Sustaining the Heart and Spirit of Those Who Nurture Children

Monday, April 14. 2:00pm-3:30pm. Fidalgo Room.

Description 

Tending young people can be both sustaining and depleting. Is it possible to help teachers and parents take heart once more so that they can continue to do what good teachers, caregivers and parents always do—which is to give heart to young people? The answer is YES. This session is based on the work of noted author and educator Dr. Parker J. Palmer. Experience a sense of the renewal of heart and spirit that is available when we take time for reflection, deep listening, and open honest questioning in a safe space. Be prepared to leave feeling re-connected with yourself and your deepest values.

Presenter Bios 

Diane Robbins and John Morefield with Washington Courage & Renewal Facilitators

Diane Robbins, InsideOut Consulting, LLC

Diane Robbins has over 20 years of experience as a leadership and organizational development consultant to executive leaders and boards – serving professionals in diverse settings including health care, education, and law. Her work involves engaging leaders in exploring the relationship between their deep purpose, aspirations, and beliefs and the demands and realities of organizational life. By aligning their inner lives and outer actions, leaders amplify the personal integrity and clarity that is key to moving their organizations forward while keeping their vitality alive. Diane is the founder and president of InsideOut Consulting, LLC. She is also a retreat facilitator with the Center for Courage and Renewal and a partner at Relationship Centered Healthcare where she serves as senior faculty to Leading Organizations to Health, a leadership institute for health care executives. 

John Morefield

John Morefield is a consultant on Leadership and Organizational Development to schools, school districts and other organizations throughout the United States and other countries. During his more than 35 years in public education, he served as teacher, counselor, school principal (for 20 years), and area director, all within multicultural communities in Seattle, Washington. As a consultant, he deals extensively with educational leadership issues, especially as they apply to school principals and superintendents working to bring about educational justice for all students, particularly for students of color and those students living in poverty. He teaches in the Danforth Leadership Preparation Program at the University of Washington in Seattle, and is a retreat facilitator in The Courage & Renewal Program, running retreats particularly for leaders. In the 2003-04 school year, he and his wife lived in Cambodia as volunteers where he provided intense leadership training for 65 Cambodian school principals. He now spends 4 to 5 months a year in Cambodia helping to create Leadership Development opportunities for Cambodian educational leaders. 

Yarrow Durbin

Yarrow Durbin is founding director and current program director of Washington Courage & Renewal, where she shares her passion for renewing the courage and integrity of her colleagues in education and anyone else committed to nurturing young people. Her goal is to help us all become more reflective, live more balanced, healthy lives, work more respectfully with each other, and honor children more deeply. Drawing on her training as a certified Integral Coach, Courage & Renewal facilitator, and Polarity Management consultant, as well as her experiences as a dharma student and 25-year educator, she coaches individual leaders and facilitates workshops and retreats on leadership, healthy conflict, communication skills and managing polarities.

Jeanne Strong

Director of Teacher Education for Pacific Oaks College NW, Jeanne is currently in an administrative position in a Seattle School District elementary school. Her work as a facilitator for Courage to Teach brings together many aspects of her personal and professional commitment to nurturing and supporting teachers and learners. She is a certified Courage & Renewal facilitator.

Anita Morales 

Anita Morales, BA, is currently an Instructional Services Coach for Seattle Schools.  Growing up in a migrant farm-worker family the groundwork was laid for her lifetime commitment to opening up life choices through quality education for poor students and students of color.  She has worked for 20 years as a language arts and social studies teacher in inner-city elementary and middle schools in Seattle.  Anita has also worked with colleagues to write district standards, assessments, and professional practice guidelines. She is a certified Courage & Renewal facilitator.

Catherine Follett

Catherine Follett, LICSW, was a child and family therapist in community mental health and an administrator with King County Mental Health, Chemical Abuse and Dependency Services Division. She has over 22 years experience in human services system reform, program administration, facilitation and training, and service provision in the mental health, chemical dependency, social service and juvenile justice systems. She now has a private practice and is impassioned about helping her human service colleagues rediscover their energy and commitment to their clients and vocation.

Alan Preston

Alan Preston has an MBA from the JL Kellogg School of Management and currently works as a Senior Analyst for Blueprint Research and Design, providing program planning and evaluation services for foundations. Over the past fifteen years, Alan has worked in a variety of leadership positions in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. He has extensive experience facilitating groups of individuals and work teams. Alan has a strong background in strategic planning, outcomes evaluation, and nonprofit management. He was the Acting Executive Director of Washington Courage & Renewal from September 2005 through September 2006. He is a certified Courage & Renewal facilitator.  Alan is also currently a Partner of Social Venture Partners.

Cindy McMahon

Cindy McMahon, PhD is a principal assistant at Havermale High School in Spokane. She taught for 24 years at Shadle Park and Lewis and Clark high schools before assuming her administrative position. She has ten years of experience in conflict resolution with Spokane Public Schools. Her doctoral dissertation, "Rekindling the Spirit to Teach," addresses the topic of teacher renewal and formation. She is a certified Courage & Renewal facilitator.

Karen Harding

Karen Harding is an instructor at Pierce College where she is the senior member of the Chemistry Department. She is a leader in efforts to improve science education and passionately committed to environmental issues. Karen is committed to the field of education and has led Courage & Renewal experiences for college staff and faculty. She is a certified Courage & Renewal facilitator.