PassageWorks Institute

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United States
Boulder, CO
PassageWorks Institute

Since its inception in the mid-1980s, this model has integrated the emotional, social, and spiritual development of students with their academic learning.

PassageWorks Institute provides educators and school leaders a practical, relationship-centered approach to transforming the culture of classrooms, schools and districts. A Unique approach to Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

The activities of the PassageWorks Institute have grown out of an innovative approach to social and emotional learning (SEL) developed by Institute founder Rachael Kessler, PassageWorks staff & faculty and colleagues around the country. During the 1990’s Kessler worked closely with Daniel Goleman and SEL researchers to rigorously define this field that built upon Howard Gardner’s recognition of the importance of “intrapersonal” (emotional) and “interpersonal” (social) intelligence. Goleman’s concept of “emotional literacy” refers to the discovery that the emotional and social skills of children can be cultivated as part of the school curriculum, and that doing so enhances cognitive learning and personal resiliency in the face of change and challenge. At the same time that Goleman’s research demonstrated that EQ was a greater predictor of academic and life success than IQ, the fields of brain research and learning theory demonstrated the essential role of the emotions in motivation and learning.

“Emotion drives attention, attention drives memory, and memory drives learning,” wrote Robert Sylwester in his groundbreaking summary of the application of brain research to learning. During this period, Kessler began to work more broadly to increase awareness among educators of the nature of and need for development of the inner life in children and adolescents, and to provide training to foster such development in schools. In 1997, Kessler co-authored a book with eight researchers from the Collaborative for the Advancement of Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) entitled Promoting Social and Emotional Learning: Guidelines for Educators. This planted her firmly in the leadership circle of theorists in the SEL movement. Kessler’s own book, The Soul of Education: Helping Students Find Connection, Compassion and Character at School (ASCD, 2000), provided a practical and inspirational evocation of the principles and methods that make the PassageWorks model unique and distinct within the field of SEL. Sent to over 110,000 educators by its publisher, this book (and the model it describes) has received endorsements by educators from across the spectrum of political and religious belief. As her work drew more attention, Kessler realized the need to create an organization that could expand the model’s impacts. The PassageWorks Institute was created in 2002 by Kessler along with a group of colleagues and advisors in Boulder, Colorado out of a collective desire to effect change in mainstream education at a much broader and deeper level. The Institute received its IRS Determination Letter confirming 501(c)(3) status in spring 2003.

06/07/2021

An Ecosystem Approach to Unleashing Learner-Centered Transformation in communities - https://is.gd/KCwU5O

For learner-centered education to thrive in every community, we need to embrace an equitable, community-based ecosystem approach.

08/03/2020

Teaching With Bravery Online Course, about meditation & teaching as a method of inner & social transformation with Noel McLellan - https://is.gd/7LWYHE

07/13/2020

How Teacher Looping Can Ease the Learning Disruptions Caused by Coronavirus by Kara Newhouse MindShift

By keeping students with the same teacher for another year, looped students will have familiarity with students that can help ease some of the difficulties created by emergency distance learning.

07/02/2020

Teachers Are Living in a Tinderbox of Stressful Conditions. These Scientific Approaches Can Help - by Sheila Ohlsson Walker- EdSurge -

America is suffering through two insidious and deadly pandemics, one brought forth by a novel virus and the other by a long-overdue reckoning of the ...

06/02/2020

05/30/2020

What Will It Take? by Vivian Elliott, PhD
What will it take to end oppression of any and all humans in these United States? http://ow.ly/5MQq50zUFdH

05/22/2020

Can the Lockdown Push Schools in a Positive Direction? - Greater Good

Here are five ways that COVID-19 could change education for the better.

04/29/2020

Prioritizing Self-Care While Working From Home

Teachers adjusting to teaching from home while schools are closed may need to work out new routines to stay grounded.

04/01/2020

100,000 or more deaths by August! — Daily US and State level forecasting of COVID-19 impact on hospital bed-days, ICU-days, ventilator days and deaths in the next 4 months - by Dr. Christopher Murray

Explore hospital bed use, need for intensive care beds, and ventilator use due to COVID-19 based on projected deaths for all 50 US states and District of Columbia

03/22/2020

Physical Distancing Social Connection - New Stories online World Cafe's - https://is.gd/0jjNKw

Address

3050 Broadway Street Ste 203
Boulder, CO
80304

Telephone

+13032470156

Website

http://www.passageworks.org/

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