Educator Wellbeing Virtual Summit

TeachIllinois and The Directions Conference have teamed up to bring you the first annual Educator Wellbeing Summit.  The 19-20 school year is finally over with all its craziness.  Take some time to learn hacks and habits that will help you through the summer and into the next school year. 

This summit will be structured a lot like the Directions Conference with a keynote presentation in the morning, followed by your choice of breakout sessions in the afternoon.  Each breakout session will be conducted by experts in their field.  And the best part of a vitual summit?  You can join from anywhere, even if you're already on vacation somewhere!   4.5 PD Hours  |  $75

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Schedule

9:00 - 10:30 Keynote with Dr. Dewar
11:00 - 12:00 Breakout Session #1
12:00 - 1:00 Lunch on your own (of course!) (you could start virtual chat sessions of your own while you eat!)
1:00 - 2:00  Breakout Session #2
2:30 - 3:30 Breakout Session #3

Each instructor will be presenting the same session all three times.

Keynote

Transforming Stress Into Strength

As coaches, teachers, and parents, our responses to stress and adversity are instructive to the children and young adults under our guidance and in our care. Through the practice of mindful attention and through the development of healthy and sustainable stress-managements skills, we can build resilience in ourselves, our families, and our communities. In this presentation, Dr. Matt Dewar will explore the following: • Mindful attention and attentional control • Stress and anxiety-management • Self-care • Motivation, purpose, and self-efficacy • Social connection and support

​Dr. Matt Dewar has been a coach, teacher, and district well-being coordinator deeply invested in improving the quality of life of his students and colleagues for the past 17 years. During this time, he has designed and implemented academic courses and school-wide mindfulness and well-being resources, programs and professional development. He is the author of two books, and holds several certifications in mindfulness and wellness. 

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Breakout Sessions & Instructors

Mindfulness Through Movement
Therese Blomberg, E-RYT 500

 Long-time yoga instructor and studio owner Therese Blomberg has achieved the highest certification as a yoga instructor, and she lives what she teaches.  Therese began practicing yoga in 2009 after her first treatments for breast cancer, initially to build trust in her body again. As she started to achieve growth in her physical practice and abilities, she also became aware of mental and emotional shifts. Her confidence grew as she managed to find fulfillment in all her roles in life: as a mother and a spouse, and also professionally with her career in pharmaceutical research and as a certified yoga instructor and ultimately studio owner. Four years later, Therese was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, yet she maintained her dedication to physical and emotional health and most importantly to awareness. Her personal yoga practice continued during chemotherapy and radiation, and the side effects from her medications continue, causing intermittent bone aches and joint pain. She currently maintains dual careers in medical research and development and yoga teaching and training. She has co-owned Yoga Core and More, now Moonbird Yoga since 2011.

​Join her for a very beginner introduction to moving with your breath and centering your mind.
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Meet Your Goals and Cultivate Healthy Habits: the Four Tendencies Framework in Action
Amie Corso Reed, Ed.S.

Have you struggled to meet goals in your personal life? Do you wonder why people can’t just keep up their daily habit if they really want to do it? Once someone wants you to do something, do you run the other way? The Four Tendencies Framework was developed by Gretchen Rubin and looks at how and why people meet expectations (or don't). By knowing your Tendency, you can develop systems that will help you meet your goals and cultivate healthy habits. When you understand the Tendencies of those around you, you can work more productively and support others in meeting their goals.  This session will introduce you to the Four Tendencies Framework and will help you build the systems that will work for you. 

​Amie Reed teaches 8th grade ELA in O'Fallon, IL, and has been named an ASCD Emerging Leader, serves as a Senior Fellow for Teach Plus, and is certified as a Google Trainer.
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Starting a Mindfulness & Self-Compassion Practice
Alice Hein, M.Ed.​

Starting a Mindfulness & Self Compassion Practice:  What an historical time we are living.  The amount of stress and trauma for our students and US is overwhelming.  Now more than ever, it is important to come to a place of equanimity.  We need to find a way to strengthen our minds and nervous systems so that we are prepared for whatever the new school year will bring.   Let’s spend some time learning how to begin and/or strengthen a Mindfulness and Self Compassionate Practice which will strengthen our brains and enable us to access our parasympathetic nervous systems easily.  

​Alice Hein is a retired School Counselor with 34 years of experience.  She is now passionate about Mindfulness.  She has started her own business of teaching, presenting and consulting everything Mindful.  She has the Year-Long Mindful Teacher Certification through the Mindful Schools organization.
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Questions and Answers / Breathing Techniques
Matt Dewar, Ed.D.​

After the keynote, you'll probably have questions for Dr. Dewar.  He will also demonstrate breathing techniques out of his brand new book, The Mindful Breathing Workbook for Teens.

See above for biographical information.

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Meditation Made Easy
Mitchel Bleier, E-RYT 500

You’ve probably heard that meditating is good for you and you should do it. It’s true, meditating is amazing for you! In fact the words meditate and medicine share the same Latin root. Maybe you  tried to meditate and thought, “I stink at meditating. It’s too hard. It’s just not for me.” You are not the only one. The problem isn’t you; the problem is in the technique. It was the wrong technique for you. In fact, everyone can meditate and enjoy it.   In this webinar, you will learn natural and effortless ways to meditate. In fact, it will feel so  easy that you won’t believe your meditating!   

​For over the last 20+ years, Mitchel Bleier has been teaching, training, and presenting his work to the world. He is an internationally known expert in yoga, posture, functional movement, Eastern Philosophies, meditation, biology, energy, and brain function.  Since 2000, Mitchel has been leading retreats and training all over the world. Mitchel has had the rare privilege of learning first hand from many of the world's great Masters, in a diversity of traditions, including an academic education of South Asian Philosophies and Sanskrit from the University of Rochester.  Mitchel currently lives in Chicago, is a father and husband, and is deeply passionate about working with individuals and companies to transform their results, and to create more positive internal and external health.

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Register Now