Good Afternoon,

Since you are an educator in the New York school system, I wanted to send you an email to make you aware of an educator retreat at Garrison Institute for Contemplation and Education. There is a teacher event coming up in August that I thought you may be interested in attending, or could pass on to other educators.

I am trying to the best of my ability to get the word out to as many educators as possible since this retreat should be amazing!

I pasted some information below so you could get a better idea of the education retreat.

"The Garrison Institute CARE retreat"

The CARE retreat offers teachers a training program that focuses on how the teacher teaches, rather than what he or she teaches. Further, an emphasis on mindfulness practice helps teachers establish a supportive classroom environment, as well as to reduce stress, making teachers more fully engaged and aware in the classroom.

You can check out the CARE program on Garrison's website: http://www.garrisoninstitute.org/programs.php?type=contemplation_educati...

Again, my goal is to get this message out to as many teachers as I can! I have enclosed some additional information below if you would like to read about the upcoming CARE retreat.

Summer Retreat for Teachers at the Garrison Institute

August 14–19, 2010

Garrison Institute Presents:

Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education (CARE)

Teaching is one of the most rewarding professions. The demands placed upon the teacher, both academic and emotional, can also make it one of the most stressful. CARE is a unique program designed to help teachers reduce stress and enliven their teaching by promoting awareness, presence, compassion, reflection, and inspiration - the inner resources they need to help students flourish, socially, emotionally, and academically.

Cutting-edge neuroscience confirms that practicing mindfulness facilitates awareness and self-regulation and develops the capacity for a calm, focused mind — a mind with the openness, responsiveness and sensitivity for optimal teaching, guiding, and learning. For teachers, these resources can provide the inner strength to be powerfully present and emotionally responsive. As a result, teachers become effective guides, and influential models of healthy social and emotional behavior.

The CARE program is typically presented in four all day sessions spread out over four to five weeks. Intersession coaching via phone and internet supports teachers practice and apply new skills. The program involves a blend of instruction and experiential activities including time for reflection and discussion. Teachers who have completed the program say they found it relaxing, enjoyable and inspiring. The Garrison Institute works with schools to develop sustainability and ongoing support for teachers.

Based upon our most current understanding of the neuroscience of emotion, CARE introduces emotion skills instruction to promote understanding, recognition and regulation of emotion. To reduce stress, and to promote awareness and presence applied to teaching, CARE introduces mindfulness activities beginning with short periods of silent reflection and extending to activities that bring mindfulness to role-plays of challenging situations teachers often encounter. Through these activities, teachers learn to bring greater calm, mindfulness and awareness into the classroom to enhance their relationships with their students, their classroom management, and curricular implementation. Finally, CARE promotes empathy and compassion through caring practice and mindful listening.

To register or request information, please

contact the registrar at retreats@garrisoninstitute.org

or 845.424.4800, x106.

Thanks!!!

Brooke

Brooke Lehrer
Education Intern
Garrison Institute
PO Box 532
Garrison, NY 10524
ph: 845-424-4800 ext. 108
fax: 845-424-4900
www.garrisoninstitute.org