Professional Development

Many professional educators with advanced degrees are attracted to Buddhist-inspired views of education. Contemplative ways of integrating our emotions, sense perceptions and thought processes are fertile ground for fundamental changes in education. Educators are also interested in exploring the personal perceptual changes that awareness-based education includes.

Naropa University’s history of developing such approaches puts it in a unique position to offer a contemplative pedagogy. Since 1990, the Contemplative Education Department has been developing these practices for all levels of instruction. Educational administrators have also found these offerings valuable, though the courses are geared primarily for teachers from pre-k through higher education.

Low-Residency Professional Development

Our unique content and approach to contemplative education attracts many seeking professional development. They seem particularly drawn to our summer retreats, now located in Boulder. Immersion in a contemplative learning community is especially effective for substantive change in pedagogy and content.

The summer retreat experience is personally nurturing, in large part because awareness exercises, meditation and mindfulness walks in the mountains are integrated into the academic study. The collegiality of the summer retreats, particularly the accessibility of Naropa faculty throughout the day, including mealtimes, is also appealing.

Online Professional Development

Online courses are also open for professional development. Some of these courses build directly on the learning in the summer retreats, but all can be taken as stand-alone courses. Following the summer retreat, professional development students sometimes will take an online course in order to support the integration of contemplative principles and practices into their own administrative or course work.

These are the online courses available for professional development (See Courses):

Perspectives in Sacred Learning (EDU 615e)
Emotional Roots of Development (EDU 535e)
Spiritual Roots of Development (EDU 720e)
Contemplative Teaching (EDU 635e)
Compassionate Teaching (EDU 665e)
Transforming Instruction and Curriculum(EDU 735e)