learning

Providing school leadership and teaching staff with tools to support SEI

What is our approach to professional learning?

The Generation Text Online Framework provides a systemic structure to school communities, community-based organizations, and hospitals to equip adults, adolescents and children with mental health and wellness practices and resources and the opportunity to practice those skills for real problems, in real-life, and in real time.

Equipping School Staff with foundational skills and instructional practices for:

Building Relationships
Equipping staff and students with SEL/SEI
Providing collaborative mental health and wellness activities
Infusing engaging strategies

“I have been to many trainings in the last 15 years in education and these have been the best trainings I have received and I cannot wait for the next 4.”

School Counselor

Why is our professional learning effective?

Because we value educators’ time, our professional learning is delivered in 60-minute virtual sessions, once a month. During the 60-minute session, concepts and instructional practices are presented. These are then followed by breakout sessions with a Generation Text facilitator and ends with reflection and interaction within the group.

Our framework recommends breakout groups connect at the 2-week mark to communicate and collaborate about their personal experiences infusing the framework in their professional roles.

Each professional learning session begins with participants sharing their successes and struggles that pertain to each training. This interaction with staff allows opportunities for colleagues to collaborate and the Generation Text facilitator to give suggestions on how to tweak the framework for their specific learning environment.

Professional Learning is designed to empower attendees to role model and train their staff, thus, providing an ongoing SEL/SEI system for new teachers and mentors.

What People are Saying

Made me think

I found the sessions useful…I did….it really has made me think about how I am interacting with the staff and how I can connect more with each one. It really is powerful stuff. Truly. I find myself using some of these...

Thank you

Thank you Sam, we really appreciate you facilitating our group.

Deeper Connections

These strategies have helped to make deeper connections with staff members. One thing I want to look at moving forward is building time for these activities into the agendas of meetings during the week so they can be continually...

A new way to run a meeting

It is easy to build agendas for meetings that lack the connection. I find that I am constantly now beginning with an activity such as these we are using. I appreciate that as an admin team we are taking time to connect in this...

Remember to slow down

This has reminded us to slow down and take time for conversation with each other/to build relationships instead of just “work” all the time

Breaking down walls

People are more ready to engage in the work when we start a session with such an activity that breaks down walls and gives time to process emotions and make connections before digging into the work ahead.

Tone of meetings has changed

I’ve implemented the high lows to start my end of season coaches meeting, and I’ve found it sets the tone for how the meetings go and opens up an authentic dialogue between myself and my coaches.

Crazy Schedules

This information is so important, but one that is probably the easiest to neglect due to our crazy schedules. We need to make a concerted effort to make this work a priority and something that we are committed to continue.

Supporting colleagues

My implementing some of the strategies we are learning about bit more about colleagues to support during these times.

Relationships and connections are so important!

These reminders about connections/relationships are so important. It can feel difficult to fit it all in, but without relationships and connection, the rest of the work is SO MUCH HARDER!

Positive

I appreciate Sam’s perspective and positive feedback that he shares with our group.

I felt safe sharing

It has been great to get to know better the other people with whom I work. Timothy did a great job making it feel like a welcoming environment in which we could feel safe sharing.

Extremely Rewarding

Working with Jill Brown and her colleagues from Generation Text Online has been extremely rewarding for the members of our leadership team. The strategies and lessons endorsed by GTO are relevant, thought provoking, and engaging. The training offers participants an opportunity to connect with colleagues, experience personal growth, and place our organization on a path to success.”