inspired by the springtime season, the element of air, a method based on respect, and our collective ideas for a brighter future
Introducing
Grow an Idea: Springtime Mini Design-Sprint Workshop for Educators
All you need is a problem.
We'll combine living system wisdom + a design method to surface your creativity and allow a solution (one only you can create) to take a form.
Do you feel the same way?
You're sick of the extractive systems we live under, and you know there's a way that education can push against those limits for a more regenerative future. You want to be a part of the pushing.
And you have an idea-- maybe it's small, like creating a lesson plan, or maybe it's big, like starting a school.
01
what people say
"Not only was it valuable for myself, but I am now able to share this information in an easy to understand and accessible ways to my students and colleagues" - Stephanie E.
02
what people say
"Sarah and Jess were fantastic and encouraged all thoughts, ideas, and connections we made as learners. They fostered a supportive environment with various ways to access the material." - S.A.
03
what people say
“It not only helped me clarify a direction for my future work in this area, but it gave me space to engage in much needed conversations that facilitated my ongoing social-cultural-linguistic development and helped me engage in more playful and creative ways of thinking overall.” - S.W.
Do you feel the same way?
You caught the beginning of an idea (or maybe even a full-fledged one!) but you're feeling stuck or boxed in or even a little directionless. Maybe you're afraid of sorting out the hundreds of details and the undertaking, or maybe imposter syndrome is kicking in.
It's possible that all you need is just to be around a group of education leaders who are all also working on ideas that came to them. Maybe it's big like starting a new school or forging a new career path as a teacher, or something small like creating new classroom rituals, setting up next year to focus on bringing out students' uniqueness, or brainstorming community partnerships for a more place-based system.
We'll help you get there.
2 weeks, 4 live & recorded classes
Class 1: Tuesday 4/6
Gut Feeling: What do we really want?
AIR QUALITY: Air brings freedom space for respect.
PROGRESSION: Step 1 | Gut | Respect
KEYWORDS: dignity, authenticity, permission, humanity (not cogs), uniqueness, release, reset.
METHODS: Practices of observation, embodiment, reflection.
IN THIS CLASS WE'RE LOOKING TO AIR + OUR GUT FOR GUIDANCE WHEN:
We’ve been conditioned to think that our work or role should look like something out of a can, and we're starting to remember that it doesn't have to. We aren’t clear on who we are, and it’s taking its toll on areas of our life, potentially including the learning spaces we're responsible for or the leadership we could offer. We’re feeling constricted, hemmed in, stuck in any area of our life and we need a release.
IN THIS CLASS YOU'LL:
Class 2: Thursday 4/8
Live On Air: Where are the missing links?
AIR QUALITY: Air carries vibrations and harmony to connect
PROGRESSION: Step 2 | Heart | Connect
KEYWORDS: Music, beauty, reciprocity, inspiration, fear, self-expression, co-creation, collaboration, burn-out, rhythm, harmony, & participation
METHODS: Practices of connection, creating harmony and self-expression, embodiment
IN THIS CLASS WE'RE LOOKING TO AIR + EACH OTHER FOR GUIDANCE WHEN:
We are zapped from our energy. Even if we find our passion, it’s not feeling sustainable in this world. We are afraid of connecting to people with our unique self, perhaps there's anxiety of community building or putting our work out there into the world. We feel otherwise isolated.
IN THIS CLASS YOU'LL:
Class 3: Tuesday, 4/11
Quality Check: What are the info. gaps?
AIR QUALITY: Air seeks knowledge and discourse to reflect
PROGRESSION: Step 3 | Head | Reflect
KEYWORDS: Biomimicry, discussion, meaning-making, clarity, communication, intentionality
METHODS: New information, practices of deep listening and discourse
IN THIS CLASS WE'RE LOOKING TO AIR + INTELLECT FOR GUIDANCE WHEN:
IN THIS CLASS YOU'LL:
Class 4: Thursday, 4/13
Air Circulation: What are my next steps?
AIR QUALITY: Air circulates and scatters as an action
PROGRESSION: Step 4 | Hands | Direct
KEYWORDS: Action, circulation, scattering, freedom, release, curiosity, space, containers, structures, ceremonies, practice
METHODS: Integration, visualization, design-thinking
IN THIS CLASS WE'RE LOOKING TO AIR + ACTION FOR GUIDANCE WHEN:
IN THIS CLASS YOU'LL:
check your inbox for a code if you've been a member of we are verbs since 2022.
Sliding scale: use it if you need to!
Join us!
$147
Sliding Scale Options:
code 20OFF for $20 off ($127)
code 40OFF for $40 off ($107)
code 60OFF for $60 off ($87)
We are trying to make this work as accessible as possible.
If you need something else, please reach out hi@groundedteaching.com.
You can also read more about our pricing on our website.
Breathe life into the idea
AIR CAN MOVE US OUT OF STUCK-NESS.
LIKE WATER, IT FLOWS. IT BRINGS ABOUT CHANGE, DIRECTION, FREEDOM, AND HARMONY.
HOW DO WE FIND THE HUMANITY IN A SYSTEM MADE FOR MACHINES? HOW DO WE FIND OUR OWN PURPOSE AS A HUMAN IN THESE SYSTEMS?
WE'RE LOOKING TO AIR.
After this
new simple practices and processes
You’ll internalize a set of simple daily practices and processes for future times when you (or your students) are stuck, directionless, or constricted.
confidence to persue your next steps
Self-doubt will dissipate and clarity will increase. Through our method, we'll push each other to honor our creativity and confidently bring our ideas for a more regenerative future to life into this world.
regenerative models to stay on track
We will stay focused while living in the daily stew of the industrial paradigm. The science, stories, and symbolism behind air will be the wind at your back-- as will this community.
check your inbox for a code if you've been a member of we are verbs since 2022.
Sliding scale: use it if you need to!
The freedom that hits your face when you feel the springtime winds blowing down the street--
that’s what we're letting empower us.
you should join in.
“It's evident you care about spreading this work and goodness to others!!”
-G.K.
“Sarah and Jess are inspirational, transformative leaaders."
-Deborah E.
"My participation and experience in this program will guide my daily practices when it relates to myself, the community and nature as a woman, a mother, a partner and as an educator."
-blanca B.
“Sarah and Jess blew me away with the ridiculous quantity of research and scientific knowledge that supports every aspect of this learning framework.”
-Meredith C.
our slow and effective progression + focus on the air element bring the idea to life
this class is for you if
You want to bring about a change, solve a problem, or bring an idea to life, but you are feeling afraid, constricted, isolated, or stuck. The science, stories, and symbolism behind the air element gives us a focus and helps us push.
Any problem, idea, or project is welcome.
This might include just a concept or a problem you want to flesh out: like how to push past standardization in your classroom next year or figuring out how to create a stronger sense of community in your school.
The problem or concept might also be already taking form as a project: re-imagining a final unit for the school year, figuring out your professional next steps, designing a vision and mission statement for a micro-school you're creating, writing a book, re-organizing a bell schedule, setting a scope and sequence for a curriculum, starting a school garden, plan out field trips for next year--the list is infinite and can be any grain size.
Our Seasonal, Virtual Mini Design-Sprints are made for any human who is responsible for some sort of learning space or environment. This includes (but is not limited to) classroom teachers, professors, homeschool parents, pod teachers, micro-schools, administrators, school counselors, administrators, yoga teachers, preschool teachers, outdoor educators, education consultants, etc.
NOTE: at first glance, some folks may wonder what a high school administrator might have in common with a homeschool parent. The connection point between all of these seemingly-different groups (and the reason WHY we believe it is important to bring us all together) is because we are all in a position of influence when we facilitate learning experiences, and that we see that as an entry point into a future that's filled with more life! more joy! more creativity, and we have much to learn from the diversity of roles who all want the same thing for students.
THIS CLASS MIGHT NOT BE FOR YOU IF
You don't have anything to do with creating a project in education, in the broad sense of the term. For example, if you are a business marketer who came across this because you googled design sprints, and you have an idea for your next book and you need a push to help it come to life: it's true that this process would also work for you! But: this isn't the best fit for our group of educators-- we want to create a container where folks can connect on the basis of doing work in a learning space.
This isn't a lecture series. If you are expecting 5.5 hours of lectures, this isn't the right container for you. While we will be learning all sorts of new things, and you always have the option to participate as little as you need to during the meeting (camera off, listening in the background), see some of our other podcasts and classes for lecture-type classes.
If talking about things related to education outside of peer-reviewed journals frustrates you, this class is probably not for you. We'll be weaving in stories and symbolism that perhaps hasn't made it to peer-reviewed, well-funded western studies.
If you have previously completed days-long intensive design sprints in other areas and are assuming this will be identical to that, it won't be. It is a methodology inspired by ecology and suggestion of Tyson Yunkaporta that we start with respect→connect-→reflect-→ direct + we simply don't have 4 full days in this container. That's why it's a mini-design sprint! If you need something more intense for your team, we facilitate in-depth design sprint workshops on-site, too. Reach out!
check your inbox for a code if you've been a member of we are verbs since 2022.
Join us!
$147
Sliding Scale Options:
code 30OFF for $30 off ($117)
code 60OFF for $60 off ($87)
We are trying to make this work as financially accessible as possible.
If you need something else, please reach out hi@groundedteaching.com.
You can also read more about our pricing on our website.
FAQ
WHY FOCUS ON AN AIR?
In our over-industrialized world, it's helpful to look beyond whatever industry has created to get an idea for how to model a new future. Throughout the years, we've taught on a number of phenomena or patterns that exist in the living world. In these seasonal design sprints, we're focusing on air (spring), fire (summer), earth (fall), and water (winter).
There's a lot to learn when we get creative about where to look!
WHAT WILL I LEARN?
You'll learn about listening to yourself, the roles you play, how to live them with intention and model them for your students. You'll better connect with your own body and other beings in this awe-inspiring, living world. You'll learn about air: what it can teach us on a scientific, perennial, cultural, historical, magical level. You'll learn how to take a problem through a design process, as well as practices and exercises you can use in your own time or even in your learning space.
HOW IS THIS LEARNING EXPERIENCE ORGANIZED?
The virtual mini design-sprint workshop is divided into four separate classes within two weeks. The first week, classes are one hour each. In Week 2, classes are 90 minutes and 120 minutes, respectively, to allow time for integration. The classes are live but will also be recorded if you can't make one or would like to re-watch the class.
WHAT WILL CLASS BE LIKE?
Class takes place on good ol' Zoom. There will be times where we'll move our bodies, take some deep breaths, and ask you to engage in conversation-- so a private space (i.e. not a library or a coffee shop) is best. You can participate as much as you'd like: camera on, working that chat, participating in discussion, *or* simply turn off your camera and listen *or* watch the recording *or* a little bit of all of the above.
$$$$$$ ARE THERE SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, GROUP DISCOUNTS, ETC. AVAILABLE?
If you experience financial ease, your participation at any sliding scale level of this workshop not only supports free scholarships and reduced-fee opportunities but it also supports our other free/donation-based work, such as the book clubs, community skill shares, and resources on We Are Verbs, as well as the free information on the Regenerative Ed podcast and the newsletter. Purchasing this workshop helps make the free workshops possible, and telling your friends to join helps to keep the price reasonable and scholarships available. Our goal is to grow the amount of educators who are bringing their creative ideas to life. Thank you!
DISCOUNT CODES ARE AVAILABLE AND ENCOURAGED:
for $20 off use code 20OFF, for $40 off, use code 40OFF, for $60 off use code 60OFF. We highly encourage you to use these discount codes if you need to. We don't put them here and hope no one will use them. We hope a lot of people will use them because it means we succeeded in making our work more accessible to people who might not have otherwise participated.
If you need a full scholarship, please reach out hi@groundedteaching.com. We don't turn anyone away--instead, we rely on more folks engaging in the work to allow us to pay the bills. You can read more about our pricing philosophy on our website.
NOTE: If you were a founding member of WAV before it became a totally free / donation-based community, please check your inboxes for a free code :)
check your inbox if you've been a member of we are verbs for a code!
Accountability
We offer a community, but joining with your IRL community is a way to deepen your commitment to yourself and your project. Consider sharing this link with a friend who could join with you.
Integrate, design, and take action on your vision for a more regenerative future as an educator.